Secrets From 'Happy Days' That Producers Kept Hidden For Years

Paycut

Despite playing a character with not a lot of brains, Winkler made some pretty smart moves behind the scenes. In exchange for accepting a dramatic pay cut from the big salary he was promised, Winkler negotiated for a portion of the merchandising and syndication profits of the show. Happy Days was a huge success for both his career and his bank account. 

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The More You Know

  • The X-Files: To compensate for the 10-inch height difference between David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, Anderson often stood on a box during scenes.
  • Gertrude Berg was TV’s first star
  • The Office: Phyllis Smith, who plays Phyllis Vance, was initially an assistant casting director for the show.
  • Many shows today feature "anti-heroes," or villains who serve as the main character. Such shows include Dexter, Breaking Bad, and The Sopranos.
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