LAVERNE & SHIRLEY: WHY DID THE FIREMAN . . . (TV)
Summary
One in this comedy series about two young working women, following their humorous adventures from the 1950s through the 1960s.
In this episode, Laverne comes home with her handsome new boyfriend, fireman Randy Carpenter. Shirley is embarrassed as they catch her in a beauty makeover routine. When the two are left alone, Randy compliments Laverne and tells her how special she is to him. After Randy leaves, Shirley declares that he’s “a catch.” Two months later, Laverne and Randy block out all around them as they get affectionate at the Pizza Bowl. Randy asks Laverne to join him at the fire station that night. Later, the twosome are smooching at the station as Shirley and Carmine stop by for a tour. When Laverne goes upstairs to slide down the pole, Randy reveals that he’s going to ask Laverne to marry him. Shirley tips off Laverne, after which Lenny and Squiggy arrive to perform volunteer service.
As Randy is about to pop the question, an alarm sounds and Randy is called away to duty. He tells Laverne to wait for him back at her apartment. As Laverne preps for Randy’s arrival, Lenny and Squiggy arrive and tearfully deliver some bad news: Randy was killed in the fire. Laverne calls it “a sick joke” and throws them out of the apartment. Lenny and Squiggy tell the news to Shirley, who tries to talk to Laverne. Laverne stonewalls her, along with efforts the next day from Edna. Finally, Frank arrives and reads Laverne a newspaper account of the tragedy. He says that Randy died saving a family of five. As Laverne breaks down, Frank says he felt the same way when his wife died. Later, Laverne and Shirley attend a memorial service for Randy as Laverne cradles his fireman’s hat. She tells his spirit that she would have accepted his proposal before saying a final goodbye. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: February 4, 1980 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:25:07
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:63915
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1976-1983
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Thomas L. Miller … Executive Producer
- Edward K. Milkis … Executive Producer
- Garry K. Marshall … Executive Producer, Created by
- Tony Marshall … Supervising Producer
- Gary Menteer … Supervising Producer
- David W. Duclon … Producer
- Ron Leavitt … Producer
- Tony Paris … Associate Producer
- Rich Correll … Associate Producer
- Joel Zwick … Director
- Lowell Ganz … Created by
- Mark Rothman … Created by
- Roger Garrett … Writer
- Charles Fox … Music by, Theme Music by
- Norman Gimbel … Theme Music by
- Penny Marshall … Cast, Laverne DeFazio
- Cindy Williams … Cast, Shirley Feeney
- David L. Lander … Cast, Squiggy Squiggman
- Michael McKean … Cast, Lenny Kosnowski
- Betty Garrett … Cast, Edna DeFazio
- Phil Foster … Cast, Frank DeFazio
- Eddie Mekka … Cast, Carmine Ragusa
- Ted Danson … Cast, Randy Carpenter