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Henry Winkler

I am here for Friends and Networking

About Me

My Name is Henry Franklin Winkler was born on October 30, 1945 in Manhattan, New York. My parents, Harry Irving and Ilse Anna Maria Winkler, were Jewish immigrants who survived the German Holocaust, moving to the US in 1939. My dad was the president of an international lumber company and my mother worked alongside my father. I grew up with "a high level of low self-esteem". Throughout elementary school and high school, i struggled with academics. This was due to what I would later identify as dyslexia. My parents expected me to eventually work with them at the lumber company. However, I had other plans as i saw roles on stage as the key to my happiness. My acting debut came in the eighth grade when I played the role of Billy Budd in the school play of the same name. After that, I was cast on a new ABC series which was set in the 1950s called "Happy Days" (1974). I was given the role of high school dropout and greaser Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli. The character was seldom seen during the first few episodes as ABC initially feared I would be perceived as a hoodlum. However, the character became extremely popular with viewers and the show's producers decided to give Fonzie a more prominent role in the series. Following this, the show's ratings began to soar and Fonzie became a 70s icon and the epitome of coolness. His motorcycle, leather jacket, thumbs-up gesture, and uttering of the phrase "Aayyyy!" became television trademarks. The character become so popular that ABC considered renaming the series "Fonzie's Happy Days" but eventually decided against it.

My Interests

acting, reading, writing, spending time with my wife and 3 kids and the rest of the family, watching tv and movies, charites, dining out, concerts, directing and producing, playing golf, hiking, broadway plays, special olympics, working with and helping children

I'd like to meet:


The Fans!

Music:

I enjoy good old Rock N Roll. Guys like Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Bill Haley and the Comets, Jerry Lee Lewis, Big Bopper & Buddy Holly.

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Movies:

I really enjoy anything that Ronny Howard does. He has became quite the director.

MY SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY


2008 - First Comes Love (w/ Kathy Bates)
2007 - A Plumm Summer (w/ William Baldwin)
2007 - I Could Never be Your Woman (w/ Michelle Pfeiffer)
2006 - Click (w/ Adam Sandler)
2006 - Unbeatable Harold (w/ Dylan McDermott)
2005 - The Kid and I (w/ Tom Arnold)
2003 - Holes (w/ Sigourney Weaver)
2000 - Down to You (w/ Freddie Prinze Jr.)
2000 - Little Nicky (w/ Adam Sandler)
1999 - P.U.N.K.S. (w/ Randy Quaid)
1998 - The Waterboy (w/ Adam Sandler)
1998 - Ground Control (w/ Kiefer Sutherland)
1997 - National Lampoon's Dad's Week Off (w/ Olivia d'Abo)
1997 - Target for Rage (w/ Rick Schroder)
1996 - Scream (w/ Neve Campbell)
1994 - One Christmas (w/ Katharine Hepburn)
1993 - The Only Way Out (w/ John Ritter)
1982 - Night Shift (w/ MIchael Keaton)
1979 - An American Christmas Carol
1977 - The One and Only (w/ Kim Darby)
1977 - Heroes (w/ Sally Field)
1975 - Katherine (w/ Sissy Spacek)
1974 - Crazy Joe (w/ Peter Boyle)
1974 - The Lords of Flatbush (w/ Sylvester Stallone)

Television:

The television shows that I watch the most are crime dramas. A few of my favorites are CSI, Criminal Minds, Law and Order SVU, Numbers, Cold Case and The Practice.

TV SERIES


Out of Practice (2005 - 2006)
Arrested Developement (2003 -2005)
Monty (1994)
Happy Days (1974-1984)

Shows I was a Guest Star On


Crossing Jordan, Law & Order SVU, The Drew Carey Show, The Practice, The Simpsons, Dead Man's Gun, MacGyver, Joanie Loves Chachi, Laverne & Shirley, Mork & Mindy, The Bob Newhart Show, Mary Tyler Moore Show

Books:

The Hank Zipzer Collection

Heroes:

John Ritter. He was a great friend of mine for almost 30 years and he will be deeply missed. Love ya John you were one in a million.