Goin' to Chicago was the 23rd and final episode of the second season of Happy Days; it was also the 39th overall episode in the series. Written by Frank Buxton, the episode, which was directed by George Tyne, premiered on ABC-TV on May 6, 1975.
Synopsis[]
Richie, Potsie, and Ralph go on a trip to Chicago with the school choir. Not wanting to stay in their hotel room all night, Ralph convinces them to sneak out and see a comedy show at a burlesque house.
Storyline[]
While in Chicago with their high school choir, Richie, Ralph and Potsie sneak by their chaperons, wind up on the wrong side of an unsympathetic downtown nightclub owner, and win the sympathy of a kind-hearted cocktail waitress.
Richie, Potsie, and Ralph sing with the school chorus (they sing "Glory, Glory"). Miss Wheaton gives the itinerary for the school chorus and their trip to Chicago. Richie packs a suitcase and Howard helps him close it and tells him to be careful with his money in Chicago. Fonzie wants Richie to pick him up some grease from a particular garage in the northside of Chicago for his grease collection.
Ralph is appointed monitor for the bus and they start "10,000 bottles of beer on the wall". They check into the hotel room and Potsie steals all the hotel advertisement items in the room. While Mr. Pinney guards the elevator, they decide to leave by using the stairs. They go to the Blue Pelican and see comedian Jackie Silver. They get the check and are shocked to find out that it is for $36.00 ($6 each for 6 ginger ales and an entertainment charge).
Potsie forgets his money in the money belt at the hotel. Potsie and Ralph go back to the hotel and then want to go bail Richie out, but can't leave because of Mr. Pinney. The waitress offers to take Richie back to the hotel room to pick up the money, while Potsie and Ralph are stranded there. Mr. Pinney (the choir master) catches them with the waitress in their room, and tells them they are out of the choir. They are back in the choir when they spot Miss Wheaton in Mr. Pinney's hotel room.
Trivia/Notes[]
- This is the last episode of the series where Bill Haley and the Comets "Rock Around the Clock" was the show's opening theme song.
- This is also the last episode to have the original version of Norman Gimbel and Charles Fox's "Happy Days" as the closing theme.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham
- Henry Winkler as Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli
- Tom Bosley as Howard Cunningham
- Marion Ross as Marion Cunningham
- Anson Williams as Potsie Weber
- Erin Moran as Joanie Cunningham
- Don Most as Ralph Malph
Guest starring/Recurring cast[]
- Helen Page Camp as Miss Wheaton
- George Furth as Mr. Pinney
- Phil Leeds as J. Jackie Silver
- Pamela Myers as Mitzi
