Garry Marshall’s sitcom “Happy Days” debuted on ABC in 1974, and it quickly became a fulcrum in popular culture. Marshall’s show was set in the 1950s and served as nostalgia bait for white Boomers who were teens in post-war America. “Happy Days” starred Ron Howard as the innocent teen Richie Cunningham, and followed the wholesome adventures of him and his family. “Happy Days” didn’t so much interrogate the 1950s as roll around in them. “Happy Days” spawned five spinoff shows (“Laverne & Shirley,” “Blansky’s Beauties,” “Mork & Mindy,” “Joanie Loves Chachi,” and, debatably, “Out of the Blue”) and it ran for 11 seasons.

The standout character on “Happy Days” was, of course, Arthur “The Fonz” Fonzarelli (Henry Winkler), a gentle greaser, mechanic, and leather-wearing 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 audiences 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 its final four years. Winkler, now 79, has enjoyed a lengthy, impressive, and prolific acting career, but he is still most readily recognized for his years as The Fonz. 

But when Winkler was auditioning for the role back in 1974, he already knew what he did and didn’t want Fonzie to be. As a professional, Winkler wanted to ensure that a “greaser” character — kind of a broad stock character by the 1970s — had a little texture. In an interview with Florida Weekly (handily transcribed by MeTV), Winkler recalls making a stipulation where, if he accepted the part of the Fonz, would be allowed to show the character’s gentle side. 

Winkler recalled his audition for “Happy Days,” and that the casting directors left him hanging for a long time. In fact, the process was taking such a long time, that Winkler had almost assumed he lost the part. Winkler, a New Yorker, was just about to fly back home when he got the offer. Luckily, he wasn’t so distracted by the offer to forget his stipulation. He also knew that leather jackets, as they were worn in the 1950s, were no mere 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 that detail. As Winkler said: 

“I was getting ready to pack to go back to New York, and it was my birthday, Oct. 30. I got a call, and they asked if I’d like the role. […] I said yes, on the condition that they would let me show the character’s other side. […] We argued if I was riding a motorcycle, I’d wear leather so I wouldn’t get hurt. Garry got them to agree to let me wear leather if I were filmed with the motorcycle. After that, there was my motorcycle in every scene.”

“Happy Days” isn’t often referred to as a touchpoint of historical accuracy, but character authenticity was very important to Winkler, and the leather jacket details would aid in that. It also seems that Winkler was actually the most wanted of the auditioning actors, 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 Stories,” as well as in the 2022 superhero flick “Black Adam,” and all four seasons of “Barry.” His presence is always welcome.