Garry Marshall's sitcom Happy Days debuted on ABC in 1974, and quickly became a fixture in popular culture. The Marshall Show was set in the 1950s and served as nostalgia bait for white boomers who were teenagers in post-war America. Happy Days starred Ron Howard as innocent teenager Richie Cunningham and followed the wholesome adventures of him and his family. "Happy Days" did not question the 50s of the last century, as they roll in them. "Happy Days" spawned five spinoff shows ("Laverne & Shirley," "Blansky's Beauties," "Mork & Mindy," "Aoanni Loves Chachi," and, debatably, "Out of the Blue") and ran for 11 seasons .

The standout character on "Happy Days" was, of course, Arthur "The Fonz" Fonzarelli (Henry Winkler), a suave Greaser, mechanic and leather-clad bad boy who was Richie's best friend. The Fonz, however, wasn't so much a "bad boy" as too cool for the room. Everyone loved the character and the audience couldn't wait to see him every week.

Howard left at the end of the show's seventh season, and Winkler became the de facto star of "Happy Days," carrying it for the final four years. Winkler, now 79, has enjoyed a long, impressive and prolific acting career, but he's still most easily recognized for his years as the Fonz.

But when Winkler auditioned for the role back in 1974, he already knew what he did and didn't want to be Fonzie. As a professional, Winkler wanted to ensure that the "Greaser" character - a kind of broad stock character until the 1970s - had little texture. In an interview with Florida Weekly (hand transcribed by MetV), Winkler recalls making a stipulation where, if he accepted the part of the Fonz, he would be allowed to show the character's tender side.

Winkler recalled his audition for "Happy Days" and that the casting directors left him hanging for a long time. In fact, the process took so long that Winkler almost assumed he had lost the part. Winkler, New York, was just about to fly home when he got the offer. Fortunately, he was not so distracted by the offer that he forgot his stipulation. He also knew that leather jackets, as worn in the 1950s, were not just a fashion statement. He knew that the thick material often served as a form of protection for motorcyclists if they ever took a spill. It was important to Winkler that the showrunners also included the details. As Winkler said:

"I was getting ready to pack to go back to New York and it was my birthday, October 30. I got a call and they asked if I would like the role. (...) I said yes, to the Situation to let me show the other side of the character. If I was filmed on a motorcycle.

"Happy Days" isn't often called a touch of historical accuracy, but character authenticity was very important to Winkler, and the leather jacket detail will help with that. It also seems that Winkler was actually the most sought-after of the actors to audition, so the showrunners were willing to give him what he wanted. It was the right choice, as Winkler made The Fonz into a pop culture archetype.

Winkler is still prolific in film and TV to this day, having appeared in A 2024 episode of American Horror Story, as well as in The 2022 superhero flick Black Adam and all four seasons of "Barry." His presence is always welcome.