Ask anyone who’s ever had the pleasure of meeting Henry Winkler and they undoubtedly will respond with something like “best guy ever,” “so genuine” or “nicest in the industry,” and he is. The 78-year-old legend will forever be known for playing one of TV’s most iconic characters — Arthur Fonzarelli (Fonzie) — for 11 seasons on the 1970s sitcom Happy Days which premiered on January 15, 1974. The role couldn’t have been more opposite of him in real life, the self-effacing Winkler shares. Here are a few more things you may not know about the legendary actor.
Growing Up Wasn’t So Cool
Winkler’s parents — Harry and Ilse Winkler — came to the United States in 1939 from Berlin, where they left their parents and siblings behind; they all would perish at the hands of the Nazis. “I mourned that I never had relatives: my only relatives were faux — members of the German refugee community in New York,” Winkler shared in his autobiography. He described his parents as “unforgiving” and not understanding his learning disability, calling him a dumb dog.
Dyslexia Led Him Into Another Career
Having struggled with dyslexia at a young age (he regularly brought home report cards filled with D’s and F’s), Winkler wasn’t officially diagnosed with severe dyslexia until his 30s. He is now a philanthropist helping children with learning disabilities and is an accomplished author, having co-penned a series of children’s books under the “Hank Zipzer” brand, about a kid with dyslexia.
He Adores His Wife
Married for 45 years, Winkler continues to dote on his wife, Stacey Weitzman, who he met at a clothing store in 1976. Today the two enjoy their grandchildren from their three children: Zoe (43, a schoolteacher), Max (40, a screenwriter and director) and Jed (52, who was from Weitzman’s first marriage).
One Of The Last To Try Out For Fonzie
Winkler was one of the shortest and last actors to audition for the role of Fonzie. He originally didn’t think he was right for the role, but once he started to read, the lines of Fonzie came out. “I was 27 years old, soon to turn 28, a short Jew from New York City with a unibrow and hair down to my shoulders, confident about next to nothing in my life,” Winkler shared in his autobiography. “The one exception was when I was acting.” He got the role the following day, which happened to fall on his birthday (Oct. 30).
He Only Rode The Motorcycle For 17 Seconds
While Fonzie was known for his motorcycle, Winkler actually only rode the bike for about 17 seconds. At one point Winkler was on the soundstage on the bike and his only job was to rev the engine and take the bike about 5 feet. Things went wrong and Winkler ended up crashing the rented cycle and sliding under a semitrailer. He was OK, but he never truly rode the bike again. Instead, the production crew attached the bike to a board and put four rubber wheels underneath to make it appear like he was riding the cycle. His motorcycle was the same that Steve McQueen rode in the famous motorcycle scene at the end of The Great Escape (1963).
He Was Responsible For Jumping The Shark
In 2016, Winkler, William Shatner, George Foreman and Terry Bradshaw embarked on a 35-day trip through Tokyo, Kyoto, Seoul, Hong Kong and Thailand in NBC’s charming and hilarious Better Late Than Never. Winkler shared with us: “It was from 7:30 in the morning until 10 at night. It was traveling with 100 people and 300 suitcases, and nobody and nothing got lost. It was exotic, it was eye-opening, it was beautiful, it was strenuous — it was a gift that fell out of the heavens!”
Winkler’s Never Taken A Job For Granted
“I know what I’ve done. I can see, you know, from the posters in my garage what I’ve done. But when you’re beginning to go and get that next thing, it’s all new again. In this particular business, maybe … I don’t know in others … but in this business, you are at the starting line all the time,” Winkler told us when he auditioned for his Emmy-winning role as acting coach Gene Cousineau in the HBO series Barry. “I spent four years in college — my major was drama and my minor was psychology. I spent three years in graduate school, got a master’s degree in drama. I have seen all of these teachers, and I put them all together and out comes Gene.”
