Biography
Winkler started his career by appearing in a number of television commercials before landing a role in The Lords of Flatbush (1974) (which also starred then-unknown Sylvester Stallone). He quickly got the role of Fonzie in Happy Days that same year. During his decade on Happy Days, Winkler also starred in a number of movies including playing a troubled Vietnam Vet in Heroes (1977) and a morgue attendant in Night Shift (1982), which was directed by Happy Days co-star Ron Howard. He was also one of the hosts of the 1979 Music for UNICEF Concert.
After Happy Days, Winkler's acting career slowed down as he began concentrating on producing and directing. He produced several television shows including MacGyver, "So Weird" and Mr. Sunshine and directed several movies including the Billy Crystal movie Memories of Me (1988) and Cop and ½ (1993) with Burt Reynolds.
As the 1990s continued, Winkler began a return to acting including roles in Scream (1996), The Waterboy (1998), Down To You (2000), Little Nicky (2000), and Holes (2003), and also produced a few shows, such as the popular paranormal tv series Sightings in 1991.
Winkler recently had a recurring role as incompetent lawyer Barry Zuckerkorn in the Fox Television comedy, Arrested Development. He stars alongside Stockard Channing and Paula Marshall in CBS's Out of Practice, which was slated for cancellation, but may have been reprieved.
His role as the Bluth family lawyer on Arrested Development was taken over by Happy Days co-star Scott Baio in the fall of 2005, shortly before the acclaimed, but Nielsen-challenged show ceased production.
Winkler has guest starred on television series such as South Park, The Practice, The Simpsons, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Third Watch, Crossing Jordan and King of the Hill.
Personal life
The son of Jewish parents who escaped from Germany before the beginning of World War II, Winkler was born in New York, New York. He received his Bachelor's degree from Emerson College in 1967, and received his MFA from the Yale School of Drama in 1970.
He has been married to the former Stacey Weitzman since May 5, 1978, and they have 3 children.
He is the cousin of Richard Belzer who is best known for playing Detective John Munch on Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
In September 2003, Winkler's friend of nearly 25 years John Ritter suddenly passed away. The day that Ritter died, Winkler was slated to guest star on Ritter's ABC sitcom 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter. Winkler was devastated and started to make the rounds on as many TV outlets (such as Entertainment Tonight, Hollywood Squares and the Emmys) as possible to pay his respects to his fallen friend. It was also rumored that he would take over Ritter's voiceover role on the PBS Kids show "Clifford the Big Red Dog", but that did not happen (instead, a cartoon based on "Clifford's Puppy Days" replaced it).
Hank Zipzer
Henry Winkler has co-authored along with Lin Oliver the Hank Zipzer series children's books published by the Penguin Group(usa). (The Mostly True Confessions of the World's Best Underachiever) renamed (The world's Greatest Underachiever).
