NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Fonzie syndrome

Fonzie syndrome is a phenomenon on TV programs in which a character that had originally been a one-off character or a supporting cast member becomes a/the central and/or most popular character on the show. The term comes from the American sitcom Happy Days, in which the character of Arthur "The Fonz" Fonzarelli (played by Henry Winkler) started out as a minor, fringe character but quickly evolved into the focal point of the series. Winkler's billing in the credits rose all the way to second (he refused to go before Ron Howard, the star), and at one point, network executives even hoped to call the show "Fonzie's Happy Days." This article or section is missing needed references or citation of sources. ... Happy Days was a popular American television sitcom that originally aired between 1974 and 1984 on the ABC television network. ... Whos cool, and has two thumbs? This guy! -Fonzie Arthur The Fonz Fonzarelli, popularly known as Fonzie, was a fictional character in the American sitcom Happy Days (1974-1984) played by Henry Winkler. ... Henry Winkler as The Fonz in Happy Days. ... Ron Howard on the set of Ransom. ...

Fonzie Syndrome is also sometimes known as Urkel Syndrome after the popular (and, at first, one-off) character Steve Urkel from the 1990s sitcom Family Matters. Steve Urkel Steve Urkel (full character name: Steven Quincy Urkel, portrayed by Jaleel White) is a character on the 1990s sitcom Family Matters. ... The 1990s decade refers to the years from 1990 to 1999, inclusive. ... Family Matters was an American sitcom about a middle class African American family living in Chicago. ...

Cases of supporting characters becoming more prominent than the central characters are sometimes viewed as instances of a series having jumped the shark. Jumping the shark is a slang term used by television critics since the 1990s. ...

Nevertheless, it is not always bad for a series when such an event occurs. Happy Days without Fonzie or Family Matters without Urkel would most likely have had much less commercial success than they had. Characters that evolve in this manner often do so because they are well-written and well-acted.

At its worst, it can be a symptom of a bigger problem-- that the characters that had been the show's focus were no longer popular enough to carry the show.

The phenomenon is briefly mentioned in the 1999 biopic Man on the Moon, wherein George Shapiro (played by Danny DeVito) tells Andy Kaufman (played by Jim Carrey) that his "Latka" character on the TV series Taxi will be the "new Fonzie, the crazy breakout character that all the kids imitate and put on their lunchboxes". 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Man on the Moon is a 1999 film based on the unusual life and career of comedian Andy Kaufman. ... Danny DeVito as Louie in Taxi. ... Andy Kaufman Andrew Geoffrey Kaufman (January 17, 1949 â€“ May 16, 1984?) was a New York-born American entertainer. ... Jim Carrey James Eugene Carrey (born January 17, 1962), better known as Jim Carrey, is a Canadian comedian and film actor. ... Taxi is a American sitcom that originally aired from 1978 to 1982 on ABC, and from 1982 to 1983 on NBC. The series focused on the every day life of a handful of New York City taxi drivers working for the Sunshine Cab Company, as well as their abusive boss...

Other television examples

The cast of 227. ... JackÃ©e Harry, in a screenshot from 227. ... 1959 Soundtrack - (L to R): Roger Smith, Kookie Byrnes, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... A Different World was an American television sitcom. ... Kadeem Hardison (born July 24, 1965) is an African-American actor, best known for portraying Dwayne Wayne on the Cosby Show spin-off A Different World. ... jasmine guy Jasmine Guy (born March 10, 1964 in Boston, Massachusetts) is an African-American actress. ... Boy Meets World was an American television sitcom that chronicled the events and everyday life lessons of a youth named Cory Matthews, who grows up from a pre-pubescent boy to a married man. ... Danielle Fishel Danielle Christine Fishel (born May 5, 1981 in Mesa, Arizona) is a U.S. actress. ... Buffy the Vampire Slayer was an American television series inspired by the 1992 movie of the same name. ... Spike (aka William Pratt & William the bloody), is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the cult television programs, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. ... James Marsters on the cover of British magazine SFX James Marsters with David Boreanaz James Marsters post-Spike James Wesley Marsters (born August 20, 1962 in Greenville, California) is an American actor and musician, best known for playing the popular platinum-blond character Spike, a British yob of a vampire... Dark Shadows was a gothic television soap opera that originally aired weekdays on the ABC television network, from June 27, 1966 to April 2, 1971. ... Barnabas Collins is a 172 year old vampire played by Jonathan Frid on the ABC serial Dark Shadows. ... Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins on Dark Shadows. John Herbert Frid, who was born on December 2, 1924 in Hamilton, Ontario Canada, is a noted theater, television and movie actor. ... Dinosaurs was an American television sitcom on ABC, produced by Michael Jacobs Productions and Jim Henson Productions in association with Walt Disney Television about a family of talking dinosaurs that ran for 65 episodes from April 1991 to July 1994. ... Kevin Clash (born September 17, 1960, in Baltimore, Maryland, USA) is a puppeteer best known for his portrayal of the character Elmo on the childrens television show Sesame Street. ... Family Matters (TV series) also refers to a popular television series. ... Steve Urkel Steve Urkel (full character name: Steven Quincy Urkel, portrayed by Jaleel White) is a character on the 1990s sitcom Family Matters. ... Jaleel White Jaleel Ahmad White (born November 27, 1976 in Pasadena, California) is an American actor, who starred as Steve Urkel on the TV series Family Matters from 1990 to 1998. ... Good Times is an American sitcom that was originally broadcast from February 1, 1974 until August 1, 1979 on the CBS television network. ... Jimmie Walker (born June 25, 1947 in The Bronx, New York) is an American actor. ... Grange Hill is a British childrens television drama series which is shown on BBC1. ... Tuckers Luck is a British television series made by the BBC between 1983 and 1985. ... JT Larry is a television sitcom produced by Ravenaires Productions and distributed by Heya Doin Television, a subsidiary of Heya Doin Pitchers. ... Life Goes On was a television series aired on ABC from September 12, 1989 to May 23, 1993. ... Kellie Martin Kellie Noelle Martin (born October 16, 1975) is an American actress. ... Inspired by the 1970 20th Century-Fox film M*A*S*H (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) and based on the book of the same name, M*A*S*H was an American television series about a team of medical professionals and support staff stationed at the 4077th MASH in Korea... Maxwell Q. Klinger is a fictional character from the M*A*S*H television series played by American actor Jamie Farr. ... Jamie Farr, as Corporal Klinger Jamie Farr (born on July 1, 1934 in Toledo, Ohio), birth name Jameel Joseph Farah, is an American television and film actor of Lebanese descent. ... Melrose Place is a TV series that ran between 1992 and 1999, created by Darren Star. ... Hilary Duff and Heather Locklear in The Perfect Man. ... Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is a live-action television and movie series, based on the Super Sentai series Kyōryū Sentai Zyu-Ranger, literally Dinosaur Task Force Beast Rangers and often abbreviated as ZyuRanger (after the Kunrei-shiki romanization). ... Thomas Oliver - Unmorphed Thomas Tommy Oliver (played by actor Jason David Frank) is a fictional character in the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers TV series, as well as four of its successive incarnations. ... Jason Frank as Tommy Oliver in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Jason David Frank (September 4, 1973) is an American actor and martial artist most noted and famous for playing Thomas Oliver, the Green and White Power Ranger on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Zeo Ranger 5 Red on Power Rangers: Zeo... The O.C. is an American television comedy-drama program broadcast on the Fox Network in the US and on various networks around the world. ... Julie Cooper-Nichol is a fictional character on the FOX television series The O.C., played by Melinda Clarke. ... Melinda Clarke as Velasca, from Xena: Warrior Princess. ... The Real Ghostbusters was an American animated television series based on the hit 1984 movie Ghostbusters. ... Slimer is a green ghost in the 1984 supernatural comedy movie Ghostbusters (as well as its 1989 sequel) whose popularity soared from the subsequent spinoff television series The Real Ghostbusters and Slimer! and the Real Ghostbusters. ... Frank Welker Frank W. Welker (born February 16, 1945) is an American voice actor. ... Robin of Sherwood, retitled Robin Hood in the US, was an acclaimed 1980s British television series, based on the legend of Robin Hood. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... This article or section needs a complete rewrite for the reasons listed on the talk page. ... Chibiusa (ã¡ã³ã†ã•) (as said in Act 11); legally Usagi Tsukino and formally Usagi Small Lady Serenity Tsukino is a fictional character from the manga/anime Sailor Moon. ... Kae Araki (è’æœ¨ é¦™æµ Araki Kae), born Yoshie Abe (é˜¿éƒ¨ ä½³æµ Abe Yoshie, born November 6, 1966) is a seiyÅ«. As of 2005, Kae Araki is employed by 81 Produce. ... Tracey Hoyt is a Canadian voice actress and alumna of the York University, possessing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater Performance. ... Stephanie Beard and Carlos Bustamente hosting The Zone Stephanie Beard (born August 27, 1980 in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada), also known as Sugar and Suga BayBee, is a Canadian actress, voice actress and television and radio personality. ... The manga was translated into English by TOKYOPOP (then Mixx). ... Scrubs is an American sitcom that premiered on October 2, 2001, on NBC. It was created by Bill Lawrence, who also co-created Spin City. ... Neil Flynn as Janitor The Janitor is a fictional character played by actor Neil Flynn in the American sitcom Scrubs. ... Neil Flynn in Scrubs episode My Hypocritical Oath Neil Flynn (b. ... Sesame Street is an educational American childrens television series designed for preschoolers, and is recognized as a pioneer of the contemporary standard which combines education and entertainment in childrens television shows. ... Elmo in Elmos World. ... Kevin Clash (born September 17, 1960, in Baltimore, Maryland, USA) is a puppeteer best known for his portrayal of the character Elmo on the childrens television show Sesame Street. ... Step By Step was a television sitcom which was aired on ABC from September 20, 1991 to August 15, 1997 and with a network change moved to CBS from September 19, 1997 to June 26, 1998. ... Sasha Mitchell in Kickboxer 2 Main title caption from Dallas. ... The West Wing is a popular and widely acclaimed American television serial drama created by Aaron Sorkin. ... Josiah Edward Jed Bartlet is a fictional character played by Martin Sheen on the television serial drama The West Wing. ... Martin Sheen RamÃ³n Gerardo Antonio EstÃ©vez (born August 3, 1940), better known as Martin Sheen, is an American actor, best known for his roles in the film Apocalypse Now, and most recently as President Josiah Bartlet on the television drama The West Wing. ... It has been suggested that Rickyisms be merged into this article or section. ... Mike Smith (born 1972, Thorburn, Nova Scotia) is a Canadian actor, who plays the bespectacled Bubbles on Trailer Park Boys. ... Welcome Back, Kotter is an American television sitcom that originally aired on the ABC network from 1975 to 2009. ... John Travolta in a 2005 publicity shot from Be Cool. ... Will & Grace is an American television situation comedy focusing on Will Truman, a gay attorney and his best friend Grace Adler, a straight Jewish woman who runs her own interior design firm. ... John Philip Jack McFarland (born in 1969) is a character on the American television sitcom Will & Grace, played by Sean Hayes. ... For the Irish politician see Sean Hayes. ... Karen Walker Karen Popeil St. ... Mullally as Karen Walker in Will & Grace Megan Mullally (born November 12, 1958 in Los Angeles, California, USA) is an Emmy Award-winning American actress. ...

Examples in other media

Homestar Runner is a Flash cartoon series. ... Strong Bad is a primary character in the fictional world of Homestar Runner. ... A Popeye comic book cover shows Popeye, with his characteristic corncob pipe and single good eye, and his girlfriend Olive Oyl. ... Location within France Nancy (pronounced in French) (German: Nanzig) is a city and commune which is the prÃ©fecture (capital) of the Meurthe-et-Moselle dÃ©partement, in the Lorraine rÃ©gion of northeastern France. ... Achewood is an online comic strip created by Chris Onstad. ... The X-Men are a group of comic book superheroes featured in Marvel Comics. ... Wolverine, born James Howlett and often simply called Logan, is a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the X-Men. ...

Other television examples GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Examples in other media

See also

Other television examples