On October 30th, 1945, the incomparable Henry Winkler was born. The American actor, comedian, author, and director rose to fame playing the role of ‘Arthur Fonzie Fonzarelli’ on ‘Happy Days.’
He has become an incredible character actor over the years with roles in movies and TV. He was a part of the horror series ‘Scream.’ He also played ‘Coach Klein’ in ‘The Waterboy’ with Adam Sandler.
Henry has also enjoyed TV work, starring as ‘Barry Zuckerkorn’ in the Ron Howard-directed series ‘Arrested Development.’ He’s even worked in animation, lending his voice to the role of ‘Fritz’ in ‘Monsters at Work.’
Winkler has won a Primetime Emmy, two Daytime Emmys, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Critics’ Choice Award. However, he will always be known as ‘The Fonz’ from ‘Happy Days.’
Winkler played the coolest guy on TV from 1974 through 1984 on the hit sitcom. After studying theater at the Yale School of Drama, Winkler moved to California and auditioned for the role of ‘Fonzie.’
Henry struggled through dyslexia during his time on ‘Happy Days,’ but his performances just kept getting better. ‘The Fonz’ was supposed to be a secondary character, but he grew in popularity and became one of the leads of the show.
Henry played the stereotypical greaser who rode on his motorcycle while sporting a black leather jacket. He used the put down ‘Sit on it!’ to insult those around him. He was the very essence of cool in contrast to the other characters on the show. Winkler was a part of all 255 episodes of the show while becoming an American cultural icon.
Henry Winkler has stood the test of time. You can find lots on Amazon if you're looking for a nostalgic trip.
