In 1976, American television gave viewers two very different kinds of entertainment that would become familiar parts of family life: a sitcom about friendship and a game show built around guessing what other people think.
Laverne & Shirley: friendship on the factory floor
Laverne & Shirley premiered on ABC on January 27, 1976. A spin-off of Happy Days, it followed Laverne DeFazio (Penny Marshall) and Shirley Feeney (Cindy Williams), two friends working at Milwaukee's Shotz Brewery. The show's physical comedy, distinctive opening chant, and working-class setting made it stand out. The series ran through 1983 and later moved its characters to California.
What makes the show memorable isn't just the slapstick. Laverne and Shirley are different personalities who nevertheless keep showing up for one another—an enduring sitcom formula.
Family Feud: the survey says...
Family Feud debuted on ABC on July 12, 1976, with Richard Dawson as host. Instead of testing obscure trivia, it challenged competing families to predict popular survey responses. The format turned everyday opinions into suspense, comedy, and countless memorable wrong answers.
Across revivals and changing hosts, the show's core question has remained remarkably simple: how well can you guess what other people said?
Two very different kinds of nostalgia
One celebrates the bond between friends; the other brings families together around a television screen. Fifty years later, both evoke the experience of watching TV as a shared event.
Explore the corresponding Old Soul TV Favorites collections and anniversary-inspired designs.
