Joanie Loves Chachi

infobox television
bgcolour=#4db3f3
show_name = Joanie Loves Chachi


caption = "Joanie Loves Chachi" title screen
format = Sitcom
runtime = 30 minutes per episode
creator = Lowell Ganz
starring = Scott Baio
Erin Moran
Al Molinaro
Ellen Travolta
Art Metrano
country = USA
network = ABC
opentheme = "You Look at Me," sung by Scott Baio and Erin Moran
first_aired = March 23, 1982
last_aired = May 24, 1983
num_seasons = 2
num_episodes = 17
(4 in Season 1)
(13 in Season 2)
preceded_by="Love, American Style" "Happy Days"
related="Laverne & Shirley" "Blansky's Beauties" "Mork & Mindy" "Out of the Blue" "The New Love, American Style"
imdb_id = 0083433
tv_com_id = 1646

"Joanie Loves Chachi" was an American TV spin-off of the popular American sitcom "Happy Days" that was originally broadcast on ABC from March 23, 1982 to September 13, 1983. It starred Scott Baio and Erin Moran as the titular Chachi Arcola and Joanie Cunningham, respectively.

ynopsis

The series followed the exploits of Joanie and Chachi as they moved to Chicago and tried to make it on their own with a rock band and a music career. It mixed the traditional elements of a sitcom with musical performances on each show by Baio and Moran. In fact, the beginning credit sequence of the show had them singing to each other. Their backup band consists of a spaced-out drummer named Bingo and Chachi's blase cousins Mario and Annette.

The series also starred Ellen Travolta as Louisa Delvecchio, Chachi's mother, and Al Molinaro as Al Delvecchio, Chachi's stepfather (and formerly the owner of Arnold's Drive-In in "Happy Days"), who opened a restaurant in which Chachi and Joanie performed most of their music. Art Metrano played Chachi's uncle Rico Mastorelli, who was the band's manager and helped Joanie and Chachi advance in their careers. Actress Winifred Freedman played Rico's daughter, Annette, Chachi's cousin, and bandmate.

Cancellation

The format didn't click with viewers, and the series only lasted for two seasons (the first one being abbreviated) before the characters were rolled back into "Happy Days" for that program's final season.

Misconceptions

It is not true that the program was the highest-rated show in Korea for a time because "Chachi" is the Korean word for penis.However both series creator Garry Marshall and series star Scott Baio have propagated the myth. [cite web|url=http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/joanie.asp|title=Fun with Dick and Joan|author=Barbara and David P. Mikkelson|publisher=Snopes.com|accessdate=2008-03-14]

Main cast

References

External links

*imdb title|0083433
*tv.com show|1646
* [http://www.sitcomsonline.com/joanieloveschachi.html Joanie Loves Chachi] at Sitcomsonline.com