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Ron Howard told Henry Winkler his ''feelings were hurt'' by The Fonz's popularity
"But it’s good for the show," Howard contended.
Happy Days was conceived with one main character. Ron Howard's Richie Cunningham was an everyman audience surrogate around whom the series revolved. He was a normal kid with relatable problems, and his cast of supporting characters was meant to remind you of people you grew up with. Ralph and Potsie are guys in your old neighborhood. Joanie, Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham? They're the grounded family who feel like your own.
However, as the show progressed, an absolute phenomenon developed. The viewing crowd's reaction to Happy Days was warm, but the reception for Henry Winkler's character, The Fonz, was frenzied. Even though Richie Cunningham was intended to be the sitcom's protagonist, there was such demand for Fonzie that the character threatened to overshadow the show's "voice of reason" main character.
In a 2019 appearance on Inside the Actors Studio, Winkler discussed the feverish response to his character and the issues that arose from The Fonz's popularity.
“I was supposed to be seven out of 13, which meant I was only supposed to be in seven out of the 13 shows each cycle,” said Winkler. “[But] The Fonz has taken off.”
The show kept getting more and more popular, and with it, so did The Fonz. Despite his celebrity status, Winkler opened a clear line of communication with his co-star to better contend with the growing disparity in popularity between Fonzie and Richie.
“The fourth year, we went to a dude ranch and did a two-parter, riding wild bulls. I had to sit on a bull,” said Winkler. “Ron Howard drove me home in his VW, and I said, ‘Ron, tell me now. How are you feeling? We haven’t talked about this.'”
“He said, ‘You didn’t do one thing other than be good at what you’re doing,'” said Winkler. “‘You never do anything on the set where you try to be the star. And it’s good for the show. My feelings were hurt, but it’s good for the show.'”
The two were able to work through the hurt feelings and remained friends for decades following their work on Happy Days.
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6 Comments
I believe that Howard was not all that interested in acting even then. He wanted his name in lights so to speak but didn't have the talent for that kind of credit. That's why the show became the "The Fonzie Show" to the point of silliness. For whatever reason it was what the audience for " Happy Days" wanted. That's show biz.
