"The Deadly Dares" is the sixth episode of the first season of Happy Days. The episode was written by Steve Zacharias and directed by Herb Wallerstein. It aired on February 19, 1974, on ABC.
Plot[]
Ralph enters the school dance, where Richie and Potsie unsuccessfully try to get girls, observing Bag Zombroski of the Demons gang having greater success. Potsie suggests they try to join the gang, pointing out that Fonzie used to be a member.
Fonzie struggles to start his bike as Richie and Potsie approach him to ask about joining the Demons. He reluctantly agrees to help them.
Howard and Joanie paint as Richie prepares to go meet the Demons. Howard advises him to be smart.
Fonzie attends the Demons initiation with Richie and Potsie. They both make it past the first stage, then say they must do the "deadly dares" in order to be members.
At Arnold's, they are dared to make juvenile crank calls and kiss Marsha. They then are dared to roller skate through the hallway at school, stealing a teacher's toupee in the process. At the movie theater, they are dared to sing "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" and they are joined by the other people in the theater as well. In a screening room where Richie's family are present.
Howard gets a headache and while Marion goes to get aspirin, Richie apologizes for embarrassing them. At home, Howard suggests to Richie that the girls who fall for Demons may not be worth it. Later at Arnold's, as another dare, they tie a police officer's shoelaces together as he speaks to Marsha and plans a date with her. However, this is ruined when the officer falls on her and she thinks he is assaulting her.
The final dare for the boys to become Demons is to go to a school dance dressed as girls. Fonzie dances with Richie and when he learns that "she" is Richie, he claims to have known the whole time and was trying to help him.
Richie and Potsie later decide that they do not really want to be Demons, reflecting Howard's advice. And Joanie says she doesn't want to wear Richie's hand me downs.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham
- Marion Ross as Marion Cunningham
- Anson Williams as Warren "Potsie" Weber
- Tom Bosley as Howard Cunningham
Co-starring[]
- Henry Winkler as Fonzie
- Donny Most as Ralph
- Ed Begley, Jr. as Hank
- Jack Riley as O'Reilly
Featuring[]
- Erin Moran as Joanie
- Gavan O'Herlihy as Chuck
- Beatrice Colen as Marsha
- Neil J. Schwartz as Bag
- Lou Tiano as Rocky
- John Wheeler as Mr. Crenshaw
Notes[]
- Neil J. Schwartz makes his first appearance as Bag Zambroni in this episode.
- Steve Zacharias is credited as "Steven Zacharias."
- This is first episode where Fonzie wears a black leather jacket, instead of a beige windbreaker. He would begin wearing it regularly in "Give the Band a Hand."
- Potsie mentions his embarrassment at borrowing mascara from his sister. This would contradict his statement in later seasons regarding being an only child.
- Warren "Potsie" Weber got his nickname from his mother. When he was growing up, he liked to make things out of clay. His mother called him Potsie once, and it stuck.
- This episode marks the last time the 1964 ABC Presentation TV camera logo was used.
