Actor Henry Winkler, known for his iconic role as Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli on "Happy Days," has shared an anecdote about a guest star on the show who displayed a notably large ego. Winkler described the experience at a fan expo in Tennessee, recalling that "on our set, there was no stardom" and that the cast operated as a unified ensemble.
According to Winkler, one particular guest star, whose character was named Eugene, frequently mentioned his fan mail to the rest of the cast. Winkler, who himself received a significant amount of fan mail, reportedly told the guest star, "You don’t want to talk to me about fan mail, I got 50,000 letters a week." He further explained, "we don’t talk about that on the set" and emphasized the importance of unity. Despite this, the actor reportedly continued the behavior, leading Winkler to label him "an a--back."
"Happy Days" aired for 11 seasons from 1974 to 1984. Following his breakout role, Winkler has had a prolific career in film and television. More recently, he reflected on filming his first nude scene for the Apple TV+ series "Loot," where he collaborated with Maya Rudolph. Describing the experience, Winkler noted the unexpected cold weather during the January beach shoot, but praised his co-stars.
Winkler also spoke about his career trajectory and the importance of authenticity and preparation. He won his first Emmy Award in 2018 for his role as Gene Cousineau in the HBO series "Barry," after a long career that began with "Happy Days."