From January 15, 1974 to September 24, 1984, "Happy Days" was an American sitcom TV series that premiered on the ABC network, with a total of 255 half-hour programs spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marshall, this series is one of the most successful series in the 1970s, an idealized vision of life in the Midwest from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s. Although it was popular with critics, as time passed, "Happy Days" became successful and popular. "Happy Days" became the number one TV show from 1976 to 1977. Fonzie became one of the most commercialized characters in the 1970s, and Henry Winkler became the series. The series also spawned many derivative products, including Laverne & Shirley and Mork & Mindy.