Philadelphia Orchestra violinist Paul Arnold wasn't impressed when he first saw the hit TV sitcom "The Wonder Years." Then he noticed his resemblance to the star's nebbishy friend.
"I started watching this show about kids, and I really wasn't too interested, but the longer I watched, the more the names and situations became very familiar," Arnold said."Suddenly, I was seeing me, this kid who played the violin and wore glasses and was allergic to everything. He even had my name. When the show ended, I saw it was Neal and Carol's show."
Neal Marlens, Arnold's friend, and his wife, Carol Black, created the show about adolescents growing up during the late 1960s.
Marlens and Arnold were best friends growing up in the New York suburb of Huntington Station. Marlens' character on the show, Kevin Arnold, is played by actor Fred Savage. Paul Pfeiffer, the character based on Paul Arnold, is portrayed by Josh Saviano.
Arnold said the show's details make "The Wonder Years" real for him.