Henry Winkler called The Fonz ''a fantasy''

The character was literally too cool for school, but he wasn't a reality.

September 17, 2024, 9:46AM By MeTV Staff

CBS Television Distribution

It shouldn't be shocking to say that someone like Fonzie is closer to myth than reality. The man punches jukeboxes into working, for crying out loud. While viewers love to watch Fonzie for his effortlessly cool nature, becoming the Fonz wasn't an attainable goal. No one was more aware of this than Henry Winkler, who played Arthur Fonzarelli for many years.

"Fonzie is my fantasy," said Winkler during an interview with the Hartford Courant. "Henry Winkler is the reality of the situation."

In a show that was already incredibly popular, the Fonz became the standout character of Happy Days, no doubt due to Winkler's portrayal. "I've wanted to be an actor for so long, and I really enjoy the role," he said. "Hopefully, one of the reasons for Fonzie's appeal is the fact that I enjoy doing him. The energy you give to a role is the energy you get back."

However, Winkler was careful to keep his professional and personal life separate, even when it came to his fans.

"I don't relate to people as Fonzie," he said. "He's just my job, not my life. I used to get my fan mail addressed to 'Dear Fonzie.' But I've been trying to educate people about who I really am, and now I get lots of fan mail addressed to Henry Winkler."

Winkler was aware that much of the audience of Happy Days were teens who were living through the ages that the characters on screen were portraying. The actor said it made him conscious that kids were often looking to Fonzie as a mentor, and he set out to make sure viewers were learning the proper lessons.

"He always tries to do the honorable thing as he sees it. That appeals to kids today because they have no direction. It's hard for them to tell right from wrong. As a result, it's very difficult for them to maintain integrity, and integrity is the stepping stone of a lifetime... Kids want to live up to something. And Fonzie has a clear-cut set of standards. They like that."