Think you're forgetting how impeccable Dee was and how she'd often get the biggest laughs on the show. Danielle Spencer was a comedic genius at a young age.
I miss Fred Berry. He was a talented character actor & dancer. Very light on his feet. I remember he got his start on Soul Train. A lot of talent, came off that show. RIP Re Run 🕊🙏🏽🕊
I know Ernest Thomas and other cast mates said that Fred had a massive ego and caused his own problems, but at the same time Rerun was so crucial to both shows and without him the show wasn't the same. It also wasn't the same without Dee and Mama Thomas so What's Happening Now didn't stand a real chance to last without those three crucial characters.
Anne-Marie Johnson had a good career after What's Happening Now. My favorite is her role as Althea Gibbs on In The Heat of the Night. I also enjoyed her in many other various roles. She's underrated. I prefer her in more dramatic roles than comedies.
Fred Berry was originally a part of the dance group called The Lockers. The group along with Berry, appeared on the third episode of Saturday Night Live in 1975 one year prior to What's Happening beginning.
Huge fan of What's Happening! Fred Berry was a huge part of why I love the show. I didn't know about some of Berry's troubled history and thanks Dave, for saying it straight and not waltzing around it. Rerun's character was so synonymous with Berry, they just seemed like they were the same person on screen and in real life. Thanks, Dave. RIP, Fred.
@@jdsundstrom Also Dave there were some problems with Berry and production on the original series hence ABC cancelled it after 3 seasons. Berry asked for a higher salary and better studio accomodations for the actors. This issue eventually led to a full feldged walk out by Berry and Thomas during the second season. Producer Bud Yorkin, in turn, suspended the pair, forcing them to sign a $25,000 promissory notes to return to the show and guard against further walkouts. Mable King was absent from season 3 and had a reduced role in season 2 largely due to creative differencs with producers. She wanted Roger and Dee characters to have married parents and wanting a better job and going back to school which I believe was the theme of at least one episode. Berry again would threaten to strike by not appearing in a season 3 episode. Berry even went as far as to making accusations of racism against the producers. Inlight of the seriousness of the accusation and now unmotivated and unwilling to accomodate the stars, the producers opted to cancel the moderately successful series. The original series was loosey based on the film Cooley High. 🤔🤷📺
Fly me to the Moon 🎶🎵🎶🎵 lol Maybe my favorite episode of what's happening, ever! It was fun learning that Tony Basil was actually the only female in Fred's dance troop in the '70s. Such a shame that Freddy, Mabel, Shirley, and Danielle met with some very hard times and unfortunately some very heartbreaking deaths. It seemed like trouble and misfortune follow the cast around quite a bit. I know the actor that played Raj and Dee's father met with some very hard times as well. It's such a shame, because that will always be one of my favorite shows. Nothing can get me smiling faster than hearing that intro music. To this day, and very few people pick up on it, I will always use Rogers high-pitched squeal laughter during certain jokes or certain social situations. I love it when people pick up on it, because it is lost on so many millions of people
I loved Rerun's proposed hamburger jingle: "First you take a piece of meat, then you cook it in some heat. Then you shove it in a bun, but the fun has just begun!"
Hey Dave my friend! I was a dedicated What’s Happening fan in my early teens when the show was in its original run. I believe Fred was discovered after dancing on “Soul Train” my favorite episode on WH Is when Rerun competed in a dance contest against a heavily favored opponent
I loved Rerun! Him, Rog, Duane, Dee, Shirley and Momma were all so funny. It was good clean fun! Nothing ever heavy! Just what a kid needed to see that you could watch with your parents and trip out. RIP Fred Berry. Hey, HEY, hey!!!! Also, Fred was also in one of the Breakin’ movies as a serious dancer. He was no joke.
Fun fact: Rerun's B-boy was Mr. Penguin. He was a member of the L.A. Lockers along with Shanadoo (Ozone from Breakin') and Toni Basil (from that song "Mickey")
Thank you for the information I don’t know he got involved in drugs and alcohol, Fred berry Rest In Peace, that’s why I hate Hollywood never recognize very good talent and wonderful and amazing dancer 💙🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹😊
Fred Berry was to What's Happening! in the same manner that Henry Winkler was to Happy Days. Originally supporting characters whose charisma, delivery and humor catapulted them into the main audience draws.
I met Fred a few times back in 1999-2000. I even brought him on a radio show I was co-host of in Berkeley to interview him and promote a stand up gig he had in the area. Nice guy. Our show ran through the night and Fred stayed with us almost the entire show. Nicest guy and I even have some impromptu rap performances Fred gave that evening/morning., on tape. Never put them out.
I recalled he was asking for a million dollars per episode during the reboot, he claimed it didn't make sense that someone of his stature wasn't getting paid that much, which was clearly a sign he had some issues, sad how he died after overcoming so much. It also reminds me of the sad death of his co-star Shirley Hemphill, who lived in a house alone & had been dead for quite some time when her concerned gardener found her body. But let's remember them fondly as the bright lights they were for the show, along with that cool theme by Henry Mancini!
Yes that’s true, I agree. Such a funny show. I did read about the lonely death of Shirley Hemphill and how she didn’t wanted anybody to see how ill she was. It’s all so sad, they made us laugh and yet they were so unhappy!
@@opinionsonstories yes, her gardener looked thru the window and saw her in her bedroom on the floor. She was dead. Apparently she was afraid to see a doctor out of fear of surgery and she changed her phone number so no one of her friends could contact her to see how I’ll she was.
There was an episode of What’s Happening where Roger, sneaks out of the house to go to a party instead of babysitting his sister Dee. Roger finds an older woman who turns out to be less responsible than he thought to look after Dee. Roger’s mom finds out from Dee. Roger, Dwayne and Rerun return to his house and is confronted by his mom. Roger’s mom wants to punish Roger and she asks for a belt. Roger wasn’t wearing a belt. But Rerun takes off his belt and hands it to Roger’s mom. Shocked at the length of the belt, she says,”Oooohh! Rerun! I want to whip him not hang him!” Or the episode when Rerun gets chosen to dance with a group of professional dancers on a television show, not knowing that he was chosen not because he was a great dancer, but because of his size. Or the episode when Rerun joins a religious cult and learns that it was a sham. What’s Happening was relatable on so many levels, probably more so than any sitcom in the mid 70’s. I remember watching a scene from Entertainment Tonight (I think) and Fred Berry was at a golf course and he danced on the green. That was the last time I saw him dancing. Rest In Peace, Fred.
I remember watching an interview with Ernest Thomas, Mr.Dave, and he said quite frankly that Fred got too big for his britches! (Now that's a pretty neat trick!) And when the opportunity to do What's Happening Now came around, Ernest had hoped Fred had learned from his mistakes! But incredibly, he didn't, he pulled the same routine all over again!! The Doobie Brothers, incredibly enough, are still rocking down the highway!! Their 50th anniversary tour is in its 3rd year (covid), with Michael McDonald on board! I'll be seeing them on June 23rd in Fort Wayne, Indiana, but I won't be sporting a trench coat with a tape recorder‼️🇺🇲📻📺🎬🎶🛣🥼📼🎤🎸🎹🎻🪇🎺🥁👌
One of The Greatest of The Original Locker Dancers !! ...Re-runs Moves Are Now Legendary !!..I've Never Seen a Big Fella to this Day Move Like Him !!!...
Hey HEY hey! That was rerun’s signature greeting. Thanks for posting this.. I never missed an episode of WHATS HAPPENING! when I was a kid growing up in the 70’s. This brought back a lot of good memories. God bless you.
R.I.P. "Rerun"! He was my favorite character on "What's Happening". In fact, he was the main reason I liked and watched that show!! Thanks for all the great memories Fred "Rerun"!! Thank YOU Dave for ANOTHER great video....keeep 'em comin'!!!!
What's Happening still holds up today and Fred's Rerun is a big reason why. Curious why they put "Hey hey hey" on his tombstone though as that was Dwayne's catchphrase whereas Rerun always said "What's happening!" when he'd enter.
Berry was one of the most popular dancers on Soul Train for about 4 years!! He was astounding on that show. He was one the greatest dancers of all time!! In fact, he became a lot more famous after that because of his appearances on ST.
Ended up marrying one of the dancers dr. Franchesska Berry. One of a few marriages. He used to come over to my grandparents in Albuquerque as my uncle did some work with him.
i watched an interview with one of the producers and he said a couple actors got inflated egos, made money demands. the show worked because of it's ensemble. so of it's time, a fun slice of the 70's.
Thank you Mr.Sundstrom you’re highlighting of individuals like Mr. Berry is very important.This show is high caliber and represents the best part of us all.
OH I really loved WH. Never saw the remake/reboot, though. Rerun, Raj and Dwayne were a classic friend trio. I really feel like that show is one of the underrated gems from the 70s. Sad that Fred wasn't able to continue his success as he would have liked but it sounds like he really had it together at the end. RIP.
Thank you for the trips down memory lane! I have the dvd collection & my kids love watching the show on long road trips. Rerun was so loveable. I'm sure you already know Mabel King, who played the mom, was also in The Jerk & The Wiz. Keep up the great work.🤗
Watched this show all the time!! I loved that show. If I could find it on TV I'd gladly watch it. 😊 Rerun is an icon ❣️ God bless him. 🕊️🙏😊 Thank you Dave 😊
@Leesa Shriber YW. You were so nice and cordial I felt compelled to look it up for you. Good news , Tubi which is a free app has BOTH shows What's Happening and What's Happening Now a continuation with the same actors Enjoy 😉
Thank you so much for your love of classic pop culture! I too love this era we call the good stuff. I grew up watching What’s Happening and remember when it was a summer project that grew into a TV hit. As a black kid in 1970s America it was great to see a show about kids just like me. Good kids that loved their families, their neighborhood, and just wanted to grow up and make everyone proud. I loved Fred Berry and miss him.
Thank you so much for this video. Very informative right up to showing where he was laid to rest. I remember watching "What's Happening " back in high school every Thursday after school. He was a big man, but boy was he light on his feet and man could be "lock"😂.
Thank you for the Right On! magazine cover! I asked you if you remembered it. You said you didn’t. I grew up on it! I brought so many of them. I wish I still had them! The Doobie Brothers episode scared my young mind! Lol. He was such a great dancer on Soul Train as well.
Great video. I can't say I was a "HUGE" fan of Fred of the show What's Happening, but I certainly knew of both and watched my fair share. I loved TV in general and it was always one of my best friends. Thanks Dave.
Who's idea was it to write "hey hey hey" on his headstone? That was more 'Dwayne's' catch phrase than 'Reruns'. I always loved Fred's dancing. Any episodes where he could show off his dancing prowess was the best to me...
So, that's why Rerun was gone, before the first season was even done?? What's Happening Now is such an underrated, underappreciated series!! Hell, Martin Lawrence got his start on there!
I think I remember that last show WHATS HAPPENING NOW. I think Martin Lawrence became the one of leads? Maybe where he got his start. Anyway my favorite what’s happening episode (2 parter) was that Doobie Brothers episode. Whew, I’m old! 😅
WHAT'S HAPPENING!! was such a great show!! I even have the entire series on DVD in my private television library/archive. 😊😉 In fact, when I was in high school during my junior year 39 years ago, I even used to greet my classmates with Dwayne's (Haywood Nelson) greeting of "Hey, hey, hey" the same way HE did it--until my high school quiz bowl coach, Mr. Singer (who was a narcissist, I think), told me NOT to do that anymore. LOL!! BTW, I always loved it when, in the opening credits, Rerun chased after that truck with his cohorts, Raj and Dwayne, was driving away. LMHO!!!
What's Happening! was a great show. I remember the Doobie Brothers episode. That was funny. I thought Dwayne said "Hey, Hey, Hey." I only remember him saying, "Heyyyy, what's hapening?"
Happy heavenly birthday! Today would’ve been his 72nd birthday…not mentioned is his stint on Soul Train. He was a great and innovative dancer. You are missed. Peace Joy and Blessings to us All ❤️🙏🏽
Good stuff! PS: I liked your Collab with - The Junkman. He can be a bit , uh, over comedic at times, but he always means well, and just likes to rib ppl sometimes. He respects the heck outa you, as does his followers. I hope to see future videos from u two again. And don't let a couple salty toy collector channels that hate him, change your thoughts about him. He genuinely luvs pop culture from 76-96 ( basically) and luvs a good joke, just more than some ppl sometimes. He he. But, good stuff all around.
Thanks for posting. I loved that show and he was so funny. His dance troupe was responsible for starting Break Dancing. They don't call him Rerun for nothing because we always see him in Reruns! LOL.
@@jamesgretsch4894 i'd give him the props,🙌 his locker moves were setting off what was about to happen. others, more agile and flexible, saw his moves added their own and viola🕺🤩🥳😁🙋♂✌😎
Also by season 3 a young Martin Lawrence and Ken Sages aka "Rerun lookalike" would try to recreate the magic of the original series but failed. Shirley befriended Lawrence and fought to keep him on the series. Martin would later return the favor by having Shirley Hemphill appear on his sitcom Martin a couple years later. 🤗📺🙏👍
@@harperstacey9604 Yes also Ernest was working on an independent project years ago and reached out to Martin Lawrence to ask if we wanted to be in it but sadly Lawrence never responded. Thomas was also on the sitcom Everybody Hates Chris and appeared on The Jeffersons. 🤗📼📺🙋♂
@@SuperMarioBrosIII I am so impressed by you. If I have any questions about any celebrity, I will definitely go to you. Good night 🌃 and pleasant dreams, my friend. From Ms. Harper Stacey 💜.
Personally I never cared for the Rerun character and I cringed every time I happened to come across Fred Berry appearing in something in later years because he was ALWAYS doing that character. Regardless of how he embraced the character it made him a one trick pony with no real acting chops.
I was a fan of What's Happening and I'll never forget watching a rerun of Saturday Night Live one summer. It was the summer after the show ended and the SNL episode was from their second season and Fred's dance group The Lockers were special guests. I was stunned to be watching Saturday Night Live and suddenly there's Fred! He was dressed similar to his usual outfit, beret and all. Great dancer but he was all business, it was a little odd to see him dancing but not smiling. It's a shame he wasn't used more in the 80's in music videos, The Lockers were incredibly influential and he would have fit in perfectly with that medium.
Strangely, always thought he acted like my grandmother, minus the dancing of course, who's house I watched at after school. Hearing about him brings back dear memories of her, which I know is really odd.
I remember the first time I saw him. It was on The Gong Show and he was performing with the dance group he was in called The Lockers. He was always such a wonderful and lovable type of guy.
i was 6 when this show came out .and like most shows of its time loved watching it on tv every time is had a rerun .i guess soon i have to do a binge watching of it soon . loved reading the comments .
Rerun was perhaps the most entertaining character on that show but I dont think it would have been nearly as successful without the no-nonsense Shirley and the deadpan snarkiness of Dee.
Dave do you know if Toni Basil ever made a Cameo on what’s happening? The LA lockers was a pioneering dance troop which Rev. was a member of. He Was on the fourth episode of Saturday night live with Toni basil and the lockers
@@jdsundstrom 😊The Shape of Things to Come is for sure a bad movie, with mostly bad acting, low budget and so on. But if you got strong nerves (hardened by watching a lot of trash movies and shows) you will find short moments of entertainment and fun. Only recommended for those chosen ones who want to watch every sci-fi movie on this planet before entering the next level of existence and who want to test the strength of their nerves.
I vaguely recall an episode of "What's Happening!!" where Rerun got a lot of credit cards and went badly into debt with all the stuff he was buying. Raj and Dwayne help get him out of financial trouble, and at the end of the episode the one item Rerun keeps is a blender he uses to chop up all of his credit cards. He called it "credit card cole slaw". Oh, yeah . . . and from The Doobie Brothers bootlegging episode: "Which Doobie you be??"
@@Bigbadwhitecracker I disagree. Dee was just being Dee, honest and open about everything that she was feeling and thinking and she was actually the strong one that brought the man in the hospital back down to being human. She was actually the mature one.
First of all, I want to say how much I appreciate the honor you have given Fred Rerun Stubbs in this video of his life. Fred probably did deserve more money and so did Shirley, they were the heart of the show indeed. Whoever the producers of Whats Happening Now were, they seemed to be pricks, because in the 70s in the black communtiy, the Doobie Brothers was not the most popular musical artists and yet the producers demanded that it be the Doobie Brothers that appear on the show. No offense to the Doobie Brothers, I like them, but from what I learned from Ernest Lee Thomas thats not who the cast wanted or who they thought were popular in the black community at that time. I also appreciate this video because I have met many baby boomers who happen to be white Americans who act appalled or offended if I talk about this show and they act like they have never heard of it...wow, what planet were they living on, one of the best shows in American modern history as I am sure you will agree, thanks again.
RERUN: They can't stop us, Raj. We've put too much into this business! RAJ: (who feels he's done all the work himself) "WE'VE"?? Where do you get "We've"? RERUN: We've ... it's a combination of "we" and "have"...we've. It's called a contraption.
He and Shirley probably did deserve more money than the other cast. They were the comedic heart of the show.
Raj was the main guy.
@@jaymike3302 True and Shirley did eventually get her own sitcom One In A Million. 🚕🚖📺👍
Think you're forgetting how impeccable Dee was and how she'd often get the biggest laughs on the show. Danielle Spencer was a comedic genius at a young age.
I still remember what’s happening now had an early Martin Lawrence as part of that cast.
@@kendallrivers1119Dee was the funniest one on the show. Had that awesome sense of humor since she was 11 years old.
I miss Fred Berry. He was a talented character actor & dancer. Very light on his feet. I remember he got his start on Soul Train. A lot of talent, came off that show.
RIP Re Run 🕊🙏🏽🕊
Thanks for sharing!
@@jdsundstromhe was supposed to be a Sweathog with Travolta😎🚬
I miss Big Fat Fatty Fat (Mama).
Im trying find that soul train episode please help me
I know Ernest Thomas and other cast mates said that Fred had a massive ego and caused his own problems, but at the same time Rerun was so crucial to both shows and without him the show wasn't the same. It also wasn't the same without Dee and Mama Thomas so What's Happening Now didn't stand a real chance to last without those three crucial characters.
Dee was occasionally on What’s Happening Now.
@@lamontbradford4630 Yes but sparingly and she wasn't a regular.
Anne-Marie Johnson had a good career after What's Happening Now. My favorite is her role as Althea Gibbs on In The Heat of the Night. I also enjoyed her in many other various roles. She's underrated. I prefer her in more dramatic roles than comedies.
Sorry, I could live without Dee. She was annoying then and now.
@@Bigbadwhitecracker Dee was a big part of the show her character was great!!
Fred Berry was originally a part of the dance group called The Lockers. The group along with Berry, appeared on the third episode of Saturday Night Live in 1975 one year prior to What's Happening beginning.
Thanks for the extra info!
@@jdsundstrom You're welcome. The episode is available on Peacock.
the were on the show too.
Cocaine, alcohol, and a series of insults, and depression, a really tragic combination that eventually took the toll on his life. R.I.P.
52
Cheese & Crackers man! That's a little early in the morning.
Yep! that sound about right! Cut and dry.
Right! I can imagine what the fat jokes did to his psyche. A couple of episodes were brutal with the jokes...almost as if the writers held a grudge.
Cocaine! 😃
@Rashod Lewis Well, it was the 70's,
Huge fan of What's Happening! Fred Berry was a huge part of why I love the show. I didn't know about some of Berry's troubled history and thanks Dave, for saying it straight and not waltzing around it. Rerun's character was so synonymous with Berry, they just seemed like they were the same person on screen and in real life. Thanks, Dave. RIP, Fred.
Such a cool show; which didn't take itself too seriously 😊
Yes it was! Thanks for all your support John. 🙂
@@jdsundstrom agreed 🎬
@@jdsundstrom Also Dave there were some problems with Berry and production on the original series hence ABC cancelled it after 3 seasons. Berry asked for a higher salary and better studio accomodations for the actors. This issue eventually led to a full feldged walk out by Berry and Thomas during the second season. Producer Bud Yorkin, in turn, suspended the pair, forcing them to sign a $25,000 promissory notes to return to the show and guard against further walkouts. Mable King was absent from season 3 and had a reduced role in season 2 largely due to creative differencs with producers. She wanted Roger and Dee characters to have married parents and wanting a better job and going back to school which I believe was the theme of at least one episode. Berry again would threaten to strike by not appearing in a season 3 episode. Berry even went as far as to making accusations of racism against the producers. Inlight of the seriousness of the accusation and now unmotivated and unwilling to accomodate the stars, the producers opted to cancel the moderately successful series. The original series was loosey based on the film Cooley High. 🤔🤷📺
Fly me to the Moon 🎶🎵🎶🎵 lol
Maybe my favorite episode of what's happening, ever!
It was fun learning that Tony Basil was actually the only female in Fred's dance troop in the '70s.
Such a shame that Freddy, Mabel, Shirley, and Danielle met with some very hard times and unfortunately some very heartbreaking deaths. It seemed like trouble and misfortune follow the cast around quite a bit. I know the actor that played Raj and Dee's father met with some very hard times as well. It's such a shame, because that will always be one of my favorite shows. Nothing can get me smiling faster than hearing that intro music. To this day, and very few people pick up on it, I will always use Rogers high-pitched squeal laughter during certain jokes or certain social situations. I love it when people pick up on it, because it is lost on so many millions of people
I loved Rerun's proposed hamburger jingle: "First you take a piece of meat, then you cook it in some heat. Then you shove it in a bun, but the fun has just begun!"
I always loved him as a performer. When he was with The Lockers, he stood out. On "What's Happening," he was easily the breakout character.
Hey Dave my friend! I was a dedicated What’s Happening fan in my early teens when the show was in its original run. I believe Fred was discovered after dancing on “Soul Train” my favorite episode on WH Is when Rerun competed in a dance contest against a heavily favored opponent
Who doesn't remember him running after that truck? Everyone remembers that!
😆I could never forget that.
He ran pretty fast despite his weight. From Ms. Harper Stacey.
@@harperstacey9604 Not enough to catch that truck unfortunately😩.
@@noahpartic7586 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😆. From Ms. Harper Stacey.
I loved Rerun! Him, Rog, Duane, Dee, Shirley and Momma were all so funny. It was good clean fun! Nothing ever heavy! Just what a kid needed to see that you could watch with your parents and trip out. RIP Fred Berry. Hey, HEY, hey!!!! Also, Fred was also in one of the Breakin’ movies as a serious dancer. He was no joke.
Fun fact: Rerun's B-boy was Mr. Penguin. He was a member of the L.A. Lockers along with Shanadoo (Ozone from Breakin') and Toni Basil (from that song "Mickey")
Thank you for the information I don’t know he got involved in drugs and alcohol, Fred berry Rest In Peace, that’s why I hate Hollywood never recognize very good talent and wonderful and amazing dancer 💙🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹😊
Thanks for sharing, Saleemah!
Fred Berry was to What's Happening! in the same manner that Henry Winkler was to Happy Days. Originally supporting characters whose charisma, delivery and humor catapulted them into the main audience draws.
I met Fred a few times back in 1999-2000. I even brought him on a radio show I was co-host of in Berkeley to interview him and promote a stand up gig he had in the area. Nice guy. Our show ran through the night and Fred stayed with us almost the entire show. Nicest guy and I even have some impromptu rap performances Fred gave that evening/morning., on tape. Never put them out.
I recalled he was asking for a million dollars per episode during the reboot, he claimed it didn't make sense that someone of his stature wasn't getting paid that much, which was clearly a sign he had some issues, sad how he died after overcoming so much. It also reminds me of the sad death of his co-star Shirley Hemphill, who lived in a house alone & had been dead for quite some time when her concerned gardener found her body. But let's remember them fondly as the bright lights they were for the show, along with that cool theme by Henry Mancini!
Thanks for sharing!
Yes that’s true, I agree. Such a funny show. I did read about the lonely death of Shirley Hemphill and how she didn’t wanted anybody to see how ill she was. It’s all so sad, they made us laugh and yet they were so unhappy!
So sad! I didn't know Shirley died that way! 😣
@@opinionsonstories yes, her gardener looked thru the window and saw her in her bedroom on the floor. She was dead. Apparently she was afraid to see a doctor out of fear of surgery and she changed her phone number so no one of her friends could contact her to see how I’ll she was.
Fame had gone to Fred Berry's head. He thought he was better than his co-stars.
There was an episode of What’s Happening where Roger, sneaks out of the house to go to a party instead of babysitting his sister Dee. Roger finds an older woman who turns out to be less responsible than he thought to look after Dee. Roger’s mom finds out from Dee. Roger, Dwayne and Rerun return to his house and is confronted by his mom. Roger’s mom wants to punish Roger and she asks for a belt. Roger wasn’t wearing a belt. But Rerun takes off his belt and hands it to Roger’s mom. Shocked at the length of the belt, she says,”Oooohh! Rerun! I want to whip him not hang him!”
Or the episode when Rerun gets chosen to dance with a group of professional dancers on a television show, not knowing that he was chosen not because he was a great dancer, but because of his size.
Or the episode when Rerun joins a religious cult and learns that it was a sham.
What’s Happening was relatable on so many levels, probably more so than any sitcom in the mid 70’s.
I remember watching a scene from Entertainment Tonight (I think) and Fred Berry was at a golf course and he danced on the green. That was the last time I saw him dancing.
Rest In Peace, Fred.
I remember watching an interview with Ernest Thomas, Mr.Dave, and he said quite frankly that Fred got too big for his britches! (Now that's a pretty neat trick!) And when the opportunity to do What's Happening Now came around, Ernest had hoped Fred had learned from his mistakes! But incredibly, he didn't, he pulled the same routine all over again!! The Doobie Brothers, incredibly enough, are still rocking down the highway!! Their 50th anniversary tour is in its 3rd year (covid), with Michael McDonald on board! I'll be seeing them on June 23rd in Fort Wayne, Indiana, but I won't be sporting a trench coat with a tape recorder‼️🇺🇲📻📺🎬🎶🛣🥼📼🎤🎸🎹🎻🪇🎺🥁👌
Have fun at the concert, Todd!
@@jdsundstrom Will do!!👌
This was a show the entire family could enjoy.
I laughed so hard whenever Raj tried to dance. From Ms. Harper Stacey.
Me and my kids still enjoy it. As well as What’s Happening Now…
One of The Greatest of The Original Locker Dancers !! ...Re-runs Moves Are Now Legendary !!..I've Never Seen a Big Fella to this Day Move Like Him !!!...
Hey HEY hey! That was rerun’s signature greeting.
Thanks for posting this.. I never missed an episode of WHATS HAPPENING! when I was a kid growing up in the 70’s. This brought back a lot of good memories. God bless you.
R.I.P. "Rerun"! He was my favorite character on "What's Happening". In fact, he was the main reason I liked and watched that show!! Thanks for all the great memories Fred "Rerun"!!
Thank YOU Dave for ANOTHER great video....keeep 'em comin'!!!!
Thanks for the comment...and the kind words, Brian!
RIP Mr. Berry!
Thanks for all your support TP!
What's Happening still holds up today and Fred's Rerun is a big reason why. Curious why they put "Hey hey hey" on his tombstone though as that was Dwayne's catchphrase whereas Rerun always said "What's happening!" when he'd enter.
Did not know Fred Berry had passed away may he rest in peace I grew up watching what's happening and what's happening now classic shows
What's Happening into music was one of the best show tunes ever.
By Henry Mancini.
Berry was one of the most popular dancers on Soul Train for about 4 years!! He was astounding on that show. He was one the greatest dancers of all time!! In fact, he became a lot more famous after that because of his appearances on ST.
Thanks for sharing, Sandra!
Ended up marrying one of the dancers dr. Franchesska Berry. One of a few marriages. He used to come over to my grandparents in Albuquerque as my uncle did some work with him.
rerun was one of the lockers
@Mark Richardson Yes he was!
When I was a kid I used to watch that show all the time. Rerun was my favorite character on the show. RIP Fred Berry.
i watched an interview with one of the producers and he said a couple actors got inflated egos, made money demands. the show worked because of it's ensemble. so of it's time, a fun slice of the 70's.
Fred Berry wasn't a team player. He was all about himself. From Ms. Harper Stacey.
He was also one of the original "Soul Train" dancers. He definitely made an impression.
Rerun was Funny as Hell. RIP Mr Berry
The Good Stuff…I also remember that Fred was a Soul Train Dancer too..
Thank you Mr.Sundstrom you’re highlighting of individuals like Mr. Berry is very important.This show is high caliber and represents the best part of us all.
You're very welcome
OH I really loved WH. Never saw the remake/reboot, though. Rerun, Raj and Dwayne were a classic friend trio. I really feel like that show is one of the underrated gems from the 70s. Sad that Fred wasn't able to continue his success as he would have liked but it sounds like he really had it together at the end. RIP.
Thank you for the trips down memory lane! I have the dvd collection & my kids love watching the show on long road trips. Rerun was so loveable. I'm sure you already know Mabel King, who played the mom, was also in The Jerk & The Wiz. Keep up the great work.🤗
Glad you enjoyed it
Watched this show all the time!! I loved that show. If I could find it on TV I'd gladly watch it. 😊 Rerun is an icon ❣️ God bless him. 🕊️🙏😊
Thank you Dave 😊
I bought the DVD with all 65 episodes and it is only $15.
Check streaming services I WAS watching this on one of them sorry cannot remember exactly which one
@@wyldvigilante , thank you 😊 I appreciate the response. Happy Saturday 😊
@Leesa Shriber YW. You were so nice and cordial I felt compelled to look it up for you. Good news , Tubi which is a free app has BOTH shows What's Happening and What's Happening Now a continuation with the same actors
Enjoy 😉
@@gmac6503 , online? Where can I find it? I appreciate it. 😊
Fred had a magnetic personality and not to his fault, stole every scene he was in.
Thank you so much for your love of classic pop culture! I too love this era we call the good stuff. I grew up watching What’s Happening and remember when it was a summer project that grew into a TV hit. As a black kid in 1970s America it was great to see a show about kids just like me. Good kids that loved their families, their neighborhood, and just wanted to grow up and make everyone proud. I loved Fred Berry and miss him.
Thanks for the comment...and you're most welcome. 🙂
Thank you so much for this video. Very informative right up to showing where he was laid to rest. I remember watching "What's Happening " back in high school every Thursday after school. He was a big man, but boy was he light on his feet and man could be "lock"😂.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for the Right On! magazine cover! I asked you if you remembered it. You said you didn’t. I grew up on it! I brought so many of them. I wish I still had them! The Doobie Brothers episode scared my young mind! Lol. He was such a great dancer on Soul Train as well.
It looks like a great magazine!
Wow Dave this was so needed information ReRun, it's sad he died so young.
I'm glad you found the video interesting and useful, Syreeta.
the thing that wasn’t mention his appears on Soul Train as well on beer commercial.
One of my favorite tv characters from one of my favorite tv shows (WH/WHN) as a kid growing up in the 1970s/1980s.
Another informative and insightful video. Thank you Dave. Always wanted to know what really happened to "Rerun". A toast.🍷
Glad it was helpful!
Great video. I can't say I was a "HUGE" fan of Fred of the show What's Happening, but I certainly knew of both and watched my fair share. I loved TV in general and it was always one of my best friends. Thanks Dave.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video, Dave!
Who's idea was it to write "hey hey hey" on his headstone? That was more 'Dwayne's' catch phrase than 'Reruns'. I always loved Fred's dancing. Any episodes where he could show off his dancing prowess was the best to me...
That’s exactly what I thought when I saw it. That phrase was used by Haywood Nelson’s Dwayne character.
Yes! I still say it when my friend and I first meet up.
@@bobwigg761 ~ I wonder if they ever watched the show?
@@ghostmanscores1666 ~ 🙂🕺🙂
Of Fred’s performance as Rerun in Doobie Or Not Doobie, it is my absolute favorite.
Which doobie you be? Classic line from the episode!
@@cindeed4422 I’ll speak to any Doobie that to be there!
The first time I saw him was on the dance show soul train he was in a dance group called the lockers a great dancer. Thank you so much for sharing
He also ran into trouble with the Doobie Brothers, unlawfully recording one of their performances.
So, that's why Rerun was gone, before the first season was even done?? What's Happening Now is such an underrated, underappreciated series!! Hell, Martin Lawrence got his start on there!
Martin Lawrence once mentioned on his sitcom, Martin that he was going to watch a marathon of what's happening now! From Ms. Harper Stacey.
I think I remember that last show WHATS HAPPENING NOW. I think Martin Lawrence became the one of leads? Maybe where he got his start. Anyway my favorite what’s happening episode (2 parter) was that Doobie Brothers episode. Whew, I’m old! 😅
The music you are using takes me back to the early 80’s.
I used to love how Rerun and Shirley would go at each other. Reminds me of Mr. Jefferson and Florence.
How about Fred Sanford and aunt Esther from Sanford and son? From Ms. Harper Stacey.
WHAT'S HAPPENING!! was such a great show!! I even have the entire series on DVD in my private television library/archive. 😊😉 In fact, when I was in high school during my junior year 39 years ago, I even used to greet my classmates with Dwayne's (Haywood Nelson) greeting of "Hey, hey, hey" the same way HE did it--until my high school quiz bowl coach, Mr. Singer (who was a narcissist, I think), told me NOT to do that anymore. LOL!! BTW, I always loved it when, in the opening credits, Rerun chased after that truck with his cohorts, Raj and Dwayne, was driving away. LMHO!!!
As one of the original Bboy street dancers.I know he was one of the original PopLockers . He was a Legend.
What's Happening! was a great show. I remember the Doobie Brothers episode. That was funny.
I thought Dwayne said "Hey, Hey, Hey." I only remember him saying, "Heyyyy, what's hapening?"
That Doobie Brothers episode is a favorite of mine as well. 🙂
The Mandela effect
With the classic line, "Which Doobie, you be?"
I remember watching whats happening now as a kid and thinking, he's not acting, he is jealous in real life.
Happy heavenly birthday! Today would’ve been his 72nd birthday…not mentioned is his stint on Soul Train. He was a great and innovative dancer. You are missed. Peace Joy and Blessings to us All ❤️🙏🏽
Good stuff!
PS: I liked your Collab with - The Junkman. He can be a bit , uh, over comedic at times, but he always means well, and just likes to rib ppl sometimes. He respects the heck outa you, as does his followers. I hope to see future videos from u two again. And don't let a couple salty toy collector channels that hate him, change your thoughts about him. He genuinely luvs pop culture from 76-96 ( basically) and luvs a good joke, just more than some ppl sometimes. He he. But, good stuff all around.
Thanks for the comment...and yes, I fully intend to collaborate in some way with the Junkman in the future,.
I still say "Hey, hey, hey!" to this day. A catchphrase that never gets old!
One of my life long friend says the same too....Hey Hey Hey Hey
@@usmc-veteran73-77 I just remembered, the catchphrase started with "Fat Albert" (Hey, hey, hey! It's Fat Albert!). Fred just put his twist on it.
@Steve Pettersen one of their friends, DeWayne, always greeted them... "Hey Hey Hey Hey" on the show "Whats Happenin" back in the 1970.
@@usmc-veteran73-77 It was DeWayne, not Rerun? Well, after 45-ish years... not too bad a memory.
@Steve Pettersen that's right DeWayne... When I was in the Marine Corps we watched it all the time.
Thanks for posting. I loved that show and he was so funny. His dance troupe was responsible for starting Break Dancing.
They don't call him Rerun for nothing because we always see him in Reruns! LOL.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video, James!
He was a Locker not a Break Dancer..
@@judymcgaugh6480 Yes but wasn't he a pioneer as far as far as the creation of Break Dancing later down the line?
@@jamesgretsch4894 i'd give him the props,🙌 his locker moves were setting off what was about to happen. others, more agile and flexible, saw his moves added their own and viola🕺🤩🥳😁🙋♂✌😎
Also by season 3 a young Martin Lawrence and Ken Sages aka "Rerun lookalike" would try to recreate the magic of the original series but failed. Shirley befriended Lawrence and fought to keep him on the series. Martin would later return the favor by having Shirley Hemphill appear on his sitcom Martin a couple years later. 🤗📺🙏👍
Good info. Thanks for sharing!
@@jdsundstrom My pleasure and you are welcome Dave!😉🙏📺👍
Ernest Thomas and Fred Berry also appeared on the sitcom, Martin. From Ms. Harper Stacey.
@@harperstacey9604 Yes also Ernest was working on an independent project years ago and reached out to Martin Lawrence to ask if we wanted to be in it but sadly Lawrence never responded. Thomas was also on the sitcom Everybody Hates Chris and appeared on The Jeffersons. 🤗📼📺🙋♂
@@SuperMarioBrosIII I am so impressed by you. If I have any questions about any celebrity, I will definitely go to you. Good night 🌃 and pleasant dreams, my friend. From Ms. Harper Stacey 💜.
Personally I never cared for the Rerun character and I cringed every time I happened to come across Fred Berry appearing in something in later years because he was ALWAYS doing that character. Regardless of how he embraced the character it made him a one trick pony with no real acting chops.
I was a fan of What's Happening and I'll never forget watching a rerun of Saturday Night Live one summer. It was the summer after the show ended and the SNL episode was from their second season and Fred's dance group The Lockers were special guests. I was stunned to be watching Saturday Night Live and suddenly there's Fred! He was dressed similar to his usual outfit, beret and all. Great dancer but he was all business, it was a little odd to see him dancing but not smiling.
It's a shame he wasn't used more in the 80's in music videos, The Lockers were incredibly influential and he would have fit in perfectly with that medium.
Thanks for sharing!
Raj tries to buy his mom a shirt with $7. "Okay, that will be $7.14 with tax". "But I don't want the tax".
Strangely, always thought he acted like my grandmother, minus the dancing of course, who's house I watched at after school. Hearing about him brings back dear memories of her, which I know is really odd.
I remember the first time I saw him. It was on The Gong Show and he was performing with the dance group he was in called The Lockers.
He was always such a wonderful and lovable type of guy.
Excellent episode Sir!!!🙏👌🦉❣️
Thanks!
Great video Dave ✌🏿💪🏿❤👑
i was 6 when this show came out .and like most shows of its time loved watching it on tv every time is had a rerun .i guess soon i have to do a binge watching of it soon .
loved reading the comments .
I enjoy reading all the comments as well. 🙂
We can always catch fred berry on reruns of what's happening 🤣😅 loved that show
The magic of ABC staring David Copperfield TV special
I always remember the episode with The Givins kids!.... I Givins them a 10!
Love it!
Thanks for the info
Any time!
Just an observation…Fred’s headstone says “Hey, Hey, Hey” on it. Wasn’t that Duane’s (Haywood Nelson’s) signature line?
Yes. I thought that as well.
Rerun was perhaps the most entertaining character on that show but I dont think it would have been nearly as successful without the no-nonsense Shirley and the deadpan snarkiness of Dee.
I forgot how big tape recorders were😅.
Well done D. Sundstrom! Highly informative 6 minute video...well done indeed!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Dave do you know if Toni Basil ever made a Cameo on what’s happening? The LA lockers was a pioneering dance troop which Rev. was a member of. He Was on the fourth episode of Saturday night live with Toni basil and the lockers
THANKS FOR THE LAUGH'S AND MOVE..RIP F"RERUN"B🌹
Roger, Hey Hey Hey
any idea why he was called Rerun i loved that show back then.
He was a wonderful entertainer, and human being !!!! R.I.P. Rerun 😊
This was a great video! I remember him from the original show but also his guest appreance on Scrubs
Thanks ENC!
@@jdsundstrom 😊The Shape of Things to Come is for sure a bad movie, with mostly bad acting, low budget and so on. But if you got strong nerves (hardened by watching a lot of trash movies and shows) you will find short moments of entertainment and fun. Only recommended for those chosen ones who want to watch every sci-fi movie on this planet before entering the next level of existence and who want to test the strength of their nerves.
Fred Berry was so funny and such an incredible dancer. There are some great videos out there of him dancing with The Lockers.
I used to watch What's Happening, so sad over him passing away several years ago.
Every time I see something about What's Happening, my mind goes directly to the Doobie Brothers episode. 🎵 "Fly me to the moon"...🎵
🤣 Classic!
I vaguely recall an episode of "What's Happening!!" where Rerun got a lot of credit cards and went badly into debt with all the stuff he was buying. Raj and Dwayne help get him out of financial trouble, and at the end of the episode the one item Rerun keeps is a blender he uses to chop up all of his credit cards. He called it "credit card cole slaw".
Oh, yeah . . . and from The Doobie Brothers bootlegging episode: "Which Doobie you be??"
Thanks for sharing!
Loved What's Happening! Hey, Hey, Hey!!♥️
I fell asleep on him while waiting to be seated when I was a kid. He was very nice and told my mom not to wake me and I wasn't bothering him.
What a great story! Thanks for sharing.
the insults between Shirley and rerun were the best btw! Rerun had some good one off jokes too, remember "who the beep is Goldstein?"
Their first episode is epic and covers a serious issue and Dee was forceful but charming to the other man in the hospital.
She was painful. Really brought down the show, but at least they others lifted it up, so it didn't matter.
@@Bigbadwhitecracker I disagree. Dee was just being Dee, honest and open about everything that she was feeling and thinking and she was actually the strong one that brought the man in the hospital back down to being human. She was actually the mature one.
Great job Dave. Thanks
Thanks for watching!
First of all, I want to say how much I appreciate the honor you have given Fred Rerun Stubbs in this video of his life. Fred probably did deserve more money and so did Shirley, they were the heart of the show indeed. Whoever the producers of Whats Happening Now were, they seemed to be pricks, because in the 70s in the black communtiy, the Doobie Brothers was not the most popular musical artists and yet the producers demanded that it be the Doobie Brothers that appear on the show. No offense to the Doobie Brothers, I like them, but from what I learned from Ernest Lee Thomas thats not who the cast wanted or who they thought were popular in the black community at that time. I also appreciate this video because I have met many baby boomers who happen to be white Americans who act appalled or offended if I talk about this show and they act like they have never heard of it...wow, what planet were they living on, one of the best shows in American modern history as I am sure you will agree, thanks again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the video. 🙂
RERUN: They can't stop us, Raj. We've put too much into this business!
RAJ: (who feels he's done all the work himself) "WE'VE"?? Where do you get "We've"?
RERUN: We've ... it's a combination of "we" and "have"...we've. It's called a contraption.
Great job Dave Awesome 👌 👏 👍 Love 💘 😻 💜 💛 💚 🧡
I love this channel ❤❤❤❤❤❤
I STILL watch What’s Happening to this day 😊😊💙😊😊