"2001 - A Comedy Odyssey," Scenes A and B

On February 22, 1978, almost three months before "2001 - A Comedy Odyssey" aired, its Rev. Shooting Script came in.  Let's see what got changed.

We start in the "girls' apartment - night."  The first page and a half made it in but they dropped the last page, after Frank says he wants grandchildren:

FRANK

...It'll be nice.  I'll take 'em to the park, tuck 'em in at night, teach 'em to make pizza.

EDNA

If it'll make you feel better, why don't you tuck Laverne in?

FRANK

Good idea.

EDNA

Go ahead.  I'll get the dinner dishes cleaned up.

FRANK GETS UP TO GO TO THE BEDROOM.

FRANK

If there were any meatballs left over, save me one.

EDNA

For a sandwich?

FRANK

No.  I wanna play handball.

AS FRANK GOES TO THE BEDROOM, WE: 

CUT TO:

The next scene is set in the "girls' bedroom - continuous action."  Almost all of it was dropped, and it's short, so I'll quote it in full:

LAVERNE AND SHIRLEY ARE BOTH IN BED.  THEY ARE UNDER THE COVERS SO THAT WE CAN'T SEE THEIR FACES.  LAVERNE IS SLEEPING WITH HER BUTT UP IN THE AIR.  FRANK ENTERS.  HE TIPTOES BETWEEN THE BEDS

FRANK

(TO LAVERNE) You sleep like your mother.

FRANK PUSHES LAVERNE'S BUTT DOWN GENTLY.  HER BUTT COMES BACK UP.

FRANK (CONT'D)

Come on, Muffin.  Your old pop would feel a lot better if he knew you had a husband to take care of you.  None of us are gettin' any younger.  (TO SHIRLEY) That goes for you, too.

AS FRANK LEAVES THE ROOM, LAVERNE BEGINS TO TOSS AND TURN.

LAVERNE

(IN HER SLEEP) Married.  Get married...

FRANK

Right.  Hold that thought.

FRANK EXITS.

LAVERNE

Got to get married before it's too late.  Got to get married... got to get married....

AS LAVERNE GOES INTO HER DREAM, WE: 

OIL DISSOLVE TO [Scene C]:

Thoughts:

• OK, Frank's plans for his grandchildren are actually very sweet.
• Why doesn't he tuck Laverne in?  Um, maybe because she's a grown woman with a roommate?  And because poking her butt is inappropriate.
• Is the meatball joke an insult to someone's cooking?
• It's a bit sweet that we see the reasons behind Frank's nagging, which we don't get in the episode as aired.  But obviously it adds to Laverne's subconscious stress.
• Laverne's tossing and turning and sleep-talking about marriage were condensed.