Henry Winkler reveals he stopped name of Happy Days being changed

Henry Winkler has revealed he personally stopped Happy Days being renamed Fonzie’s Happy Days at the height of his fame because he feared it would be a “slap in the face” to the rest of the cast.

The 80-year-old actor played Arthur ‘Fonzie’ Fonzarelli throughout the ABC sitcom’s 11-season run from 1974 to 1984, turning what began as a supporting character into a television phenomenon.

Speaking on In Depth With Graham Bensinger, Henry recalled how former ABC president Leonard Goldenson approached him with plans to capitalise on The Fonz’s extraordinary popularity by putting the character’s name in the title.

Henry said: “Before Happy Days, ABC was in the basement. It was the last of the three networks.”

He recalled Leonard approaching him in his dressing room and said: “He came to my office, my dressing room, and he said, ‘First of all, I would like to call the show Fonzie’s Happy Days. We’re thinking of changing the title’. And I said, ‘Sir, I’m really asking you not to do that. First of all, it’s not broken’.”

The enormous popularity of The Fonz had transformed Henry into one of American television’s biggest stars, with the actor recalling that he received about 50,000 fan letters a week and at one stage found leaving his apartment “scary”.

But Henry said he was conscious Happy Days remained an ensemble production rather than a vehicle built entirely around him.

The sitcom also starred Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham, Marion Ross as Marion Cunningham, Don Most as Ralph Malph and Anson Williams as Potsie Weber.

Scott Baio joined as Chachi Arcola, while the cast also included Erin Moran, who died aged 56 in 2017, Tom Bosley, who died aged 83 in 2010, Al Molinaro, who passed away aged 96 in 2015, and Linda Purl.

Henry said: “Gary Marshall and Marion Ross and Anson and Donny and Erin, bless her soul, I mean, there was an entire cast.

“We were really soaring in the ratings. It wasn’t broken. This would be a slap in the face. Why change the title if it is working so magnificently?”

Henry also recalled a candid conversation with Ron about the way The Fonz’s popularity had begun to overshadow Richie, who had originally been at the centre of Happy Days.

Henry said Ron told him: “Look, it hurt my feelings. You’re not doing anything to hurt my feelings. You’re really good and you’re good for the show. It’s helping the show. So I put all of that together and that’s the way it is.”

He said he remained acutely aware of the unusual position he occupied within the programme.