memoir begins on a Tuesday morning in October 1973, at his first audition for 害羞草研究所淗appy Days.害羞草研究所� He was almost 28 害羞草研究所� quite a bit old for a high schooler 害羞草研究所� and struggling with something he didn害羞草研究所檛 know had a name.
害羞草研究所淏eing Henry: The Fonz害羞草研究所� and Beyond,害羞草研究所� released Tuesday by Celadon Books, is a breezy, inspirational story of one of Hollywood害羞草研究所檚 most beloved figures who became an unlikely TV screen icon and later a champion for those with dyslexia.
Winkler害羞草研究所檚 245-page book charts his course chronologically from the Fonz to 害羞草研究所� and the frustrating fallow periods in between 害羞草研究所� painting a portrait of a man trying to overcome a bitter, loveless childhood and a disability that made reading impossibly hard and simply trying to become a better man.
害羞草研究所淚 was, in my mind, always a little boy,害羞草研究所� he writes. 害羞草研究所淢y real self was like a kernel of corn sheathed in yards of concrete 害羞草研究所� as insulated as the nuclear material at Chernobyl.害羞草研究所�
He describes himself at the 害羞草研究所淗appy Days害羞草研究所� audition as 害羞草研究所渁 short Jew from New York City with a unibrow and hair down to my shoulders, confident about next to nothing in my life.害羞草研究所� He had graduated from Yale害羞草研究所檚 drama school and bagged a few roles despite having difficulty reading.
The Fonz almost never happened for him: The fearsome then head of development for ABC, and future Disney CEO Michael Eisner were skeptical of Winkler getting the part. But writer-creator saw something.
Later, Winkler dishes, the immense popularity of the Fonz eclipsed anyone else on the show and the network secretly approached him with the idea of spinning off a show or changing the name to 害羞草研究所淔onzie害羞草研究所檚 Happy Days.害羞草研究所� Winkler refused.
The end of 害羞草研究所淗appy Days害羞草研究所� brought its own stress for a man who admits that 害羞草研究所渨orrying is my favorite indoor sports.害羞草研究所� He writes: 害羞草研究所淚 was terrified of being a flash in the pan. A one-hit wonder. Was I?害羞草研究所�
Over the years, there were guest spots on shows like 害羞草研究所淎rrested Development,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淩oyal Pains害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淧arks and Recreation害羞草研究所� until finally 害羞草研究所淏arry,害羞草研究所� the show in 2018 that would prove a second tentpole to his career and produce
In 2003, Winkler branched out with Lin Oliver, writing about the adventures of Hank Zipzer, a young boy with dyslexia who overcomes many learning challenges.
The 28-book series 害羞草研究所淗ank Zipzer: The World害羞草研究所檚 Greatest Underachiever害羞草研究所� was based on Winkler害羞草研究所檚 own experience with undiagnosed dyslexia. 害羞草研究所淎t the height of my fame and success, I felt embarrassed, inadequate,害羞草研究所� he writes.
The memoir is enlivened by an unusual move: Winkler includes long reaction passages from his wife, Stacey, who is pretty brutal about Winkler害羞草研究所檚 immaturity, his parenting, his own parents and a crippling fear of poverty. 害羞草研究所淎 very big thing I害羞草研究所檇 learned about Henry was that when he wasn害羞草研究所檛 working, he was absolutely miserable. Adrift. Insecure. Anxious,害羞草研究所� she writes.
It害羞草研究所檚 telling that Winkler 害羞草研究所� who writes he has lately benefited from therapy 害羞草研究所� includes a frank perspective from outside his own head.
There are fun moments throughout: How Winkler came to produce 害羞草研究所淢acGyver害羞草研究所� and how he got fired from directing 害羞草研究所淭urner & Hooch.害羞草研究所� There害羞草研究所檚 a hysterical section about trying to direct Burt Reynolds in 害羞草研究所淐op & 1/2害羞草研究所� and, while Winkler is a nice guy, he害羞草研究所檚 still capable of throwing some shade at Michael Keaton.
He wonderfully captures the late Robin Williams 害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所渨ithin 42 seconds, I knew, I was in the presence of greatness害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� and how CBS made so mad during 害羞草研究所淗appy Days害羞草研究所� that he became a film director almost out of spite.
But one figure looms over this book and career 害羞草研究所� the Fonz, whose moody expression fills the back cover. Winkler by the end has come to peace with his creation.
害羞草研究所淔or a long time after 害羞草研究所楬appy Days,害羞草研究所� I was saddened that the world could only see me as the Fonz,害羞草研究所� he writes. 害羞草研究所淏ut I never lost sight of what the character gave me 害羞草研究所� a roof over my head, food on the table, my children害羞草研究所檚 education 害羞草研究所� and how much it gave me in terms of introducing me to the whole world.害羞草研究所�
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