This week, my Top 10 is Top 10 Laverne & Shirley Characters!
Laverne & Shirley wasn't a show with a ton of characters. In fact, I considered including a couple Happy Days characters who guested on the show to round on the list but that didn't seem true to the spirit of these Top 10 lists. So I went with Sonny St. Jacques, a decent but mostly inconsequential character from the later Hollywood years. Ed Marinaro was game for the role but he didn't really add much (or take away much) from the show.
9. RHONDA LEE
Another Hollywood-era character, Rhonda Lee comes in just ahead of Sonny because she was a little bit better of a character who had funnier moments and more meaningful plots (some of the time). She was a nice contrast to the Midwest sensibility of Laverne and Shirley even if she was clearly trying to be the "Chrissy Snow" in an era where Three's Company was dominating the ratings.
Big Rosie is the last of the non-regulars on this list and she was more of a high risk, high reward character. There were times where she could be funnier than Sonny or Rhonda and other times where she veered too far down the obnoxious side. On a show populated with more characters, I don't think any of these bottom three would have made it but it's a show that mainly focused on its core cast so here we are and Big Rosie comes in at #8.
7. CARMINE RAGUSA
Now we get into the series regulars. Carmine can be a pretty irritating character at times, especially when the show tries to "Potsie" him and make him sing at every turn. And boy, are those singing moments cheesy with a capital C. But he also has some funny interactions with the other characters, primarily the two leading ladies. And come on, he's the Big Ragoo. He can't be lower than any non series regulars.
6. EDNA BABISH DEFAZIO
Edna was a great character who got more and more integrated into the show as it continued on, especially after she got together with Frank. Her character had a colorful past and she often knew how to put Laverne and Shirley in their place when needed. She worked well as both a landlady and eventually a member of the family. It's too bad Betty Garrett already committed to a different show and they wrote her out at the end by having her leave Frank. That didn't seem right.
Frank was a pretty stereotypical grumpy old Italian man, but he also had a heart of gold and a genuine love for his daughter, Laverne. He's a character who probably would have been fleshed out more if the sitcom was written today. But he still grounded the show into the blue collar roots of it when it got a little more fanciful. He was a steady presence and even though he could yell with the best of them, it always seemed a little more on point that some of the other characters' craziness.
4. SHIRLEY FEENEY
I know her name is in the title but I just couldn't bring myself to put Shirley higher than fourth on the list. I always wished that her character was more like the Shirley we saw on her first appearance on Happy Days that led to the spinoff. She had more bite to her. By the time she was on the show, she was sometimes a little too ridiculous for my taste and I didn't always love her reactions (especially the loud squeals). That being said, she was very valuable to the show as a foil for Laverne as evidenced by the ill-fated final season without her.
It was tempting to write about these next two characters together but I will try to separate Squiggy from Lenny. Squiggy was a ridiculous character. Sometimes he was too much but he also was responsible for a lot of purely funny moments in the series. David L. Lander gave a more nuanced performance than he gets credit for in a show where nuance was not a strong suit. The few sweet moments for him landed and anytime he sang, it was pretty hilarious.
2. LENNY KOSNOWSKI
The other half of "Lenny and Squiggy" was played by comedy legend Michael McKean. McKean has of course done a lot of good work since Laverne & Shirley but he was pretty darn funny on the show too. Lenny was such a lovable loser and he was easy to root for, easier than Squiggy. He also had a funnier dynamic with the girls, especially Laverne. Laverne & Shirley might not be near the top of the list for McKean's career but he's near the top of the reasons Laverne & Shirley works.
The MVP of Laverne & Shirley is a very easy choice. It's Laverne, no questions asked. Penny Marshall is pretty wonderful on the show. She was gifted at physical comedy and also very good at comedic timing in general. Although her character shared the title with another character, Laverne really was the driving force on the show. Every plot that mattered most involved Laverne. Most of the characters that really mattered were tied to Laverne. She was the most important, and best, character.
Tomorrow: A One Season Wonder look at Delta!
Next Tuesday: Top 10 The Americans Characters!
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