Plot Synopsis

On Sunday, December 23, 2018 from 2pm-6pm ET/PT, MeTV pays tribute to the career and comedy of beloved actress and director Penny Marshall (died on December 18, 2018 at age 75) with a special presentation of LAVERNE & SHIRLEY episodes. In a March 2015 interview with MeTV, Marshall shared her favorite LAVERNE & SHIRLEY episodes. As a tribute to her enduring character, Laverne DeFazio, MeTV has scheduled six of these memorable episodes, along with two special holiday-themed episodes, to create a special four-hour afternoon celebration of memorable and hilarious comedy for the whole family.

The "Schlemiel! Schlimazel!" heard as Laverne and Shirley skip along the sidewalk in the opening credits also comes from Marshall's childhood. As Cindy Williams shared in an interview with MeTV, the duo's hopscotch mantra was from Marshall's youth. "Penny's brother Garry directed the series and told Penny 'Teach Cindy that little ditty you used to do on the way to school. We'll shoot that,'" Williams said. "Penny taught me 'Schlemiel! Schlimazel!' I had no idea what it meant, and I'm still kind of shaky on it... When Penny and her school chums would walk to school, they'd link arms and count off their steps, '1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, schlemiel, schlimazel, hasenpfeffer incorporated!' Then they'd run and stop and start counting again."

Penny proved herself in front of the camera, and also behind it. Marshall first directed television, including Laverne & Shirley, before moving onto hit feature films including Big and A League of their Own. With Big, Marshall became the first female director to have a film gross more than $100 million.

The complete schedule for MeTV's Tribute to Penny Marshall includes:

Sunday, December 23, 2018 (All Times are Eastern/Pacific)

2:00pm-2:30pm: LAVERNE & SHIRLEY "Fakeout at the Stakeout"

2:30pm-3:00pm: LAVERNE & SHIRLEY "Bridal Shower"

3:00pm-3:30pm: LAVERNE & SHIRLEY "Guinea Pigs"

3:30pm-4:00pm: LAVERNE & SHIRLEY "Steppin' Out"

4:00pm-4:30pm: LAVERNE & SHIRLEY "Airport '59"

4:30pm-5:00pm: LAVERNE & SHIRLEY "Supermarket Sweep"

5:00pm-5:30pm: LAVERNE & SHIRLEY "Christmas Eve at the Booby Hatch"

5:30pm-6:00pm: LAVERNE & SHIRLEY "Oh, Come All Ye Bums"