To television fans of a certain generation, Henry Winkler will always be associated with Fonzie - the charismatic, motorcycle-riding, cool guy he played in the sitcom 'Happy Days.' Winkler has also been called the nicest man in Hollywood, and this memoir supports that impression.
Henry Winkler as Fonzie
Winkler, born in New York City in 1945, didn't have it easy as a youngster. Winkler's parents, Ilsa and Harry, were Jewish German immigrants who expected their son to make them proud. Unfortunately, Henry was severely dyslexic and couldn't learn to read or do math. This led to constant criticism from Ilsa and Harry, who thought punishing Henry would make him do better in school. So Ilsa and Harry grounded Henry, forbid him to watch television, called him names, shamed him, sent him to summer school year after year, and more.....all to no avail.
Young Henry Winkler
Moreover, Harry wanted his son to take over the family lumber business, and sent Henry to be a summer apprentice at a lumber mill in Germany. However, from a young age, Henry only wanted to act. Winkler writes, "I can't remember not feeling an intense need to perform. I recall putting on my sister's muumuu bathrobe, applying some makeup, and popping out into my parents' parties with little dramatic presentations."
Despite being in the bottom three percent of students in the country, Winkler managed to get into Emerson College and then the Yale School of Drama. Afterwards, Henry was invited to join the Yale Repertory Theatre in 1970, which he found to be "so much fun; so exhilarating."
In time Winkler got an agent named Joan Scott and started getting television commercials for things like American Airlines, Sanka coffee, and Talon zippers.
Henry Winkler in a Sanka commercial
Henry's first 'big' role was Butchey Weinstein in the movie 'The Lords of Flatbush', which was about "four leather-jacketed guys who were more interested in making it with girls than rumbling with other gangs."
Henry Winkler in The Lords of Flatbush. From left: Paul Mace, Sylvester Stallone, Henry Winkler, Perry King
Winkler repeatedly notes that he's "very careful" with money, but in 1973 he took his entire savings of $1000 and flew to Los Angeles, to try his luck in Hollywood. Henry never even considered paying for lodging, but couch-surfed and phone-surfed, trying to get work. Winkler was even too frugal to get headshots, and carried his resumes in a brown paper grocery bag instead of a leather portfolio like other actors.
Nevertheless, Winkler began to get roles, starting with a guest shot on 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show', and then the part of Arthur Fonzarelli (Fonzie) on 'Happy Days.
Henry Winkler on The Mary Tyler Moore Show
A good part of the book discusses 'Happy Days', including what happened when the Fonzie character became more popular than the Richie character, played by Ron Howard, who was supposed to be the star of the show.
Happy Days Cast. Front Row: Don Most, Erin Moran, Marion Ross, Ron Howard. Back Row: Henry Winkler, Tom Bosley, Anson Williams
Sadly, Winkler learned there's a downside to fame, because after playing Fonzie for eleven years Henry was SO typecast he had difficulty finding other acting roles, and had to work in other areas of show business for many years.
In 1976 Henry met Stacey Weitzman, the pretty, red-headed, single mother of a little boy named Jed.....and it was romance at first sight. The couple eventually wed, had two children called Zoe and Max, and have been married for 47 years. Winkler writes a good bit about his family, of whom he's very proud.
Henry Winkler and Stacey Weitzman
Henry Winkler and Stacey Weitzman get married in a Manhattan synagogue
Henry Winkler, Stacey Weitzman, and their children
Winkler includes many personal anecdotes in the book. For example, Henry writes: "My love of gardening started with spider plants, all of them descendants of a single plant that Tante Anna (Aunt Anna) had smuggled out of Nazi Germany along with herself in, believe it or not, a coffin."
Henry Winkler with one of his spider plants
The Winkler family also loved dogs, and after some of their brood succumbed to old age, Henry observes, "Our home clearly needed some puppy energy, and Waffles, a Wheaten Terrier, came along to fill the bill, or so it seemed at first. Because Waffles, it turned out, had just one goal in life. To run around the pool at top speed. [Our son] Jed was ten, and he needed a dog he could interact with. Enter Tootsie Anna Marie, a beautiful black lab. When Jed and I played catch, and as Waffles zoomed around the pool in the background, Tootsie played outfield. If Jed or I missed a catch, she brought the ball right back to me and politely dropped it in my mitt."
Henry Winkler loves dogs
Winkler also writes about himself and his wife Stacey working with challenged and troubled children; Stacey's battle with breast cancer; Henry's lifelong resentment of his parents; Henry and Stacey's son Max growing up to become a director; Henry and Stacey's daughter Zoe growing up to become a children's teacher; Henry's therapy; and much more.
Getting back to Winkler's career, after playing Fonzie, he produced 'McGyver' and other popular television shows; did voice acting in animated programs; took up directing; did some movies and plays; and eventually became a popular actor again in television shows like 'Arrested Development', 'Parks and Recreation', and 'Barry.'
Henry Winkler plays an incompetent lawyer in Arrested Development
Henry Winkler plays an obstetrician in Parks and Recreation
Henry Winkler plays an acting teacher in Barry
Winkler also used his experience with dyslexia to write a series of children's novels with author Lin Oliver, about a boy named Hank Zipzer who has learning difficulties. Henry began giving talks across the country about his struggles and notes, "I've now given hundreds of these talks.... and it is wonderful to see what a positive force the Fonz has been in so many people's lives.....it is about us, all the people who have felt less than because of something wired in their brain from birth, something that was not their fault."
Hank Zipzer books
Winkler speaks well of most people he met during his long career, and his book is a 'who's who' of show business folks, including acting teachers, agents, managers, writers, publicists, directors, producers, actors, actresses, etc. It feels like Henry has met every well-known person in the western entertainment industry. Lamentably, a few Hollywood bigwigs were not very congenial, such as producer/director John Rich, and they get a mention as well.
Henry Winkler with Ron Howard and John Ritter
Henry Winkler with Steven Spielberg and Amy Irving
Henry Winkler with Adam Sandler
Henry Winkler with Kathy Bates
Henry Winkler with Jean Smart
Try as Winkler might, he'll never get away from being the Fonz. Henry writes, "People come up to me all the time. I hold their hands, I look them in the eye. They say, My father and I watched you. I can't believe I'm meeting you.....Oh my God. My daughter and I watched you.....Oh my God. My grandmother and I watched you.....Or they're filming you with their phone".....and so on. Quite a legacy.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Henry Winkler, and it was great to hear Henry's story in his own voice.
Thanks to Netgalley, Henry Winkler, and Macmillan Audio for a copy of the book.
Rating: 4 stars
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