Happy Days

Howard's 45th Fiasco

Season 3, Episode 8, Aired 10/28/75

Episode Summary

At his 45th birthday, Howard realizes that his life has been very dull up to this point, and he attempts to run away to Tahiti.

6.6

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Cast & Crew

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Ron Howard

Richard J. Cunningham
Henry Winkler

Arthur Herbert "Fonzie" Fonzarelli
Marion Ross

Marion Kelp Cunningham

Fan Episode Reviews (2)

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Howard is feeling depressed because it's his 45th birthday and he feels like he hasn't really achieved anything in his life.

7.0

"Good"

By Lady_Lancaster, Aug 14, 2010 Report Abuse

Poor old Howard has a case of the blues. It's his 45th birthday and when he examines his life, he feels like there hasn't been much in the way of achievement to boast about.

Sensing Howard's glumness, the family rally around and try and cheer him up by doing a Cunningham version of "This Is Your Life" but the whole thing falls completely flat and Howard feels even worse than he did before. In fact, he feels so low that he considers running away to, of all places, Tahiti in order to put some spark back into his life. Needless to say, nobody thinks this is a very good idea and Fonzie sits him down for a heart to heart.

Pretty dull as far as episodes go overall, but the conversation between Howard and Fonzie makes up for it somewhat.moreless

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It is Howard's birthday but he is down about it, feeling he hasn't achieved very much in his life. Everyone decides to make a 'This Is Your Life'-style show, but it makes him even more depressed, and he considers running off to Tahiti...moreless

7.3

"Good"

By Jay-Spacedust, Sep 24, 2007 Report Abuse

This is a fair episode, but not really likely to make it to anyone's Top 10 episodes list. Even so, it is good to see Howard get an episode of his own.

This isn't really a bad episode, I just didn't find it as funny or as grabbing as some others from the period. Almost like it was devised to bump up the season's episode number a bit.

The scene between Fonzie and Howard is without a doubt the best of the episode, and is well acted by both Tom Bosley and Henry Winkler.

All-in-all, a fair but average installment.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- Howard's age is miscalculated. Marion proves that today is Howard's 45th birthday by reminding him he was 31 when Joanie was born. Marion reasons that since Joanie is now 14, Howard must be 45 today. If all that were true, Howard would have already been 45 on Joanie's 14th birthday. Therefore, this day is his 46th birthday. Edit
- Fonzie states that his father left him when he was four years old, but, in "A Star is Bored," he says he was 12. Edit
Notes
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Quotes
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- Howard: I thought you were Japanese? Arnold: Only on my father's side. My mother is Chinese. See, I speak Japanese, Chinese, Korean, a little bit of Hungarian ... Howard: Well, tell me something. What do you consider yourself? Arnold: Good-looking. Edit
- Marion: Why would he just go off like this? Haven't I been a good wife? Richie: Sure you have. Marion: It couldn't have been my cooking. He was thin when I married him. Edit
- Howard: Oh, my goodness. I swore I was 43. Marion: Well, it's not that much difference, dear. Joanie: Yeah, my gym teacher told us: "Once you're over the hill, what's the difference how far?" Edit
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