Every actor starts out somewhere, and in the case of one seriously smooth '70s hunk, that "somewhere" was as the adorably cherubic little kid you can see above. Here's a hint: He turns 70 years old today (October 30)! Can you guess who this fresh-faced fellah is? Drumroll please...
It's Henry Winkler, a.k.a. the Fonz! Though Winkler's role on Happy Days was the first huge — and the most defining — of his career, he had a few acting gigs prior to playing everyone's favorite leather jacket-wearing charmer. In fact, Winkler earned an M.F.A. degree from the Yale School of Drama, and starred in the coming-of-age film The Lords of Flatbush.
But his big break came when he auditioned for the Happy Days role, opting to play the hunky greaser as a bad boy with a heart of gold. And it paid off: He totally won America's love — an affection he reciprocated by painstakingly replying (and even calling) every fan who wrote him a letter.
As fans of shows like Arrested Development and Parks & Recreations may already know, Winkler looks a little different these days:
He's got the same charming smile as ever, though! And on top of maintaining a successful acting career, Winkler has collaborated with author Lin Oliver since 2003 on a children's book series about a little boy named Hank Zipzer. The series is highly personal to Winkler, as the protagonist has dyslexia — a learning disorder Winkler unknowingly struggled with throughout his life until he was finally diagnosed at the age of 31.
Aside from his seemingly never-ending career accomplishments, Winkler has been happily married to Stacey Winkler since 1978, with whom he has two children and one step-son.
