Franklin said one of the most memorable elements of "Laverne and Shirley" came from its iconic opening chant: "Shlemeil, Schlemazel, Hasenpfeffer Incorporated."
"I think that was Penny Marshall who came up with that. It was just a little silly nursery rhyme," Franklin said.
Franklin got his start with "Laverne and Shirley" in 1976 and quickly rose through the ranks as the show's success grew.
"Laverne and Shirley was the number one show in the country back then," Franklin said.
He added, "I started when I was only 23. And by the time I was 24, I was running the show."
In 1980, Franklin worked on "Bosom Buddies," which featured a young Tom Hanks. Looking back, Franklin said the show's team recognized Hanks' potential early on.
"Oh, of course. We knew he was going to use this as a springboard," Franklin said.
Franklin later found success with "Full House," which became an ABC hit in 1987. He said the show's concept evolved significantly from his original pitch involving three comics living together.
"And they wanted a family show. That's what was working at that time. And so the three guys morphed into the three dads and I added three little girls," Franklin said.
Years later, the franchise returned with "Fuller House." Franklin also created "Hangin' with Mr. Cooper" for ABC.
Despite his success in the sitcom format, Franklin said traditional multi-camera comedies have become less appealing to modern audiences.
"The formula of setup, punchline, laugh track, I think feels a little artificial these days," he said.
Franklin contrasted today's television landscape with the shows he helped create.
"Now it's almost like feel-bad TV. Like all the characters, you know, are deeply flawed and morally compromised," he said.
Still, Franklin hopes television will once again embrace more uplifting storytelling.
"They're not uplifting in the way that television used to be. And I hope we get back to that," he said.
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