Henry Winkler | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Winkler in 2018 | |
| Born | Henry Franklin Winkler (1945-10-30)October 30, 1945 (age 80) New York City, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Emerson College (BA) Yale School of Drama (MFA) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1970–present |
| Works | List of performances |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3, includingMax |
| Relatives | Richard Belzer (cousin) Jessica Barden (daughter-in-law) |
| Awards | Full list |
Henry Franklin Winkler (born October 30, 1945) is an American actor, producer, director, and author. Widely known asArthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli on the sitcomHappy Days (1974–1984), Winkler has distinguished himself as acharacter actor for roles on stage and screen. Hismany accolades include threeEmmy Awards, twoGolden Globe Awards and twoCritics Choice Awards.
Winkler studied theater at bothEmerson College and theYale School of Drama and spent a year and a half with theYale Repertory Theater. After getting cast in a small role inThe Mary Tyler Moore Show, he became a star playing the role of "Fonzie" on thesitcomHappy Days (1974–1984). He then helped develop the originalMacGyver television series and directedMemories of Me (1988) andCop and a Half (1993).
Winkler acted in films such asHeroes (1977),Night Shift (1982),Scream (1996),The Waterboy (1998),Click (2006),The French Dispatch (2021), andBlack Adam (2022). He also found a career resurgence in television portraying humorous characters such asBarry Zuckerkorn inArrested Development (2003–2019), Eddie R. Lawson inRoyal Pains (2010–2016), Dr. Saperstein inParks and Recreation (2013–2015), and Gene Cousineau inBarry (2018–2023). The last earned him thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.[1][2] Winkler was a member of the main cast of the reality seriesBetter Late Than Never (2016–2018).
Winkler has drawn upon his childhood struggles withdyslexia to co-write the children's book seriesHank Zipzer (2003–2010), which was adapted into theHank Zipzer television series (2014–2016) in which Winkler appears as Mr. Rock. He has also written three memoirs:The Other Side of Henry Winkler: My Story (1976),I've Never Met an Idiot on the River (2011), andBeing Henry: The Fonz ... and Beyond (2023).
[By 1939], my father knew that it was time. He got a six-week visa from Germany to come and do work in New York but was expected to come right back. ... [He] was able to start a new life here, slowly but surely. I have the actual letters from the government each time my father requested to stay a little longer, and they would say yes. And I was born.
Winkler's parents, Ilse Anna Marie (née Hadra) and businessman Harry Irving Winkler,[4] wereGerman Jews living inBerlin during the rise ofNazi Germany.[5] By 1939,rising hostilities against Jews led his father to conclude that it was time to leave Germany. He arranged to take his wife on a six-week business trip to the United States.[3][5] Soon after arriving, his parents settled in New York City, where his father established a new version of his German company, which bought and sold wood.[3][6]
Winkler's uncle, Helmut Winkler,[3][7] fled to the Netherlands in January 1940 and went into hiding in Amsterdam. He and his mother, Pauline Olga Winkler, who had emigrated to the Netherlands in January 1939, were deported toAuschwitz in September 1942 and murdered.[8][9] The building where Helmut had lived in Berlin was destroyed in an air raid in November 1943. A commemorativeStolperstein is embedded in the sidewalk in front of the post-war building erected on the site.[8]
Henry Franklin Winkler was born on October 30, 1945, on theWest Side ofNew York City'sManhattan borough.[10] The "H" in his first name is a reference to his Uncle Helmut, while hismiddle name refers to PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt.[11][12] He has an older sister named Beatrice.[12]
Although his family did not keepkosher, Winkler was raised in the traditions ofConservative Judaism.[12] During his childhood, Winkler and his family spent their summers atLake Mahopac, New York,[3][13][14] and as a teenager he was awater skiing instructor at Blue Mountain camps.[3]
While growing up, Winkler had a difficult relationship with his father, who wanted him to continue the family business.[15][16][17] When his father grew frustrated with Winkler's focus on acting, he would ask his son why he had brought the business over from Germany to the United States. Winkler would respond: "Besides being chased by the Nazis, Dad, was there a bigger reason than that?"[5][18]
Winkler first attendedP.S. 87 on West 78th Street, Manhattan,[19] and then theMcBurney School on Manhattan'sUpper West Side.[12][20] Although he was "outgoing" and "the class comedian" in school,[6] he also lived in a state of "constant anxiety"[12] over his struggles with schoolwork.[3][21][22][23] His parents were perpetually frustrated by his poor grades,[21][12] referred to him asdummer Hund (dumb dog), and repeatedly punished him for his inability to excel in school.[5][12] Winkler has said that this time period was "excruciating" as his "self-image was almost nonexistent".[21][23] In addition, his consistently poor academic performance made it difficult to be involved in the theater, as he was "grounded most of my high school career" and was almost never academically eligible.[12][17] However, he did manage to appear in two theatrical productions:Billy Budd when he was in the eighth grade andOf Thee I Sing in the eleventh grade.[6]
Although Winkler graduated from the McBurney School in 1963,[20] he was not allowed to attend graduation, as he had to repeat geometry for the fourth time during summer school. After finally passing the course, he received his diploma in the mail.[12][22]
Winkler applied to 28 colleges but was admitted to only two of them. He enrolled inEmerson College inBoston in 1963,[5][20] where he majored in theater and minored in child psychology, as he considered becoming a child psychologist if he did not succeed as an actor.[24] He was also a member of the Alpha Pi Thetafraternity,[25] and appeared in Emerson's production ofPeer Gynt as the title character.[26][27] Winkler later recalled that he had nearly failed his first and second years but managed to stay for four years[5] and graduated in 1967.[26][28] In 1978, Emerson awarded him an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters(DHL).[29]
During his senior year at Emerson, Winkler decided to audition for theYale School of Drama. Although his then-undiagnosed dyslexia led to his forgetting theShakespearean monologue he was supposed to perform, forcing him to improvise, Winkler was still admitted to the M.F.A. program in 1967.[5][30][31]
He appeared inThey Told Me That You Came This Way;[27]Any Day Now, Any Day Now;[27] andThe Bacchae (as a member of the chorus).[27] During the summers, he and his Yale classmates stayed in New Haven and opened a summer stock theater called theNew Haven Free Theater.[30] They performed various plays includingWoyzeck, where he portrayed the title role,[27][30] andJust Add Water for improv night.[30] He also performed in the political piece,The American Pig at theJoseph Papp Public Theater for theNew York Shakespeare Festival in New York City,[27] with classmatesJames Keach,James Naughton, andJill Eikenberry.[30] In addition, he also appeared in a number ofYale Repertory Theatre productions while still a student, including,The Government Inspector,[27]The Rhesus Umbrella,[27]Don Juan,[27]Endgame,[27] andThe Physicists.[27] He also appeared inSweeney Agonistes andHughie.[27] Winkler would later credit his time at Yale as critical to his future success.[32]
Out of his original cohort of 25 actors at Yale, Winkler was one of 11 who graduated[30] when he received hisMFA in 1970.[33] Over two decades later, in May 1996,[34] he served as the Senior Class Day Speaker forYale University's graduating seniors.[33][35]
After receiving his MFA in 1970, Winkler was one of three students from his graduating class of 11 who were invited to become a part of the Yale Repertory Theatre company.[30] He joined on June 30, 1970,[36] was paid $173 a week,[36] and appeared throughout the 1970–71 season.[30][37] He performed inStory Theater Reportory,[38]Gimpel the Fool[38] andSaintJulian the Hospitaler andOlympian Games.[38] He also appeared inThe Revenger's Tragedy,[38]Where Has Tommy Flowers Gone?,[38]Macbeth,[38] andWoyzeck and Play.[38][39] He also appeared in a double feature of two works byBertolt Brecht,The Seven Deadly Sins (ballet chanté), andThe Little Mahagonny during May–June 1971[38] and January 20–29, 1972.[40]
In the fall of 1971, Winkler was invited to be a part of the playMoonchildren which would open at theArena Stage inWashington, D.C.[30] Three weeks into rehearsals, directorAlan Schneider fired him as Winkler had been hired to fill the space until the actor that Schneider really wanted was available.[30] At the time, Winkler was certain that because he had been fired, he would never be hired as an actor again.[30]
Winkler moved back to New York, and began to audition for plays, movies, and commercials.[30] He was able to earn a living through performing in commercials,[30][41] thus, he was able to perform with theManhattan Theater Club for free.[21][41]
Winkler's first appearance on Broadway was as "John" in42 Seconds from Broadway, a play that opened and closed on March 11, 1973.[21][42] He swore to himself that one day he would "make that right".[43] By 1973, he had roles in two independent films,The Lords of Flatbush[44] andCrazy Joe. He also performed with the improv group,Off the Wall New York.[41] He continued to feel anxiety, however, with the process ofcold reading during auditions[23] and depended upon compensation strategies.[23]
By 1973, his agent told him that it was time to leave New York and explore possibilities in California. Although Winkler was initially resistant, thinking he was not a good fit for Hollywood, his agent was persistent. Winkler ultimately decided that he had earned enough money through his work in commercials to try Hollywood for one month.[41] He and hisLords of Flatbush co-star,Perry King, thus traveled to Los Angeles on September 18, 1973.[5][41] After meeting with his agency's west coast branch, and spending five days going to auditions, Winkler was hired for a small part onThe Mary Tyler Moore Show, appearing inSeason 4, Episode 10, "The Dinner Party".[41][45][46]
During his second week in Los Angeles, Winkler auditioned for the part ofArthur Herbert Fonzarelli, better known as "Fonzie" or "The Fonz", on a new show calledHappy Days.[45] Although he was an unknown and not the first choice for the role,[47][48] he was asked to return after his first audition for a second one in costume.[48] In costume, and with a different voice, Winkler said his six lines, threw his script in the air, and left the room.[5][41] He was offered the role on his birthday, and accepted it based on his condition that the producers would show who the character was when he took his jacket off.[5][49] Winkler appeared on the first episode ofHappy Days in January 1974, and was with the series continuously until it ended in July 1984.[50][51]
"The Fonz" was initially written as a minor role[41] and developed as thefoil for the central protagonist of the series,Richie Cunningham (Ron Howard). Winkler made his own interpretation of the character during the first episode, choosing not to comb his hair, chew gum, or keep a box of cigarettes rolled in his sleeve like actors typically did with this type of character.[41] Although he tried to explain this philosophy to the producers, he was told he had to follow the script and comb his hair. He thus stood at the mirror, motioned in a way that suggested "Hey I don't have to because it's perfect," and in doing so, created the seminal moment which defined the character.[41] ABC executives did not want to see Fonzie wearing leather, thinking it would imply that the character was a criminal. Thus, during the first season, Winkler wore two differentwindbreaker jackets, one of which was green.[3] Director Garry Marshall argued with the executives about the jacket, and eventually they made a compromise: Fonzie could wear the leather jacket, but only in scenes with his motorcycle. Marshall thus made certain that his motorcycle was written into every scene.[48] In reality, Winkler did not know how to ride a motorcycle. As he almost crashed it the first time he tried, he subsequently never rode the motorcycle during the series.[41]
By the middle of the second season in December 1974, "The Fonz" began his transition as abreakout character when he was featured as the central protagonist in the episode, "Guess Who's Coming to Christmas".[5] By the third season, he became the lead of the series, as the storylines shifted away from the original protagonist, Richie Cunningham, to "The Fonz". Winkler recalled in a 2018 interview that he directly addressed the issue withRon Howard, who portrayed Cunningham. According to Winkler, Howard told him that although he "was signed on as the star, you did nothing except be as good as you could be. It's good for the show, we're friends."[5] In 2021, Howard reiterated these points by stating that Winkler had been "sort of a big brother" to him.[52]
In a 2018 interview with Winkler, journalist Michael Schneider suggests that it was at this point that the character "became the biggest icon on television" at that time.[5] Winkler responded by stating that he "went from somebody who had no sense of self" to a situation that was "scary".[5] He has also admitted that while he shares some characteristics with "The Fonz" such as loyalty to friends and an undercurrent of anger that he drew from his struggles with school as a child,[41] they were fundamentally different from one another.[3][53]
During his decade onHappy Days, Winkler also appeared in a variety of roles in film and on television. In film, he appeared inHeroes (1977) withHarrison Ford andSally Field and was nominated for aGolden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama.[54] He later appeared inCarl Reiner'sThe One and Only (1978) and in Ron Howard's 1982 directorial debut,Night Shift withShelley Long before she appeared inCheers and a then-unknownMichael Keaton.[55] He was nominated for aGolden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his work inNight Shift.[54]
In television, he served as executive producer and host for the 50-minute television version of the documentary,Who Are the DeBolts? And Where Did They Get Nineteen Kids? (1978), which was nominated for aPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Series or Special.[56][57] He was also an executive producer for theABC Afterschool Special: Run, Don't Walk (1981), based on the novel of the same name by Harriet May Savitz, and featuring hisHappy Days co-star,Scott Baio.[58] He further directed Baio in the 13th episode of theHappy Days spin-off,Joanie Loves Chachi, also starringErin Moran.[48]
In addition, Winkler starred inAn American Christmas Carol (1979),[59] and served as a co-host for theMusic for UNICEF Concert (1979).[60] He also appeared as "Fonzie" onSesame Street to promote the letter "A" (ayyyy), later recalling that it was "the only time I ever appeared as the Fonz on something else. I had a strict rule about that, but they asked me and it was my pleasure."[61]
Winkler was the co-host withCheryl Ladd of the1979 Emmy Awards.[62]
AfterHappy Days ended in 1984, Winkler was typecast, and could not get acting roles until 1991.[63] He later stated that his "agent would put me out there and people would say, 'You know, he's great, he's a wonderful guy, really good actor. Funny, So funny. But he was the Fonz.'"[16][63] Winkler, who desired to be a working actor, felt "rudderless" during this period;[5][3][55] desiring to continue a presence in the industry,[16] he started the production company Fair Dinkum Productions in the late 1970s. The namefair dinkum was taken fromAustralian English slang, meaning something is "honest" or "authentic".[55][64] In 1987, he inked a new feature film and development pact with the studio.[64]
In 1984, Winkler directed, and was executive producer for, theCBS Schoolbreak Special: "All the Kids Do It" starring Scott Baio,[65] which won the 1985Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Children's Special[66] and was nominated for the 1985Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Directing in Children's Programming.[67] In addition to a few episodes of television sitcoms that he directed in the late 1990s and early 2000s,[5] Winkler directed his first theatrical release in 1988,Memories of Me withBilly Crystal.[43] In 1993, he directed his second theatrical release,Cop and a Half, a film produced by Ron Howard's company,Imagine Entertainment, and starringBurt Reynolds.[68]
Winkler was an executive producer forRob Reiner's second film as a director,The Sure Thing (1985).[69] He was also the executive producer for the originalMacGyver television series,[55] which won theGenesis Award for Best TV Drama in 1991,[70] and forDead Man's Gun,[71] which won theBronze Wrangler in 1998.[72] In 1988, he was the executive producer for theABC Afterschool Special: A Family Again starring Jill Eikenberry andMichael Tucker.[73] In addition, he was the executive producer for a number of series, includingSightings[5] andSo Weird.[74] In 2002, he partnered withMichael Levitt to revamp and update TheHollywood Squares for the fifth season of the 1998 reboot.[43][75] It was nominated for aDaytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show in 2003.[76]
Winkler returned to acting in the early 1990s. He starred in the 1991 television film,Absolute Strangers,[77] and in the short-lived 1994 television seriesMonty withDavid Schwimmer (before his debut onFriends).[78] He also starred in the 1994 television filmOne Christmas, withKatharine Hepburn in her last role andSwoosie Kurtz.[79]
In 1996, he appeared in his friendWes Craven's 1996 filmScream as foul-mouthed high school principalArthur Himbry.[43] His role was uncredited, however, as the producers were concerned that he would only be seen as The Fonz, and thus distract from the film. After the screening, he received positive feedback for his role and was subsequently asked to participate in the publicity campaign forScream.[43]
In 2000, Winkler was nominated for aPrimetime Emmy, Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, for his portrayal of Dr. Henry Olson in three episodes ofThe Practice.[43][56] He also portrayed Stanley Yelnats III inHoles (2003).[80]
Winkler began to collaborate withAdam Sandler in the 1990s, after Sandler included Fonzie in theSaturday Night Live skit,The Chanukah Song (1994).[5][81][82] Winkler called Sandler to thank him, which led first to a friendship,[5][82] and later to the role of Coach Klein in the 1998 filmThe Waterboy,[82] and as Sandler's father inClick (2006).[82] He also made cameo appearances inLittle Nicky (2000),[83]You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008),[84] andSandy Wexler (2017).[85]
Winkler worked on a few projects with his longtime friend, actorJohn Ritter, whom he first met in 1978 at ABC's 25th anniversary party, when Winkler was still onHappy Days, and Ritter wasJack Tripper on the television seriesThree's Company.[43][86] He directed Ritter in the 1986 television movieA Smoky Mountain Christmas starringDolly Parton,[87] and in 1993, they co-starred in the made-for-television movie,The Only Way Out.[88]
Later in 1999,Neil Simon gave Winkler the chance to be involved with his first theatrical production since 1973, when he asked him to do a read-through ofThe Dinner Party. Given the problems he had with cold-readings, Winkler initially panicked.[23][43] However, he asked for the script in advance in order to memorize it, and managed to get through the reading. Simon eventually contacted Winkler again, and asked him to be in the theatrical version he was staging, to which Winkler agreed.[43] He was also excited to be working with Ritter again.[43] Although their initial debut was not well-received, they were invited to perform the play in Washington, D.C. with a few casting changes, and it received positive reviews. The play then moved to Broadway, and again received positive reviews.[21][42][89]
In September 2003, he was slated for a guest appearance on Ritter's show,8 Simple Rules. However, during the filming of the episode, Ritter became ill and had to be taken to the hospital, dying hours later.[43] The episode was never completed, and Winkler's role was dropped.[86][90][91]
In 2003,Mitch Hurwitz wanted Winkler to portray the incompetent lawyerBarry Zuckerkorn on one episode ofArrested Development.[43][92] However, he made numerous further appearances in the original three seasons, and also returned for the later seasons in 2013 and 2018.[5][43][92] For his portrayal of Barry Zuckerkorn, Winkler won aGold Derby Award: Comedy Guest Actor in 2004.[93] In 2014, Winkler was nominated as part of the cast for aScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.[94]
Arrested Development is known for itsinside jokes.[95] In three episodes of the2013 reboot, Winkler's sonMax portrayed "young Barry Zuckerkorn" in flashbacks.[95] In addition, there were a number of references toHappy Days, such as in theseason three episode "Forget-Me-Now", where Scott Baio joined the cast as the potentially new lawyer Bob Loblaw, stating, "look, this is not the first time I've been brought in to replace Barry Zuckerkorn."Vulture argues that this statement is "a nod toHappy Days, where [Baio] was brought on asChachi, to be a new teen idol as Henry Winkler got older".[96] In addition, Barry's hopping over a shark on the pier in "Motherboy XXX" is a reference toJon Hein's phrasejumping the shark. Hein coined the phrase in 1985, in reference to a1977Happy Days episode in which Fonzie jumps over a shark while on water skis.[97][96]
Winkler's career as an author began with theHank Zipzer series of children's books about the adventures of adyslexic child, which he co-wrote withLin Oliver.[5] During the early 2000s, when Winkler experienced "a lull in [his] acting career",[5] his manager Alan Berger suggested that he write children's books about the difficulties he experienced as a child before he knew that he was dyslexic.[98] Winkler was resistant to the idea until Berger suggested that Winkler co-write the books with an experienced author.[98]
Berger introduced Winkler to Oliver, and the two met for lunch and created the character of Hank Zipzer.[98] Winkler chose the name Hank from the nickname for Henry, and Zipzer from the name of a neighbor in the apartment building that he grew up in.[99] Winkler and Oliver's writing process, which involved developing ideas during in-person discussions, drew upon their mutual background in television.[98] According to Winkler, the system drew upon his strengths as an actor, allowing him to work through ideas out loud.[100][101]
The original series spanned 17 books, published from 2003 to 2010.[22][20][82] Following that, Winkler and Oliver wrote a prequel series,Here's Hank (2014 to 2019), which explores Hank's life as a second-grader before he was diagnosed as dyslexic.[98][102][103] TheHere's Hank series uses a dyslexic-friendly font calledDyslexie, marking the first time that this font was used in a book published in the United States.[104][98][100]
Winkler and Oliver also created the television adaptationHank Zipzer, which ran for three seasons, from 2014 to 2016. The series appeared on thechildren's BBC Channel, as they could not find an American buyer for it.[105] After the series was successful on the BBC, it was broadcast on theUniversal Kids Channel in the United States.[106][105] Winkler played the music teacher Mr. Rock, who was based on a teacher at McBurney who encouraged Winkler.[102][107] They also produced the 2016 stand-alone television filmHank Zipzer's Christmas Catastrophe.[108]
Winkler returned to the stage in 2006 asCaptain Hook inPeter Pan at theNew Wimbledon Theatre,London.[43] He reprised the role inWoking for Christmas 2007. For the 2008/2009 season, he played Captain Hook at theMilton Keynes Theatre, and once again for the 2009/2010 panto season at theLiverpool Empire.[109] A few years later in 2012, Winkler made his third Broadway appearance as "Chuck Wood" inThe Performers (November 14–18).[42][110]
Winkler has continued his work as a character actor in television and film. In television, he was nominated in 2004 for aDaytime Emmy, Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program,[111] and in 2005, he won the Daytime Emmy, Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program, for his voice-work as Norville inClifford's Puppy Days.[111] Additional television roles include Dr. Stewart Barnes inOut of Practice (2005–2006),[43] Eddie R. Lawson inRoyal Pains (2010–2016),[16] Sy Mittleman inChildrens Hospital(2010–2016),[5][112] Dr. Saperstein inParks and Recreation (2013–2015),[5][16] the villainous Uncle King Julien in animated seriesAll Hail King Julien and its spinoff seasonExiled (2014–2017),[113] and Fritz in the 2021–present animatedstreaming television seriesMonsters at Work.[114]
His film roles include Uncle Ralph in the Christmas filmThe Most Wonderful Time of the Year (2008),[115] Marty Streb inHere Comes the Boom (2012),[116]Ed Koch inDonald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The Movie (2016),[117] Grandpa Bill inAll I Want for Christmas Is You (2017),[118] Uncle Joe inWes Anderson's 2021 releaseThe French Dispatch,[119] and a cameo appearance asAl Pratt (Uncle Al) in the 2022 releaseBlack Adam.[120]
Winkler was both an executive producer for and star of the Americanreality-travel show,Better Late Than Never. He starred along withWilliam Shatner,Terry Bradshaw,George Foreman, andJeff Dye, in this adaptation of theSouth Korean reality series,Grandpas Over Flowers.[121][122][123]
Winkler was the focus of the Season 2 episode "Berlin: How Do You Say Roots in German?" as the group explored the city from which his parents escaped in 1939.[7][124] The journey culminated at the site of a brass memorial plaque, known as astolperstein, embedded in the pavement in front of the workplace and home of his uncle, Helmut Winkler.[3][7][124][125] The discovery came as a complete surprise to Winkler, as Jeff Dye had secretly enlisted the help of Winkler's children, who planned the surprise.[7][124]
WhenBill Hader developed the HBO comedyBarry withAlec Berg, he askedHBO if they could "get" Winkler for the part of acting teacherGene Cousineau. According to Hader, he was "out of [his] mind" when HBO told him that Winkler was coming to audition for the role.[82][126][127] In addition, Winkler's sonMax, who is a director, helped him to prepare for this audition.[92][126][128]
Work for the first season ofBarry began in 2016.[129] Winkler has noted parallels betweenBarry and his time onHappy Days. He "was 27 when I did the Fonz, and now, I'm 72. I just flipped the numbers."[128] In his role as Cousineau, he wears Garry Marshall's tie as "a tribute to my mentor".[36] Cousineau was originally written to be "much darker, much colder—really cynical", but after Winkler added his own insight,[127] the character became more affectionate.[128] Portraying Cousineau allowed Winkler to draw upon decades of experience with acting teachers.[126][128] Winkler continued his lifelong habit of improvising when he forgot his lines, something he has "done my whole career—except I drove Bill mad".[5][126][128]
Winkler received his firstPrimetime Emmy Award in 2018 for his portrayal of Gene Cousineau.[3][130] He also won twoCritics' Choice Television Awards for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2019 and 2023. In addition, he received three Primetime Emmy nominations,[56] threeGolden Globe nominations,[54] and fourScreen Actors Guild Awards nominations for the role.[131][132]
In 2025, Winkler hosted the seriesHazardous History with Henry Winkler on theHistory Channel.[133] In December 2025, Winkler was a guest narrator atDisney's Candlelight Processional at Walt Disney World.[134]
Winkler states that during his lifetime, he has worked with "five directing geniuses": Garry Marshall (Happy Days), Adam Sandler, Mitch Hurwitz (Arrested Development), Bill Hader and Alec Berg (Barry).[63]
After portraying Fonzie onHappy Days, Winkler evolved into a character actor,[5] with roles that include the high school principal Arthur Himbry inScream, Coach Klein inThe Waterboy, Barry Zuckerkorn inArrested Development, Sy Mittleman inChildrens Hospital, Dr. Saperstein inParks and Recreation, Mr. Rock in theHank Zipzer BBC series, Eddie R. Lawson inRoyal Pains, Fritz inMonsters at Work, Uncle Joe inThe French Dispatch, Al Pratt inBlack Adam, and Gene Cousineau inBarry. He is also the recipient of a Primetime Emmy,[56] two Golden Globe Awards,[54] two Critics Choice Awards,[135][136] and two Daytime Emmys.[66][137] He was inducted into theTelevision Hall of Fame in 2025.[138]
In March 2020, Winkler contributed viaZoom tosocial justice issues duringCOVID-19 pandemic in the United States. On May 7, 2020, the Office of theGovernor of California,Gavin Newsom, posted a video of Winkler on Facebook and Twitter reminding Californians to practicesocial distancing and to followstay-at-home orders.[139][140]
During this time, Winkler also offered aid "to SAG-AFTRA artists and their families"[141] through the virtual table read ofSeason 3, Episode 2 ("The Motorcycle", 1975) ofHappy Days. Winkler reprised the role of "Fonzie", while SAG membersGlenn Close,John Carroll Lynch,Eli Goree,Aldis Hodge,Jamie Chung,Luke Newton, andNicola Coughlan read the roles ofMarion Cunningham,Howard Cunningham,Richie Cunningham,Ralph Malph,Joanie Cunningham,Potsie, and a waitress at Al's diner.[141]
Winkler met Stacey, formerly Weitzman (née Furstman), in a Beverly Hills clothing store in 1976,[21] and they married in 1978[6] in the synagogue where he had hisbar mitzvah.[21] They have three children, includingMax.[21]
His cousin, the late actor and comedianRichard Belzer, starred asJohn Munch in the TV seriesLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–2013).[142]
In 2018, almost 80 years after his parents had left Germany, Winkler visited Berlin for the television showBetter Late Than Never and shared their story on the Season 2 episode "Berlin: How Do You Say Roots in German?"[3][7][124]
Winkler continues to remain close with members of theHappy Days cast, telling theHollywood Reporter in November 2021 that "I loved the people. They are still my friends."[36]
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During his time onHappy Days, Winkler realized that he wasdyslexic after his stepson was diagnosed with alearning disability.[3][23][143] Previously, Winkler had known that aspects of reading and memorizing were difficult for him but not why. He had developed coping mechanisms that allowed him to mask the difficulties he had with cold-reading scripts.[143] He later recalled that prior to learning about dyslexia, he frequently embarrassed himself in front of his fellow cast members as he would "stumble at least once or twice a paragraph".[20]
Winkler's 2011 memoirI've Never Met an Idiot on the River explores his interest infly fishing.[144] The next year, he and his writing partner Lin Oliver created theGhost Buddy book series (2012–2013), about the friendship between the protagonist Billy and a "ghost buddy".[145]
A few years later they wrote the science fiction trilogyAlien Superstar (2019–2021).[45][82][101] The adventures ofAlien Superstar's protagonist are loosely based on Winkler's own experiences after arriving in Los Angeles.[146]
Winkler released a new memoir,Being Henry: The Fonz...and Beyond in October 2023.[147] He also began a new series of children's books withLin Oliver in 2023 calledDetective Duck.[148]
TV Guide ranked "The Fonz" as No. 4 on its "50 Greatest TV Characters of All Time" list in 1999,[149] and a 2001 poll conducted byChannel 4 in the UK ranked him as 13th on their list of the100 Greatest TV Characters.[150]
[For] kids growing up in the 1970s, there was one, absolute model of cool—notJames Dean orMarlon Brando, but The Fonz.
When asked which books influenced him in childhood, American journalistAnderson Cooper, who is dyslexic, responded that, "I also loved the Fonz and read a book when I was around 8 calledThe Fonz: The Henry Winkler Story. I actually keep it in my office at CNN. Henry Winkler was very important to me when I was a child."[151] This sentiment reflectsNational Museum of American History,Smithsonian Institution curator Eric Jentsch's statement on the description of Fonzie's leather jacket that Winkler donated to the Smithsonian in 1980: "Fonzie was a representation of cool at a time when you were learning about what cool was."[152][153][154]Winkler won twoGolden Globe Awards, and earned threeEmmy Award nominations forOutstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for the role. In 1981, he received aStar on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (for Television), largely due to his portrayal of Fonzie.[10][155] A few decades later, American artist Gerald P. Sawyer, unveiled theBronze Fonz on theMilwaukee Riverwalk in downtownMilwaukee,Wisconsin, on August 18, 2008.[156]
Winkler would eventually be recognized for contributing to a greater understanding of dyslexia through theHank Zipzer series. He was given the Key to theCity of Winnipeg for "contributions to education and literacy" in 2010,[157] was appointed anHonorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) "for services to children with special educational needs and dyslexia in the UK" byQueen Elizabeth in 2011,[158][159] was named one of theUnited Kingdom's Top 10 Literacy Heroes in 2013,[160] and was awarded theBill Rosendahl Public Service Award for Contributions to the Public Good for his children's books in 2019 by theLos Angeles Press Club.[161]
Standalone
Series (withLin Oliver)
