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Henry Winkler

Henry Winkler guest stars as Eddie R. Lawson in the hit USA Network original series ROYAL PAINS, which premieres its second season on Thursday, June 3, 2010 at 10/9c. Paired with BURN NOTICE at 9/10c, the two shows make up one of television's coolest and most powerful block of summer programming - on cable OR broadcast! ROYAL PAINS was the best performing freshman year of a cable series ever when it premiered last summer.

With a career in Hollywood that has spanned nearly three decades, Winkler has enjoyed success on screens both large and small, as well as on the stage and behind the camera. Born in New York City, he earned his B.A. in drama from Emerson College in Boston, MA and also studied child psychology. Winkler went on to earn his MFA from the prestigious Yale School of Drama. In 1978, his undergraduate alma mater presented him with his Doctorate of Humane Letters.

Winkler is best-known to audiences for his portrayal of The Fonz on the long-running, hit series, Happy Days. He and the series were honored by the city of Milwaukee, WI in 2008, with a bronze, life-sized statue of Winkler's iconic character, which stands on the River Walk. In addition to this role, for which he earned two Golden Globe Awards and three Emmy Award nominations, he has countless television credits to his name. The extensive list includes such series as NUMB3RS, Arrested Development, King of the Hill, The Practice, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Monty, The Bob Newhart Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, among many others. The versatile actor has also appeared in television movies such as The Most Wonderful Time of the Year for Hallmark Channel, The Only Way Out for ABC, Truman Capote's One Christmas for NBC, and A Child is Missing for CBS, to name a few.

Audiences have also enjoyed Winkler's work on the big screen, with roles in such films as The Lords of Flatbush; Nightshift, for which he received a Gold Globe Award nomination; Wes Craven's Scream; Holes, with Sigourney Weaver and Jon Voight; and several movies with his good friend, Adam Sandler, including The Waterboy, Click and You Don't Mess With the Zohan.

As a producer, Winkler has kept busy with both television and feature film projects throughout his career. For the small screen he has produced a wide variety of programs such as Happy Days 30th Anniversary Reunion for ABC, Dallas Reunion: The Return to Southfork for CBS, So Weird for The Disney Channel, MacGyver for ABC and Happily Ever After for PBS. Winkler's producing efforts in feature films include Young Sherlock Holmes and The Sure Thing. He has also taken his turn behind the lens in the director's chair for the features Cop and a Half, starring Burt Reynolds and Memories of Me, with Billy Crystal, Alan King and JoBeth Williams.

Winkler has also spent time treading the boards, having appeared as Captain Hook in the London production of the musical, Peter Pan, for three consecutive runs. Stateside, his credits include Neil Simon's The Dinner Party at both The Kennedy Center and on Broadway, Arthur Miller's Incident at Vichy at the Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati, and 42 Seconds From Broadway, in New York.

In 2003, Winkler turned his talents to the written page and began writing children's novels with his partner, Lin Oliver. Published by Penguin Putnam, Hank Zipzer: The World's Greatest Under-Achiever is a series of 17 books inspired by the actor's own struggle throughout his education due to his learning challenges. To date, over three million copies have been sold and are now published in Great Britain, and they are no stranger to The New York Times Bestseller List and The Los Angeles Times Book Review. Also a great humanitarian, Winkler has spent many hours supporting and serving causes close to his heart, including the annual Cerebral Palsy Telethon (co-host); Epilepsy Foundation of America (first National Honorary Chairman); Toys for Tots (National Chairman); National Committee for Arts for the Handicapped, Special Olympics, Los Angeles Music Center's Very Special Arts Festival, United Friends of the Children (Honorary Chairman), Children's Action Network (founding member) and numerous teenage alcohol and drug abuse programs. His efforts have been honored by B'nai B'rith (Champion of Youth), United Nations (Peace Prize), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Support Group Services (Helping Hand Award) and, with his wife Stacey, received the Norma Zarky Humanitarian Award from Women in Film. Additionally, he was honored by the French government with the Chevallier de l'Order des Artes et Lettres.

Winkler currently makes his home in Los Angeles with his wife, Stacey, and their dogs Charlotte and Linus. They have three wonderful children: Jed, Zoe and Max.


Note: This profile was written in or before 2011.
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Henry Winkler Facts

Birth NameHenry Franklin Winkler
OccupationActor, Producer
BirthdayOctober 30, 1945 (78)
SignScorpio
BirthplaceNew York, New York, USA
Height5' 6½" (1m69)  How tall is Henry Winkler compared to you?
Awards1978 Golden Globe Awards: Best Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy (for Happy Days)
1977 Golden Globe Awards: Best Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy (for Happy Days)

Selected Filmography

Here Comes The Boom
The Waterboy
Down To You
Click
Holes
Night Shift
Happy Days
The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
Beatles Stories
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