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'Happy Days' star Linda Purl recalls Henry Winkler's emotional meeting with a terminally ill child as Fonzie
Fox News ^ | November 4, 2022 | Stephanie Nolasco

Posted on 11/05/2022 12:27:57 PM PDT by lowbridge

"This one little boy was 11 years old – terminally ill," the star recalled. "His wish was to meet the Fonz."

"Our habit was to get out of costume and makeup, completely put on our robes and our schleppy things, go over to the commissary, have dinner together and go back into hair and makeup. Henry would get out of the pompadour, out of the jacket. He would get into whatever he’d come to work in that day. This little boy was coming, and he was going to have dinner [with us]… And Henry comes in, but not as Henry but as the Fonz."

"I thought, ‘Well, that’s silly. What’s the deal? Just be yourself.’" the 67-year-old said. "What I failed to realize until I saw it in action was that Henry knew that this young boy was not coming to meet Henry. He wanted to meet the Fonz. And Henry was very clear on the difference between the two. So, we all had dinner with this darling boy and his father. And in this case, Henry had sprung for the rest of the family to be flown out at his own expense. He didn’t even tell us this, but we learned this later.

-snip

"As we’re sitting there… the Fonz was able to say things to this little boy that Henry wouldn’t have been able to say – sort of Fonzi-isms. You know, life wisdom of ‘Hang in there, dude. You’re going to be [OK].’ I had to turn away [because] the tears were flowing, most of us did. But Henry stayed strong, and he stayed on his mission and his task for that hour or so with this little boy to give him this treasured time of joy. That’s Henry."

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: fonzie; greatshow; happydays; henrywinkler
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To: Chickensoup

He didn’t have to do it. That’s the point. He certainly didn’t need to pay for the family to fly out either.


21 posted on 11/05/2022 1:34:46 PM PDT by newzjunkey (Giant meteor 2022!!!)
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To: LittleBillyInfidel

OMG she looks like the character “Lucy” on Dallas! And Patrick Duffy... LOL!


22 posted on 11/05/2022 1:35:30 PM PDT by AbolishCSEU (Amount of "child" support paid is inversely proportionate to mother's actual parenting of children)
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To: Chickensoup

Actually, he is very well known for being that sweet to all his fans, all the time. People who have run across him all have the same reactions to meeting him in public, even running across him by accudent. How kind, nice, and thoughtful he is.

One example, there was one celebrity venue that was taking place out front of a theater. People could meet and greet their favorite stars. Henry Winkler was one of them. Problem was that it was a very hot and humid day. As a result, the celebrities wound up taking shelter inside the air conditioned theater where their fans werent allowed.

But not Henry. He chose to stay outside to keep on meeting with his fans. The venue employees tried to talk him into going inside the theater too, but he refused. So they resorted to bringing Henry bottles of cold water to at least keep him hydrated.


23 posted on 11/05/2022 1:36:28 PM PDT by lowbridge ("Let’s check with Senator Schumer before we run it" - NY Times)
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To: God luvs America

He was doing neither. Phony rumors.


24 posted on 11/05/2022 1:38:24 PM PDT by lowbridge ("Let’s check with Senator Schumer before we run it" - NY Times)
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To: MotorCityBuck

Matlock’s daughter.


25 posted on 11/05/2022 1:39:26 PM PDT by jjotto ( Blessed are You LORD, who crushes enemies and subdues the wicked.)
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To: Chickensoup

Way to piss on something nice that makes most people smile. You don’t have to go far to find stars with bad attitudes.


26 posted on 11/05/2022 1:41:40 PM PDT by DesertRhino (Dogs are called man's best friend. Moslems hate dogs. Add it up..)
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To: DesertRhino

Check yourself. Winkler is a big time lib.


27 posted on 11/05/2022 1:47:21 PM PDT by sam_whiskey (Peace through Strength. )
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To: jjotto

Oh yea. I thought she looked familiar. Cool.


28 posted on 11/05/2022 2:03:31 PM PDT by MotorCityBuck ( Keep the change, you filthy animal! )
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To: lowbridge

Class.


29 posted on 11/05/2022 2:06:43 PM PDT by sasquatch
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To: sam_whiskey

Political opposites can be kind.


30 posted on 11/05/2022 2:10:57 PM PDT by sasquatch
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To: lowbridge
Much like our POTUS.

Trump Does the Unthinkable

31 posted on 11/05/2022 2:13:32 PM PDT by TangoLimaSierra (⭐⭐Public hangings will wake 'em up.⭐⭐)
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To: Bullish

Agreed. His mannerisms were an attempt to imitate 1950’s or early 1960’s Italian-American greasers, I guess. Uh, not even close. No cigar for you, tough guy. FWIW, the whole show was a poor attempt to imitate that era. I watched it once or twice, chuckled, and never watched it again.


32 posted on 11/05/2022 3:01:42 PM PDT by john drake (Lucius Accius-Roman,170 BC - "oderint dum metuant" translated "Let them hate so long as they fear")
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To: john drake
Sure, it was a fantasy. TV always creates a caricature. Lenny and Squiggy weren't typical of anything either. Garry Marshall was trying to cash in on the Sha-Na-Na, Grease thing. Grease the theatrical musical, not the movie which came later.
33 posted on 11/05/2022 3:09:09 PM PDT by x
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To: Bullish

“Never could stand the Fonzie character. In fact, I really hated that show.”

Back in the late 50’s, when I lived in the Bronx NY, you either dressed liked the Fonz or got ‘messed’ up. Not kidding, at 78 y/o I now think it was silly.


34 posted on 11/05/2022 3:43:48 PM PDT by duckman ( Not tired of winning!)
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To: LittleBillyInfidel

The scene where Michael finds out how old Pam’s mom is ...hard to watch.


35 posted on 11/05/2022 3:50:37 PM PDT by BookmanTheJanitor
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To: duckman
When "Happy Days" first aired, Fonzie was intended to be a secondary character. TV execs were surprised to see how the Fonzie character resonated in pop culture and quickly gave him a prominent role in the show. The leather jacket was controversial as well. In the beginning Fonzie could only be shown in leather if he was sitting on or near his bike.

I didn't like the show that much either. It was a bit too corny for my taste. Then again, so were most sitcoms of that era.

36 posted on 11/05/2022 4:21:32 PM PDT by SamAdams76 (4,459,056 active user on Truth Social)
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To: x

I liked Sha Na Na the variety show with Bowser.

Happy. Days I can take or leave.


37 posted on 11/05/2022 4:22:46 PM PDT by wally_bert (I cannot be sure for certain, but in my personal opinion I am certain that I am not sure.)
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To: sam_whiskey

Check yourself. Winkler is a big time lib.

And the point of the story was that day, if for only one hour, the Fonz was a nice guy to a dying child. With a straight face, tell us at least that is not a good thing.

It’s not a lifetime achievement award. But for the child , it was eternal.


38 posted on 11/05/2022 4:42:00 PM PDT by drSteve78 (Je suis Deplorable STILL)
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To: lowbridge

You are right.


39 posted on 11/05/2022 5:04:05 PM PDT by Chickensoup (Genocide is here. Leftist extremists are spearhheading the Genocide against conservatives. )
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To: lowbridge

Nice


40 posted on 11/05/2022 5:10:35 PM PDT by Chickensoup (Genocide is here. Leftist extremists are spearhheading the Genocide against conservatives. )
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