The perfect symbol for Milwaukee
Posted on 01/25/2008 11:41:30 AM PST by JZelle
Downtown Milwaukee will soon see a familiar character in a statue: "The Fonz" in bronze in downtown Milwaukee.
It will find a permanent home on Milwaukee's riverwalk over Labor Day Weekend, thanks to people who've raised the necessary $85,000.
Actor Henry Winkler, who played the ultra-cool Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli on the Milwaukee-set TV show "Happy Days," couldn't be more happy.
"Somebody thinks that the character is 'whatever' enough to make a statue in the city where the character lived and grew up," said Winkler.
He's especially thrilled he didn't have to model it.
"That was the clincher, that I didn't have to be covered in metal, was the reason I actually said yes."
Winkler, who talked on Newsradio 620 WTMJ's Wisconsin's Morning News, says he even told the Fonz himself.
"He lives in a small room in our house, and he is thrilled to death," states Winkler, with tongue firmly planted in cheek.
"He can't wait to come and see himself bronzed."
Seriously, though, Winkler is back in town for a talk on dyslexia, a condition he still battles, while also conducting a press conference to celebrate the statue going up.
He says Milwaukee's always been a special place for him and the Happy Days cast.
"We've always been treated with unbelievable warmth, no matter how cold it gets in Milwaukee, and that's the truth," says a grateful Winkler.
"The hometown, the Fonz, Milwaukee, everybody thinks of this wonderful fantastic city in the Midwest."
When he flew in Friday morning and saw what the city's become since he portrayed the city's favorite TV character, he responded with fervor.
"This is amazing!" exclaimed Winkler. "It's grown, it's beautiful, it's a fabulous city."
"I just say a big thank you to all the Milwaukeeans who thought this was a good idea."
(Excerpt) Read more at 620wtmj.com ...
Will it show him ‘jumping the shark?’
In 1974, a 30 year old nebbish could be cast on TV as a 17 year old tough guy high school dropout auto mechanic and people bought it.
What was that early movie of his? Lords of Flatbush?
You realize this is the second time Lords of Flatbush has been mentioned on FR today...
EHHHHHH!!!
“In 1974, a 30 year old nebbish could be cast on TV as a 17 year old tough guy high school dropout auto mechanic and people bought it.”
He played the role very well.
The perfect symbol for Milwaukee
Jules: Nobody’s gonna hurt anybody. We’re gonna be like three little Fonzies here. And what’s Fonzie like? Come on Yolanda what’s Fonzie like?
Yolanda: Cool?
Jules: What?
Yolanda: He’s cool.
Jules: Correctamundo. And that’s what we’re gonna be. We’re gonna be cool.
I remember being a little shocked when I saw how unfonzie he was in real life.
Did the other mention have anything to do with Sylvester?
Now someone has to start a thread about Perry King. ;-)
“What was that early movie of his? Lords of Flatbush?”
Yes. He along with Stallone and Perry King.
Aaaaayy.
}:-)4
"Whatever" enough? What does that mean?
Better the Fonz than Squiggy
C’mon man, Squiggy is the coolest of all those characters. Go to youtube and search Lenny and the Squigtones. Funniest, sophomoric comedy you’ll ever hear.
Me too. In my very impressionable youth I heard him speak. He sounded....... gay. Fortunately this was after Happy Days went bad and I really wasn’t watching anymore.
It seems that the original 1971 stage incarnation of ‘Grease’ started the pre JFK assasination nostalgia in the 70s. Well that and ‘American Graffiti’.
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