Henry Franklin Winkler (born October 30, 1945) is an American
actorAn actor or actress is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
,
directorA film director, or filmmaker is a person who directs the making or production of a film. Some also consider a film producer to be a filmmaker....
,
producerA film producer or movie producer is someone who creates the scenes and conditions for making movies. The producer initiates, co-ordinates, supervises and controls matters such as fund-raising, hiring key personnel and arranging for distributors...
, and
authorAn author is defined both as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created...
.
Winkler is best known for his role as
FonzieArthur Herbert Fonzarelli is a fictional character played by Henry Winkler in the American sitcom Happy Days . He was originally a secondary character but became the lead. By the mid 1970s, he dwarfed the other characters in popularity...
on the 1970s American sitcom
Happy DaysHappy Days is an American television sitcom that originally aired from 1974 to 1984 on ABC. The show presents an idealized vision of life in mid 1950s to mid 1960s America....
. "The Fonz", a leather-clad greaser and auto
mechanicA mechanic is a craftsman who uses tools to repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics, aircraft mechanics, diesel mechanics, and...
, started out as a minor character at the show's beginning, but had achieved top billing by the time the show ended.
Personal life
Henry Winkler was born in Manhattan, New York, the son of Ilse Anna Maria (
néeA married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage, and in speaking of the many cultures where the practice is traditional for women, the maiden name is the family name that the married name replaces....
Hadra) and Harry Irving Winkler, a
lumberLumber or timber is wood that is used in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
company executive. Winkler's
JewThe Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
ish parents immigrated from
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
to the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1939, before the beginning of
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Winkler attended the
McBurney SchoolMcBurney School was a college preparatory school in Manhattan run by the YMCA of Greater New York. Among its alumni are actors Henry Winkler and Richard Thomas , novelist J. D...
and received his
bachelor's degreeA bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for four years, but can range from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from
Emerson CollegeEmerson College is a private university in Boston, Massachusetts that focuses on the communication arts. Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a "school of oratory," in Boston, Emerson's main campus is located on the southeast corner of the Boston Common, in the Boston Theatre District. It...
in 1967 and his
MFAIn the United States, a Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring two to three years of study. In the United Kingdom, a typically requires two years, whereas a is usually one year of study....
from the
Yale School of DramaThe Yale School of Drama is a graduate professional school of Yale University providing training in every discipline of the theatre: acting, design , directing, dramaturgy and dramatic criticism, playwriting, stage management, sound design, technical design and production, and theatre...
in 1970. In 1978, Emerson gave Winkler an
honoraryAn honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements...
doctorate of humane lettersThe degree of Doctor of Humane Letters is always conferred as an honorary degree, usually to those who have distinguished themselves in areas other than science , government , literature or religion The degree of Doctor of Humane Letters is always conferred as an honorary...
. Winkler has also received a Doctor of Humane Letters from
Austin CollegeAustin College is a private liberal arts college affiliated by covenant relationship with the Presbyterian Church and located in Sherman, Texas, an hour north of Dallas....
.
Winkler has been married to Stacey Weitzman since May 5, 1978, and they have two children, Boe and Jim, and a stepson Jed from Stacey's previous marriage with
Howard WeitzmanHoward Weitzman is a prominent American trial lawyer. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California and University of Southern California Law Center . He was admitted to the state bar in 1966...
.
Charitable works which he is involved with include Annual Cerebral Palsy Telethon, the
Epilepsy FoundationThe Epilepsy Foundation, also Epilepsy Foundation of America , is a non-profit national foundation, headquartered in Landover, Maryland, dedicated to the welfare of people with epilepsy and seizure disorders. The foundation was established in 1968 and now has a network of 59 affiliates...
, the annual
Toys for TotsToys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which donates toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. The program was founded in 1947 by Major Bill Hendricks...
campaign, the National Committee for Arts for the Handicapped, and the
Special OlympicsSpecial Olympics is an international organization created to two years, alternating between Summer and Winter Games. There are also local, national and regional competitons in over 150 countries worldwide.-History:...
.
An avid Yankees fan, Winkler announced the starting lineup on FOX for Game 5 of the National League Championship Series against the Phillies in 2008.
Career
Winkler started acting by appearing in a number of television commercials. In October 1973, he was cast for the role of Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli, nicknamed The Fonz or
FonzieArthur Herbert Fonzarelli is a fictional character played by Henry Winkler in the American sitcom Happy Days . He was originally a secondary character but became the lead. By the mid 1970s, he dwarfed the other characters in popularity...
, in the TV show
Happy DaysHappy Days is an American television sitcom that originally aired from 1974 to 1984 on ABC. The show presents an idealized vision of life in mid 1950s to mid 1960s America....
. The show was first aired in January 1974. During his decade on
Happy Days, Winkler also starred in a number of movies, including
The Lords of FlatbushThe Lords of Flatbush is a 1974 American motion picture drama about a street gang in leather jackets from the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York.-Plot:...
(1974), playing a troubled Vietnam veteran in
HeroesHeroes is a 1977 comedy drama film directed by Jeremy Kagan and starring Henry Winkler and Sally Field. Harrison Ford plays a stock car driver in Sedalia, Missouri who keeps a stolen machine gun in his motor home...
(1977),
The One and Only-Tagline:She had to marry him. She was too embarrassed to have him as a date.-Plot:In the 1950s, egotistical Andy Schmidt tries to become a Broadway star after college graduation but instead finds work as a professional wrestler nicknamed "The Lover".-Principal cast:-Critical Reception:Vincent...
(1978), and a morgue attendant in
Night ShiftNight Shift is a 1982 comedy film, one of Ron Howard's earliest directorial efforts. It stars Howard's Happy Days co-star Henry Winkler along with Michael Keaton. Also appearing are Shelley Long, Richard Belzer, and Clint Howard...
(1982), which was directed by
Happy Days co-star Ron Howard. Winkler was also one of the hosts of the 1979
Music for UNICEF ConcertThe Music for UNICEF Concert: A Gift of Song was a benefit concert of popular music held in the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on January 9, 1979. It was intended to raise money for UNICEF world hunger programs and to mark the beginning of the International Year of the Child. The...
.
For
Happy Days, director/producer
Garry MarshallGarry Kent Marshall is an American actor, director, writer and producer. His credits include creating Happy Days and directing Nothing In Common, Pretty Woman, Runaway Bride, and The Princess Diaries.-Early life:...
originally had in mind a completely opposite physical presence. Marshall sought to cast an Italian model-type male in the role of Fonzie, intended as a stupid foil to the real star, Ron Howard. However, when Winkler, a Yale MFA student, interpreted the role in auditions, Marshall immediately snapped him up. According to Winkler, "The Fonz was everybody I wasn't. He was everybody I wanted to be."
Winkler's character, though remaining very much a rough-hewn outsider, gradually became the focus of the show as time passed (in particular after the departure of Ron Howard). Initially, ABC executives did not want to see the Fonz wearing leather, thinking the character would appear to be a criminal. The first 13 episodes show Winkler wearing two different kinds of
windbreakerA windbreaker is a thin outer coat designed to resist wind chill and light rain . It is usually of light construction, characteristically made of some type of glossy synthetic material and often incorporating an elastic waistband and zipper...
jackets, one of which was green. As Winkler said in a
TV LandTV Land is an American cable television network launched April 29, 1996. It is owned by MTV Networks, a division of Viacom, which also owns Paramount Pictures, and networks such as MTV and Nickelodeon....
interview, "It's hard to look cool in a green windbreaker". Marshall argued with the executives about the jacket. In the end, a compromise was made. Winkler could only wear the leather jacket in scenes with his motorcycle, and from that point on, the Fonz was never without his motorcycle.
After
Happy Days, Winkler put his acting career on the back burner, as he began concentrating on producing and directing. He quickly worked on developing his own production company and, within months, he had opened Winkler-Rich Productions.
In 1979 Winkler appeared in the made-for-TV movie
An American Christmas Carol, which was a modern remake of the
Charles DickensCharles John Huffam Dickens FRSA , pen-name "Boz", was the most popular English novelist of the Victorian era and one of the most popular of all time. He created some of literature's most memorable characters. His novels and short stories have never gone out of print...
classic
A Christmas CarolA Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens about a curmudgeon and his secular conversion and redemption after being visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve...
.
An American Christmas Carol was set in
ConcordThe city of Concord is the capital of the state of New Hampshire in the United States. It is also the county seat of Merrimack County. As of the 2000 census, its population was 40,765. Its estimated population in 2007 was 42,392.Concord includes the villages of Penacook, East Concord and West...
,
New HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian province of...
during the
Great DepressionThe Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. Winkler played the role of Benedict Slade, the
Ebenezer ScroogeEbenezer Scrooge is the main character in Charles Dickens' 1843 novel, A Christmas Carol. At the beginning of the novel, Scrooge is a cold-hearted, tight fisted, greedy man, who despises Christmas and all things which engender happiness...
equivalent of that film. He produced several television shows including
MacGyverMacGyver is an American action/adventure television series created by Lee David Zlotoff and executively produced by Henry Winkler and John Rich that aired on ABC. Seven seasons were produced, all of which were broadcast by American Broadcasting Company Network in the United States and various...
,
So WeirdSo Weird is a television series shot in Vancouver, British Columbia that aired on the Disney Channel as a midseason replacement from January 18, 1999 to September 28, 2001. The series at first centered around teenage girl Fiona Phillips who toured with her rock star mom , encountering paranormal...
and
Mr. SunshineMr. Sunshine is the title of an American sitcom that aired on the ABC network for a season beginning in 1986.The series followed the trials and tribulations of Paul Stark , a blind university professor. Co-stars were Barbara Babcock and Leonard Frey.The series was controversial during its run,...
,
SightingsSightings was a paranormal-themed news television program that was first broadcast as an hour special entitled "UFO Report: Sightings" in October 1991...
, and the game shows
Wintuition and
Hollywood SquaresThe Hollywood Squares is an American television comedy and game show in which two contestants play tic-tac-toe to win money and prizes. The "board" for the game is a 3 × 3 vertical stack of open-faced cubes, each occupied by an entertainer seated at a desk and facing the contestants...
(the latter from 2002–2004 only). He also directed several movies including the
Billy CrystalWilliam Edward "Billy" Crystal is an American actor, writer, producer, comedian, and film director. He gained prominence in the 1970s for playing Jodie Dallas on the ABC sitcom Soap and became a Hollywood film star during the late 1980s and 1990s, appearing in the box office successes When Harry...
movie
Memories of Me (1988) and
Cop and a Half (1993) with
Burt ReynoldsBurton Leon "Burt" Reynolds, Jr. is an American actor. Some of his memorable roles include Lewis Medlock in Deliverance, Paul "Wrecking" Crewe in The Longest Yard, Coach Nate Scarborough in the 2005 remake of The Longest Yard, Bo 'Bandit' Darville in Smokey and the Bandit, J.J...
.
As the 1990s continued, Winkler began a return to acting. in 1991, he starred in the controversial TV-movie
Absolute Strangers, as a husband forced to make a decision regarding his comatose wife and his unborn baby. In 1994 he returned to TV with the short-lived right-wing comedy
MontyMonty is a short lived American sitcom that aired on the FOX network in 1994. The series starred Henry Winkler as a loud, obnoxious conservative commentator and David Schwimmer as his left-leaning son. Monty hoped to capitalize on the same family dynamic that made the television show All in the...
on
FoxThe Fox Broadcasting Company , commonly referred to as Fox , is an American television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, from 2004 to 2009 Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the 18–49 demographic...
which sank in mere weeks. Also in 1994, he co-starred with Katharine Hepburn in the holiday TV movie
One Christmas, her last film.
He is good friends with horror movie director
Wes CravenWesley Earl "Wes" Craven is an American film director and writer, perhaps best known as the creator of many horror films, including the famed A Nightmare on Elm Street series featuring the iconic Freddy Krueger character and the Scream films.-Early life:Craven was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the son...
and played an uncredited role as a high school principal in Craven's 1996 movie
Scream (1996). In 1998,
Adam SandlerAdam Richard Sandler is an American actor, comedian, musician, screenwriter and film producer. He is the founder of Happy Madison Productions, a film production company that also developed the television series Rules of Engagement.After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member, he went on to...
asked Winkler to play a college football coach, a supporting role in
The WaterboyThe Waterboy is a 1998 American comedy film directed by Frank Coraci. It stars Adam Sandler alongside Henry Winkler, Kathy Bates, Jerry Reed, and Fairuza Balk. Lynn Swann, Lawrence Taylor, Jimmy Johnson, Bill Cowher, Paul Wight and Rob Schneider have cameos...
(1998). He would later appear in three other Sandler films,
Little NickyLittle Nicky is a 2000 comedy film directed by Steven Brill. It stars Adam Sandler as Nicky, one of Satan's three sons, The first Happy Madison Film relased with a PG-13 rating by the MPAA.-Plot:...
(2000) where he plays himself and is covered in bees,
ClickClick is a American fantasy-comedy-drama film directed by Frank Coraci and written by Steve Koren and Mark O'Keefe. Click tells the story of Michael Newman, an overworked architect so wrapped up in his job because of his boss John Ammer that his family is forced to take the backseat...
(2006, as the main character's father), and
You Don't Mess with the ZohanYou Don't Mess with the Zohan is a 2008 comedy film starring Adam Sandler. The film is about Zohan Dvir , an Israeli counter terrorist army commando who fakes his own death in order to pursue his dream of becoming a hairstylist in New York City. The story was written by Sandler, Judd Apatow, and...
(2008), again playing himself. He also played small roles in movies such as
Down to YouDown to You is a 2000 comedy about losing a first love. It was directed by Kris Isacsson. The main characters are Alfred 'Al' Connelly and Imogen , Cyrus...
(2000),
HolesHoles is a film based on the novel of the same title by Louis Sachar, who also wrote the screenplay, with Shia LaBeouf as the lead role of Stanley Yelnats...
(2003), and
I Could Never Be Your WomanI Could Never Be Your Woman is a 2007 romantic comedy film directed and written by Amy Heckerling and starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Paul Rudd. The film was released on May 11 in Spain, July 18 in Belgium, September 14 in Brazil, September 20 in Greece and October 19 in Taiwan...
(2007).
Winkler recently had a recurring role as incompetent lawyer Barry Zuckerkorn in the Fox Television comedy
Arrested Development. In one episode, his character hopped over a dead shark lying on a pier, a reference to his role in the origin of the phrase "
jumping the sharkJumping the shark is a colloquialism coined by Jon Hein and used by TV critics and fans to denote the point in a television program's history where the plot veers off into absurd story lines or out-of-the-ordinary characterizations. This usually corresponds to the point where a show with falling...
". After that episode, Winkler in interviews stated that he was the only person to have "jumped the shark" twice.
When Winkler moved to
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is an American television network, one of television's original "big three", which also include NBC and ABC. Like NBC, CBS started out as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System...
for one season to star in 2005–06's
Out of PracticeOut of Practice was an American situation comedy television series that was originally broadcast on CBS from September 19, 2005 to March 29, 2006. With producers Joe Keenan and Christopher Lloyd at the helm, the show was about a family of five doctors who had little in common and usually did not...
, his role as the Bluth family lawyer on
Arrested Development was taken over by
Happy Days co-star
Scott BaioScott Vincent James Baio is an American actor, best known for his work on the sitcoms Happy Days, Joanie Loves Chachi, and Charles in Charge...
in the fall of 2005, shortly before the acclaimed but Nielsen-challenged show ceased production.
Winkler has guest-starred on television series such as
Numb3rsNumb3rs is an American television drama, which premiered on January 23, 2005 on CBS. The series was created by Nicolas Falacci and Cheryl Heuton, and follows FBI Special Agent Don Eppes and his mathematical genius brother, Charlie Eppes , who helps Don solve crimes for the FBI...
,
South ParkSouth Park is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become infamous for its crude, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
,
The PracticeThe Practice is an American legal drama created by David E. Kelley centering on the partners and associates at a Boston law firm. The show won the Emmy in 1998 and 1999 for Best Drama Series, and spawned the successful spin-off series Boston Legal, which began airing in the fall of 2004 and deals...
,
The SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated television sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its eponymous family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie...
(playing a member of a biker gang. In one scene, he calls Marge "Mrs. S", a reference to Fonzie calling "Happy Days" matriarch Marion Cunningham "Mrs. C"),
Law & Order: Special Victims UnitLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural TV series about the Special Victims Unit in a fictional version of the 16th Precinct of the New York City Police Department...
,
Third WatchThird Watch is an NBC television drama set in New York City that ran from September 23, 1999 to May 6, 2005.-Premise:The series followed the exploits of a group of police officers, firefighters, and paramedics in the fictional 55th Precinct and Fire Station 55 whose shifts fell between 3 p.m...
,
Arrested Development,
Crossing JordanCrossing Jordan is an American television crime/drama series that aired on NBC from September 24, 2001 to May 16, 2007. It stars Jill Hennessy as the crime-solving medical examiner, Jordan Cavanaugh. The show uses an ensemble cast approach featuring a group of Jordan's co-workers, members of the...
,
Family GuyFamily Guy is an American animated television sitcom, created by Seth MacFarlane, for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family which consists of Peter, Lois, Meg, Chris, Stewie, and their pet dog Brian...
and
King of the HillKing of the Hill is an American animated series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997 to September 13, 2009 on Fox. It centers on the Hills, a small-town Methodist family in Arlen, Texas...
. The
WeezerWeezer is an alternative rock band from Los Angeles, California formed in 1992. Initially, the band consisted of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Matt Sharp , and Jason Cropper . Cropper was later replaced by Brian Bell...
video for 1994's "
Buddy Holly"Buddy Holly" is a song by the rock group Weezer, written by Rivers Cuomo. It was released as the second single from the band's debut album Weezer in 1994. The single was released on what would have been Buddy Holly's 58th birthday, had he not been killed in a plane crash along with fellow rock...
" edited period footage of Henry Winkler as the Fonz, as well as a double shot from behind to create the illusion that Fonzie and other characters were watching Weezer as they performed in Arnold's restaurant.
Winkler's most recent appearances were on
KTTVKTTV, channel 11, is an owned-and-operated television station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, located in Los Angeles, California. Serving the vast Los Angeles metropolitan area, KTTV is a sister station to KCOP , Los Angeles' MyNetworkTV station...
's
Good Day L.A.Good Day L.A. is a television talk show aired on KTTV , the Fox Broadcasting Company-owned and operated station in Los Angeles, California. The show airs Monday through Friday mornings from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM and is simulcast live on myfoxla.com...
. One time when substituting for
Steve EdwardsSteve Edwards is an American broadcast personality based in Los Angeles, California. Edwards is currently the lead anchor/host of Good Day L.A., a morning news and infotainment program that airs on Fox-owned KTTV in Los Angeles...
, Winkler reunited with fellow
Happy Days cast member
Marion RossMarion Ross is an American actress, best known for her role as, "Marion Cunningham," on the TV series Happy Days from 1974 to 1984.-Early life:...
.Winkler made a cameo appearance in the band
Say AnythingSay Anything is an indie rock band with punk influences from Los Angeles, California, fronted by singer-songwriter Max Bemis. The band formed in 2000 with Bemis and four of his friends. Within two years, they self-released two EPs, Junior Varsity and In Your Dreams, and the full-length Baseball: An...
's video for "
Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too"Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too" is the first single from Say Anything's 7-track bonus disc ...Was a Real Boy which was released with the 2006 reissue of their 2004 second album …Is a Real Boy. The song itself is an account of the writer's experience when he calls a relatively anonymous young girl on...
". Winkler has also made critically-acclaimed guest appearances on
The Late Late Show with Craig FergusonThe Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson is an American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish American comedian Craig Ferguson. Ferguson is the third regular host of the CBS Late Late Show franchise. The show follows "Late Show with David Letterman" in the CBS late-night lineup.The program is the...
.
A close friend to actor
John RitterJonathan Southworth "John" Ritter was an American actor and comedian perhaps best known for playing Jack Tripper in the ABC sitcom Three's Company.-Early life:...
, the two led a Broadway ensemble cast in Neil Simon's The Dinner Party in 2000. Winkler was reunited as a guest star on Ritter's sitcom
8 Simple Rules (for Dating my Teenage Daughter)8 Simple Rules is an American television sitcom that originally aired on ABC from September 17, 2002 to April 15, 2005. Loosely based on humor columnist W. Bruce Cameron's book of the same name, the show starred John Ritter until he died in 2003...
in 2003 by Ritter's request. Ritter became ill during filming, and unexpectedly died. A stunned, grief-stricken Winkler was interviewed by Mary Hart of
Entertainment TonightEntertainment Tonight is a daily tabloid-like television entertainment news show that is syndicated by CBS Television Distribution throughout the United States, Canada and in many countries around the world. Kaylee Stacey is the producer...
and various other entertainment news sources, and served as a soothing voice and champion of John's talent in September 2003.
Since 2003, Winkler has collaborated with Lin Oliver on a series of children's books about a 4th grade boy,
Hank ZipzerHank Zipzer: The World's Greatest Underachiever is a series of children's books by actor Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver, published by Grosset & Dunlap..-Overview:Hank Zipzer is a young boy growing up on the Upper West Side...
, who is dyslexic. Winkler also has the learning disability, and said this was an unhappy part of his childhood. Winkler has published 15 books about his hero Zipzer, the "world's greatest underachiever."
In October 2008, Winkler appeared in a video on funnyordie.com with
Ron HowardRonald William "Ron" Howard is an American film director and producer, as well as an actor. Howard came to prominence in the 1960s while playing Andy Griffith's TV son, Opie Taylor, on The Andy Griffith Show , and later in the 1970s as Howard Cunningham's son and Arthur Fonzarelli's best friend,...
, reprising their roles as Fonzie and Richie Cunningham, encouraging people to vote for Barack Obama. The video entitled
Howard’s Call to Action" also features
Andy GriffithAndy Samuel Griffith is an American actor, director, producer, Grammy Award-winning Southern-gospel singer, and writer....
.
Winkler appeared in his first
pantomimePantomime is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in Great Britain, Canada, Jamaica, Australia, South Africa, Japan, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is usually performed during the Christmas and New Year season.-History:A pantomimos in Greece was...
at the
New Wimbledon TheatreThe New Wimbledon Theatre is situated on The Broadway, Wimbledon, London, in the London Borough of Merton. It is a Grade II listed Edwardian theatre built by the theatre lover and entrepreneur, J B Mullholland. Built on the site of a large house with spacious grounds the theatre was designed by...
,
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
in 2006, playing
Captain HookCaptain James Hook is a fictional character and the antagonist of J. M. Barrie's play Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up and its various adaptations. The character is a villainous pirate captain of the Jolly Roger galleon, and lord of the pirate village/harbour in Neverland, where he is...
in
Peter PanPeter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
, replacing
David HasselhoffDavid Michael Hasselhoff is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his lead roles as Michael Knight in the popular 1980s U.S. series Knight Rider and as L.A. County Lifeguard Mitch Buchannon in the series Baywatch...
who pulled out when he was offered a TV role by
Simon CowellSimon Phillip Cowell is an English television personality, A&R executive, television producer, and entrepreneur. He is famous in the United Kingdom and in the United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, American Idol, The X Factor, and Britain's Got Talent...
. He reprised the role in
WokingWoking is a large town and civil parish that shares its name with the surrounding local government district, located in the west of Surrey, England. It is a dormitory town in the London commuter belt and is located south west of Charing Cross in central London...
,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
for Christmas 2007. For the 2008/2009 season he played
Captain HookCaptain James Hook is a fictional character and the antagonist of J. M. Barrie's play Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up and its various adaptations. The character is a villainous pirate captain of the Jolly Roger galleon, and lord of the pirate village/harbour in Neverland, where he is...
at the
Milton Keynes TheatreMilton Keynes Theatre is a large theatre in Milton Keynes . It opened on 4 October 1999, 25 years after the campaign for a new theatre first started....
. Recently, he played the role of Judge Newman in
Merry Christmas, Drake & JoshMerry Christmas, Drake & Josh is a television movie, and the first new program that came out of the Drake & Josh franchise in over a year...
.
In 2009, Winkler provided the voice of Willard Deutschebog, a suicidal German teacher, in the Fox comedy series,
Sit Down, Shut Up.
Honors and awards
- In 1996, Winkler was selected to be the Class Day speaker at Yale University
Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut, and a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States. Yale has produced many notable alumni, including five...
, an honor usually accorded to distinguished Yale alumni.
- On August 3, 2008, Winkler was chosen to be the guest conductor at the Boston Pops by the Sea Concert in Hyannis, Massachusetts
Hyannis is the largest of seven villages in the Town of Barnstable, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod. Also it is the commercial and transportation hub of Cape Cod and was designated an urban area as a result of the 1990 census...
.
- On August 19, 2008, Milwaukeeans paid homage to their hometown hero and unveiled a life-sized, bronze statue of Fonzie along the Milwaukee Riverwalk
The Milwaukee Riverwalk is a continuous pedestrian walkway along the Milwaukee River in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin.- Description :Conceived in the 1990s to increase public access to the waterway, the Milwaukee Riverwalk has grown to include art displays called RiverSculpture!, the RiverSplash!...
.
Golden Globe Awards
- (1976) Won - Best Actor - Television Series Musical or Comedy / Happy Days
Happy Days is an American television sitcom that originally aired from 1974 to 1984 on ABC. The show presents an idealized vision of life in mid 1950s to mid 1960s America....
- (1977) Won - Best Actor - Television Series Musical or Comedy / Happy Days
- (1978) Nominated - Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama
The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture - Drama was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951...
/ HeroesHeroes is a 1977 comedy drama film directed by Jeremy Kagan and starring Henry Winkler and Sally Field. Harrison Ford plays a stock car driver in Sedalia, Missouri who keeps a stolen machine gun in his motor home...
- (1983) Nominated - Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951...
/ Night ShiftNight Shift is a 1982 comedy film, one of Ron Howard's earliest directorial efforts. It stars Howard's Happy Days co-star Henry Winkler along with Michael Keaton. Also appearing are Shelley Long, Richard Belzer, and Clint Howard...
Primetime Emmy Awards
- (1976) Nominated - Outstanding Lead Actor - Comedy Series
This is a list of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series winners-1990s:-2000s:...
/ Happy DaysHappy Days is an American television sitcom that originally aired from 1974 to 1984 on ABC. The show presents an idealized vision of life in mid 1950s to mid 1960s America....
- (1977) Nominated - Outstanding Lead Actor - Comedy Series / Happy Days
- (1978) Nominated - Outstanding Lead Actor - Comedy Series / Happy Days
- (1979) Nominated - Outstanding Informational Program / Who are the DeBolts? (And Where Did They Get 19 Kids?)
- (1997) Nominated - Outstanding Guest Actor - Drama Series
This is a list of winners of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, and Outstanding Guest Supporting Actor...
/ The PracticeThe Practice is an American legal drama created by David E. Kelley centering on the partners and associates at a Boston law firm. The show won the Emmy in 1998 and 1999 for Best Drama Series, and spawned the successful spin-off series Boston Legal, which began airing in the fall of 2004 and deals...
(as Henry Olson)
Filmography
- Crazy Joe (1974)
- The Lords of Flatbush
The Lords of Flatbush is a 1974 American motion picture drama about a street gang in leather jackets from the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York.-Plot:...
(1974)
- Katherine
Katherine is a 1975 television movie starring Sissy Spacek, Art Carney and Henry Winkler. It was written and directed by Jeremy Kagan...
, also known as The Radical (1975)
- Heroes
Heroes is a 1977 comedy drama film directed by Jeremy Kagan and starring Henry Winkler and Sally Field. Harrison Ford plays a stock car driver in Sedalia, Missouri who keeps a stolen machine gun in his motor home...
(1977)
- The One and Only
-Tagline:She had to marry him. She was too embarrassed to have him as a date.-Plot:In the 1950s, egotistical Andy Schmidt tries to become a Broadway star after college graduation but instead finds work as a professional wrestler nicknamed "The Lover".-Principal cast:-Critical Reception:Vincent...
(1978)
- Night Shift
Night Shift is a 1982 comedy film, one of Ron Howard's earliest directorial efforts. It stars Howard's Happy Days co-star Henry Winkler along with Michael Keaton. Also appearing are Shelley Long, Richard Belzer, and Clint Howard...
(1982)
- Scream
Scream is a 1996 horror film directed by Wes Craven from a screenplay by Kevin Williamson, and the first of the Scream series. Filmed mostly in Santa Rosa, California, the film tells the story of the fictional town Woodsboro, CA being terrorized by a masked killer who enjoys tormenting his victims...
(1996) (uncredited)
- Ground Control
-Synopsis:Chicago air traffic controller Jack Harris is a wreck with guilt nightmares after a major Transair crash, killing all 174 aboard, gives up the job and designs air control software instead. Five years later, his ex-colleague T.C...
(1998)
- The Waterboy
The Waterboy is a 1998 American comedy film directed by Frank Coraci. It stars Adam Sandler alongside Henry Winkler, Kathy Bates, Jerry Reed, and Fairuza Balk. Lynn Swann, Lawrence Taylor, Jimmy Johnson, Bill Cowher, Paul Wight and Rob Schneider have cameos...
(1998)
- Ugly Naked People (1999)
- Elevator Seeking (1999)
- P.U.N.K.S.
P.U.N.K.S. is a 1999 movie about a group of bullied teens who find a suit created by a scientist which provides special powers to whomever wears it.- Cast :* Tim Redwine as Drew Utley* Jessica Alba as Samantha Swoboda* Brandon Baker as Jonny Pasiotopolis...
(1999)
- Dill Scallion
Dill Scallion is a 1999 feature film mockumentary that follows the rise and fall of a country-western singer, Dill Scallion . It was written and directed by Jordan Brady...
(1999)
- Little Nicky
Little Nicky can refer to:* Little Nicky , a 2000 comedy film starring Adam Sandler.* Little Nicky , a cat believed to be the first successful feline cloning for commercial reasons.* Nicky Little, a Fijian rugby union player....
(2000)
- Down to You
Down to You is a 2000 comedy about losing a first love. It was directed by Kris Isacsson. The main characters are Alfred 'Al' Connelly and Imogen , Cyrus...
(2000)
- I Shaved My Legs for This (2001)
- Holes
Holes is a film based on the novel of the same title by Louis Sachar, who also wrote the screenplay, with Shia LaBeouf as the lead role of Stanley Yelnats...
(2003)
- Arrested Development
Arrested Development is an American television sitcom created by Mitchell Hurwitz for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The show is centered around the Bluths, a formerly wealthy, habitually dysfunctional family and is presented in a pseudo-documentary format, incorporating hand-held camera work,...
(TV series)(2003-2006)
- Fronterz (2004)
- Berkeley
Berkeley is a 2005 film by Bobby Roth filmed in Berkeley, California. It stars Nick Roth, Laura Jordan, and Henry Winkler....
(2005)
- The Kid & I
The Kid & I is a 2005 comedy film starring Tom Arnold and Eric Gores.-Plot:Former actor Bill Williams is about to commit suicide because his career is ruined. He throws away all his stuff and gives his clothes to a poor alcoholic. The man drinks Bill's vodka and takes half of his pills messing up...
(2005)
- The King of Central Park (2006)
- Unbeatable Harold
Unbeatable Harold is a 2006 romantic comedy film directed by Ari Palitz. Its starring actors include Gordon Michaels, Nicole DeHuff, Henry Winkler, Gladys Knight, Charles Durning, Taryn Manning, Phyllis Diller, Lourdes Benedicto and Dylan McDermott...
(2006)
- Click
Click is a American fantasy-comedy-drama film directed by Frank Coraci and written by Steve Koren and Mark O'Keefe. Click tells the story of Michael Newman, an overworked architect so wrapped up in his job because of his boss John Ammer that his family is forced to take the backseat...
(2006)
- A Plumm Summer
A Plumm Summer is a adventure-family film directed by Caroline Zelder. It stars William Baldwin, Henry Winkler, as well as actress, long-time sports reporter and Inside Edition correspondent Lisa Guerrero....
(2007)
- You Don't Mess with the Zohan
You Don't Mess with the Zohan is a 2008 comedy film starring Adam Sandler. The film is about Zohan Dvir , an Israeli counter terrorist army commando who fakes his own death in order to pursue his dream of becoming a hairstylist in New York City. The story was written by Sandler, Judd Apatow, and...
(2008)
- Merry Christmas, Drake & Josh
Merry Christmas, Drake & Josh is a television movie, and the first new program that came out of the Drake & Josh franchise in over a year...
(2008)
- Sit Down, Shut Up (2009) (TV series)
- Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
(2009) (Liverpool Empire TheatreLiverpool Empire Theatre is located on Lime Street in Liverpool, England. It is the largest theatre in Liverpool, and the largest two-tier theatre in Britain. It is part of the William Brown Street conservation area.It was designed by W. and T. R...
theatre production)
External links