Tue Oct 15 13:30:00 UTC 2024: ## Happy Days Star Henry Winkler Admits He Was Once “Panicked” About Being Typecast as Fonzie

**LOS ANGELES** – Henry Winkler, the beloved actor known for his iconic role as Arthur “The Fonz” Fonzarelli on the hit sitcom “Happy Days,” has admitted that he was once so worried about being typecast that he reprimanded a young boy for calling him by his character’s name.

Winkler revealed this humorous anecdote on the “Sibling Rivalry” podcast hosted by Kate and Oliver Hudson, alongside his wife Stacey Weitzman. The story goes back to the early days of their relationship, when Winkler was dating Stacey, who was a mother to a four-year-old boy named Jed, a huge fan of “The Fonz.”

“My oldest son, Jed, loved him like a lunatic and had Henry and the Six Million Dollar Man on his 4th birthday cake that June,” Stacey shared on the podcast. “It was cute.”

When Winkler came to pick up Stacey for a date, Jed, upon seeing him, exclaimed, “Fonzie!” Winkler, who was “extremely serious” at the time, reacted by asking, “What did you say, honey?”

The Emmy-winning actor explained his reaction, stating, “I was panicked at the time about being typecast, so I would do nothing Fonzie off of the show. I was Henry, and that was my character. [Jed] opened the door, I looked down at this little guy [who said], ‘Fonzie!’ I said, ‘My name is Henry. Would you like it if I called you ‘Ralph’?”

Stacey couldn’t help but laugh as she joked, “And then, of course, he went into therapy.”

The couple later married in 1978 and went on to have two children together, Max and Zoe, in addition to Jed.

Winkler, now 78, recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of “Happy Days” at the 2024 Emmys alongside his costar Ron Howard, recreating the iconic Arnold’s Drive-In set. The pair even took a moment to channel the Fonz, with Howard urging Winkler to bang on the jukebox. Despite initially stating he was “out of practice,” Winkler eventually embraced his inner Fonz, delivering a signature “Nice to see ‘ya” to the audience.

The heartwarming story showcases the enduring legacy of “Happy Days” and Winkler’s humorous perspective on his own career. It reminds us that even iconic actors grapple with personal anxieties, while also highlighting the important connection between actors and their fans, especially those who grew up with their beloved characters.

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