Henry Winkler details how FBI banged on his door just to meet the ‘Fonz’ — but actor thought it was for weed
nypost.comWinkler’s memoir, “Being Henry: The Fonz… and Beyond,” was published.In it, the actor detailed how he skyrocketed to fame on “Happy Days” and how his character’s popularity tested his friendship with Ron Howard, who played Richie Cunningham.The series, which chronicled the lives of the Cunningham family in the 1950s, aired from 1974 to 1984.In the book, Winkler describes that while “Happy Days” was designed to have Howard be the star, his greaser role had taken off.Winkler was quickly given a raise from ABC.
Worried about how Howard might feel, Winkler reached out to his pal.“You’re not letting this go to your head or change who you are,” Howard told Winkler, as quoted in the book. “You’re a great team player.
What you’ve created is incredible … for the show. But if I’m honest, I have to say it does hurt my feelings; more than that — it’s made me angry at times.
Because you’re right — I was supposed to be the star of the show. But I was never angry at you, Henry.”Leonard Goldenson, the president of ABC, even wanted to change the title of the show at one point to “Fonzie’s Happy Days.” Winkler balked at the suggestion.“I’m asking you not to do that,” Winkler wrote in his book. “If you do that, it is so disrespectful to everybody who has been doing ‘Happy Days’ as a family together with me. … How much more of a success can you make the show by changing the name. … That would be so hurtful — just as a slap in the face to everyone else in the cast.”According to Winkler, “Happy Days” producers Tom Miller and Ed Milkis even approached Howard with the title change suggestion.Howard threatened to leave “Happy Days” and return to film school at USC.Winkler said it was show creator Garry Marshall who put his foot down on the.
Read more on nypost.com