In the 1970s, Henry Winkler played Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli, one of television’s coolest characters on the hit sitcom Happy Days. But there was more to the Fonz than a leather jacket, slicked-back hair and an “Aaaay” catchphrase.
During an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, Winkler, 81, reflected on his iconic Happy Days role and revealed the one quality he believed defined the Fonz, a trait that remained central to the character throughout the series. He also shared the exact moment that would transform him from Henry into Fonzie.
“You know what changed me?” Winkler told Barrymore on the November 2026 talk show. “When I had my hair combed at about 12:00 in the afternoon, they combed my hair into the Fonz style. And then all of a sudden, slowly but surely, I started to become the character.”
Barrymore pointed out that for television viewers, Fonzie was “the first figure that was a good human and a great male who was also so cool and hot and, like, ‘the guy.’”
“I don’t even know what to say,” Winkler replied. “All I know is that it was very important that he was loyal to his friends. That loyalty was a part of that character. No matter how tough he was, no matter how often he put them down, he loved them and he needed them. He had a good moral compass.”
Winkler previously revealed that when he was cast on Happy Days, he knew he didn’t want Fonzie to be a stereotypical tough-guy character.
“My character was a tough guy who rode a motorcycle, wore a leather jacket and had a very soft heart,” he told Terry Gross on NPR’s Fresh Air podcast.
“You know, the first thing I said to the producers when they called me on my birthday in 1973 and said, ‘Would you like to play this part?’ I said, ‘Hey, when he takes the leather jacket off, when he takes his jacket off, who does he have to be cool for in his apartment? If you let me show the other side, it would be my pleasure to play this character.’”
“I would not tell [showrunner] Garry Marshall, rest his soul, who I thought he had to be,” Winkler clarified. “But I put the character on, and then they let me sew it onto my being.”
Related: ‘Happy Days’ Star Henry Winkler Reveals His 5-Word Rule for Success
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