From 1974 to 1984, Henry Winkler played The Fonz on Happy Days. So when the show ended, he wanted a memento from the set.
What did he ask to take home with him? Was it his leather jacket? Nope, that is in the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. What about the motorcycle or the jukebox?
Nope! He told Sheinelle Jones and Willie Geist on Today with Jenna and Sheinelle, “When we would go make an entrance through the swinging doors of Arnold’s, there was a piece of plywood. And I would put my coffee cup down and a bottle of water down, and you would make your entrance. On that piece of wood, I would write down things.”
It would be things like the start of the season. Ron Howard had a redheaded baby girl, and then the actor had one of his own a few months later.
So after they shot the last scene, he asked if he could have it. And they said yes. He still has it. And I am sure he shows those little redheaded girls, who are still friends, that little piece of wood anytime they are both in his house.
Winkler is one of the nicest guys in Hollywood. But there is something that pisses him off. What is it? The statue of Arthur Fonzarelli in Milwaukee is taller than he is. Therefore, he can’t look it in the eye. I think they need to make a new one that is actual size so he can have a staring contest with it!
Henry Winkler has gone from Happy Days to The Jennifer Hudson Show’s Happy Place, and that makes me so happy.
The actor boogied his way down the Spirit Tunnel like he was in his 20s again, so I was shocked to find out that he is 80. Because octogenarians don’t move like that. I guess he will always be The Fonz, and that is ayyy-OK with me.
If there was ever anyone that Happy Place was made for, it was made for Winkler, one of the nicest people in Hollywood. I don’t know whose faces lit up more, his or the staff’s? I say it is a tie.
In the ’70s, the girls were screaming for Henry Winkler. Two decades later, they were dreaming about John Stamos. Finally, 20 years later, they were singing about Darren Criss.
Since they are teen idols from three different generations, you never expected to see them together. But we are because The Fonz and Uncle Jesse went to see Blaine in Maybe Happy Ending. And now girls in their 60s, 40s, and 20s are getting their happy ending!
After seeing this photo, I want to see them do a project where the Happy Days star is the father of the Full House actor, who is the father of the Glee star. They could be three good-looking single men looking for love!
When you think of The Fonz, you think of Henry Winkler. In fact, it is hard to imagine anyone else playing the role. But there was someone else who was up for the iconic Happy Days part.
Micky Dolenz was talking about his career to People, and he told the story about how the TV heartthrobs were both the finalists for Arthur Fonzarelli. “I almost got it,” he told then. “Supposedly it was between me and Henry [Winkler]. He remembers it too. The story I heard is that he was in the waiting room, saw me come in, and thought, ‘Oh s—, I’ll never get this — Micky Dolenz is here!’ So we laugh about it now. He’s a good friend and a brilliant talent.”
Does the last surviving member of The Monkees think they made the right choice? “Oh my God, he’s just so good. I was definitely not as good as he was. Come on — he was The Fonz! He had that New York, New Jersey thing down. I’m from Southern California. It wasn’t gonna happen!”
Everything happened as it was supposed to happen. Because of that, Dolenz gets to hit the road this Summer with the Songs & Stories tour. Who knows if he would still be playing music if he played sitcom’s coolest guy?
Henry Winkler is one of the nicest guys in Hollywood, so we need more than one of him. And there is more than one of him. It is just that the other one is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it is a bronze statue of him as The Fonz.
Recently, the Happy Days actor visited Milwaukee, and he had a happy day with himself—well, his bronze self.
Look at how happy he is! But then again, he is always happy. And that is just another reason to love him.
