It was 28 years ago this month that the ABC TV sitcom "Makin' It" ended its successful 4 season run (1979-1983).
"Makin' It" was the TV show that launched the career of its star David Naughton who previously was known for singing in the Dr. Pepper TV commercials. Naughton also sung the show's title song which went all the way to number one in the USA and several other countries.
Naughton portrayed Billy Manucci who in the show's first season was a college student who lived at home in New Jersey with his parents, his older brother and younger sister. Billy had a part time job at his father's pizzeria and attended Columbia University with the goal of becoming a school teacher.
Billy often spent his free time hanging out with his friends Al "Kingfish" Sorrentino and Bernard Fusco, or with his girlfriend Corky Crandall.
By the end of the show's run, Billy went from teaching math in high school to becoming a professor at Rutgers University. Having married Corky, they are parents of a baby boy.
Billy's older brother Tony went from a star dancer at Inferno and failing to hold a job at the start of the show to becoming a firefighter with the FDNY.
Billy's younger sister Tina married Kingfish in the show's final episode. And Billy's parents, Joe and Dorothy, sold the pizzeria and decided to move to a retirement community in Florida.
Bernard Fusco, with a reputation as a ladies man, moved to Las Vegas in the middle of the show's run and has a well paying job as a full time caddy to a famous golfer.
And everybody lived happily ever after.
I read an article that the original premise for "Makin' It" was to liberally base the show off of the movie Saturday Night Fever and capitalize on the disco craze. Fortunately, that idea was scrapped and more emphasis was placed on the Manucci family. Also, Naughton was considered for the movie American Werewolf in London but he was contractually tied to the TV show (what a flop that movie was).
What would happen if this show bombed in 1979? Would Naughton have had a successful career as a singer, movie star and director?