Tuesday, May 18, 2021

"Did She or Didn't She?", Scene B

We're at the Pizza Bowl, during the "day."  Frank breaking up a fight was added.  This was omitted after Shirley is amazed that twelve guys called for her at the P.B.:

SHIRLEY
...I wonder what they want?

LAVERNE
Here's what they want:  (READS) "Shirl, I'm warm for your form.  Can I take you for a lime rickey and fries with all the ketchup your heart desires?  Love, Alphonse."  He's that real quiet guy from Shipping and Receiving.

SHIRLEY
What got into him?!  Here's one from Stevie Luscatoff on the loading dock.

LAVERNE
Ooo, yeah.  He's got nice sideburns.

SHIRLEY
I don't like sideburns.

LAVERNE
That's no reason to put him down.

FRANK
Shirley can afford to be picky.  Twelve guys called her.

THE PHONE RINGS AGAIN.

FRANK (CONT'D)
If that's for you, Shirley, he better want a pizza on the side... Hello, Frank De Fazio...

SHIRLEY
I'll bet it's because I plucked my eyebrows.

LAVERNE
(DEFENSIVE) I plucked my eyebrows.

FRANK
Shirley, it's for you.  What am I, an answering service?  (INTO PHONE) You got sideburns?  No?  Good.  Here she is.

SHIRLEY
Or maybe it's because I started using dental floss.

LAVERNE
(SARCASTIC) Sure.  That'll get guys lining up to see you.

SHIRLEY GOES TO PHONE.

LAVERNE (CON'TD)
What is she talking about? Dental floss.

FRANK CROSSES BACK TO LAVERNE.

FRANK
So what's with Shirley and all these dates?

LAVERNE
Plucked eyebrows and dental floss, so she says.

FRANK
Well whatever she's doin', she's doin' it right.

LAVERNE
(MOODILY) I got my own style, Pop.

FRANK
That could be your problem.


SHIRLEY RETURNS FROM THE PHONE.

SHIRLEY
(TO FRONT) I'm sorry I tied up your line, Mister De Fazio.

FRANK
I'm getting a new number.  Don't give it to fellas.

FRANK GOES BACK TO WORK.

SHIRLEY
That was Robert Kenmore.  He's taking me out tonight.

Onscreen, Shirley sees a message from Robert Hoffman, but the dialogue is otherwise mostly intact for awhile.  Laverne's imitation of Robert was added, but in the script we get Shirley calling him "Bobby" more often.  This was left out after Shirley says she does her teeth:

LAVERNE
Dental floss.  I know.

SHIRLEY
...Then I make sure my makeup is just right.

LAVERNE
I do all those things just right.

SHIRLEY
Yeah, but you do it all while you're driving to work.

LAVERNE
I like to sleep late.  Besides, I look fine.

SHIRLEY
Last week you had lipstick on your teeth.

LAVERNE
I didn't know I had lipstick on my teeth.   Is there any there now?

LAVERNE SMILES.  SHIRLEY LOOKS.

SHIRLEY
No.  But there's some on your gum.

LAVERNE
(TAKES A NAPKIN AND WIPES) Maybe I should get up earlier.  Or drive slower.

SHIRLEY
Vernie, It's never too late to turn over a new leaf.  Maybe you can get a date tonight and we'll double.

LAVERNE
Naw, the only guy who ever calls me on such short notice is Dougy Loomis.

SHIRLEY
Dirty Dougy?

LAVERNE
Yeah.  He's not bad, but he's got a one-track mind.

Onscreen, the girls discuss the proper way to brush teeth and then Shirley suggests a double date, but Laverne can't think of anyone.  Shirley mentioning the new guy in the building is in the script, but they added details, including his apartment number (3B) and profession (writer).  Also the "grunting by the incinerator" was an another add-on by filming.

Then onscreen, Shirley says she has to get ready for her date with Bobby, and she gives Laverne walking advice, and then demonstrates.  Here are the last one and a half lines of the scene in the script, after Shirley tells Laverne her day will come.

SHIRLEY
(STARTS OUT, READING HER MESSAGES) Let's see, who should I go out with tomorrow?....

LAVERNE
(FOLLOWING HER) I could brush my hair a hundred strokes.  Naw, with my luck, I'll go bald.

Thoughts:
  • We hear about a couple more of Shirley's gentleman callers in the script, as well as Dirty Dougy.
  • Now I'm trying to remember if Shirley is ever canonically interested in any guys with sideburns.
  • I think Frank's missing dialogue is funny, although what he gets in the final version isn't bad either.
  • So Season One Laverne originally knew how to drive?  Her pre-series Happy Days appearances suggest that as well, but this would be retconned for Season Two.  (SPOILER, I have two versions of that script.) 
  • Shirley is a good enough friend she would've told Laverne about lipstick on her teeth at the time, so I'm glad that was omitted.
  • I do like that there's another scripted "Vernie."
  • Some nice stuff here, especially with Frank, but I can see why they had to tighten up this scene.

3 comments:

  1. I like a lot of this, too! Yeah, I wanna know more about these dudes making passes at Shirl TBH.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As in "Nun's Story," there are interesting offscreen characters we never got to hear about in canon.

      Delete

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