"The Howdy Doody Show"



This episode takes advantage of Ron Howard's resemblance to Howdy Doody, although he comes in second in the lookalike contest.

Notes:
  • There's another Lone Ranger reference.
  • Now I want to know how Ralph's "degenerate" joke was going to go.
  • Ralph's birthday is in August.
  • Joanie being a Junior Chipmunk actually figures into the plot this time.
  • Richie wants to major in Journalism in college, which would happen, so much for his plans to be a lawyer.
  • This time Bruce Kimmel plays Mark Summers, the editor of the school paper, and he dresses like he's 40.
  • Buffalo Bob Smith appears as himself, as does Howdy I guess.
  • This episode's solo writer Bob Brunner's first of only two onscreen appearances (the other being the Foreman on the first Laverne & Shirley episode) is as Clarabell, although famously that was actually the future Captain Kangaroo, so the plot about the clown never being seen without makeup (although apparently without pants!) is ironic.

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