During a recent appearance at the Dalkey Book Festival on a Friday night, the iconic actor Henry Winkler, renowned for his character ‘The Fonz’ in the popular American sitcom, ‘Happy Days’, delighted the audience with his informal and relatable exchange, even showcasing his latest green sweater purchase. The jovial 78-year old also admitted to gorging on soda bread since his arrival, which endeared him even further to the audience.
Winkler was very candid and often laced his conversation with nuggets of wisdom about life, inciting one woman to suggest that he could become a life coach. Despite his seemingly confident aura, Winkler revealed his persistent nervousness before auditions and performing on stage.
Winkler’s presence at the book festival coincides with the recent release of his memoir ‘Being Henry’, that beautifully intertwines his journey through stardom, tackling dyslexia, and, inevitably, his experiences portraying ‘The Fonz’. The book, received well critically and a current New York Times bestseller, takes readers back in time to his days playing the sex symbol and ultimate cool guy, Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli aka ‘The Fonz’, on ‘Happy Days’ during the 70s and 80s.
Despite his typecasting legacy as ‘The Fonz’, Winkler managed to captivate a whole new age group through his performances on shows like ‘Arrested Development’, ‘Parks and Recreation’ and ‘Barry’, proving that his stardom extends far beyond his days on ‘Happy Days’.
Casting your gaze around the Cuala GAA club in Dalkey, you might just catch one of the visitors brandishing a faded poster of ‘the Fonz’ for a signature. Not far from this cluster of action, resides the more refined Dalkey Church, a common venue for headline acts of the festival. However, the sophisticated church lacks one vital asset: a bar. This is truly a fitting location for the renowned “cool guy of Hollywood”.
The artist being interviewed by Jeffrey Goldberg, the Atlantic’s editor, Henry Winkler, was complimented on his recent appointment as Dublin’s chief fire officer, an accolade referencing his viral photograph alongside the Dublin Fire Brigade. This incident unfolded when he was evacuated from the Shelbourne Hotel, where he was residing. Moreover, Winkler invited everyone to applaud a member of Tara Street fire brigade present at the session.
Armed with skepticism when the Happy Days role was offered in 1973, Winkler only conceded when he was given the permission to portray the character emotionally, dropping the ‘cool guy’ facade behind the scenes. His portrayal gained so much popularity, that ABC’s president entertained the thought of renaming the show as ‘Fonzie’s Happy Days.’ But Winkler objected, mentioning how it could offend the crew members. Hence, the title remained unchanged. This situation established Winkler as one of the kindest figures of the industry.
However, post the show’s termination in 1984, employment opportunities dwindled, as distinguishing between the Fonz and Winkler seemed impossible. Winkler acknowledged his vulnerability by asserting that, “like unset jelly, I appeared solid on the outside but trembled within.”
Subsequently, his fortunes uplifted with his initiative of a production company whose first project, MacGyver, became a hit. His next successful acting venture was ‘The Waterboy’ by Adam Sandler in 1998.
Recalling the moment he identified his skill, Winkler mentioned: “Only about a decade ago.”. There was a time when an educator labeled him “dumb”, a notion he firmly believed. However, in the past years, therapy sessions unraveled his self-understanding, bringing him closer to self-actualization.
Before the gathering concludes, he conveys his eagerness to encounter Bono, a regular visitor of Dalkey, and humorously pointed out to the audience, “Should you spot him on the street, kindly let him know I’ve sent a hug.”