Henry Winkler: More than the Fonz!

For 11 incredible years on the sit-com Happy Days (1974-1984), Henry Winkler brought to life on television one of the most iconic characters ever created: Arthur Fonzarelli, otherwise known as “Fonzie” or “The Fonz.” When Garry Marshall was first developing the show, he originally considered calling the character Arthur Maschiarelli, which was was Marshall’s real life last name, and his friends would call him “The Mash,” but when Marshall remembered that there also was a hit show called M*A*S*H (1972-1983), he changed the name to Fonzarelli. Since his long “Happy Days,” run Winkler has continued to shine in other roles on screen and off.

    Henry Franklin Winkler was born on October 30th, 1945 in the West Side of Manhattan. His father, Harry Irving Winkler, was a lumber import-export company president and his mother, Ilse Anna Marie Winkler was a homemaker. His parents were German Jewish immigrants who had relocated to the U.S. as a result of evading the Holocaust in 1939. Winkler had a rough childhood because he grew up with undiagnosed dyslexia. (He wasn’t diagnosed until he was 31 years old.) This strained his relationship with his parents, who often punished him for not doing as well as he could in school. His father even used to tell him in German “Du bits ein dummer Hund,” which translates to “You are a dumb dog.” Despite this misfortune, Winkler attended McBurney School, where he performed in plays, inspiring him to become an actor. He graduated McBurney in ’63, and later earned a BA from Emerson College and an MFA from the Yale School of Drama. After college, his parents wanted him to join their lumber business, but he knew that he wanted to be an actor.

He relocated to Los Angeles and began performing in commercials in the early ‘70s, and made an uncredited appearance in the film The Lords of Flatbush (1974). Winkler also appeared in a fourth season episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977) called “The Dinner Party,” as Rhoda’s date, Steve Waldman. In 1973, his career officially took off when producer, Tom Miller suggested that he audition for the role of Fonzie in “Happy Days.” Miller, who was co-producing the show with Garry Marshall, recommended him to Marshall, but Marshall originally had envisioned The Fonz as a blonde, Italian model-type that could be a stupid foil to Ron Howard’s Richie Cunningham, and he wanted to cast 6’0’’ Mickey Dolenz in the part. However when he saw Winkler interpret the character and make better eye contact with the rest of the cast at just 5’6’’, they cast him in the role. The role won Winkler two Golden Globes during its run on television, and he continued to portray the character, occasionally making guest appearances on “Happy Days,” spin-offs, Mork & Mindy (1978-1982), Laverne & Shirley (1976-1982), and the short-lived Joanie Loves Chachi (1982-1983).

Winkler became close to Ron Howard on “Happy Days.” So close, in fact, that Howard gave him a part in his movie, Night Shift (1982), the second feature film he ever directed. Howard also made him the godfather of his daughter, Bryce Dallas Howard. Since “Happy Days,” ended its run on television Winkler has continued to act on television, though he has also become quite recognizable for movies too. He is a favorite collaborator of Adam Sandler’s, having co-starred with Sandler in The Waterboy (1998), Little Nicky (2000), and Click (2006). In between “Little Nicky,” and “Click,” Winkler also landed the role of Stanley Yelnats III in Disney’s live-action adaptation of the acclaimed novel Holes (2003) starring Shia LaBeouf, Sigourney Weaver, Tim Blake Nelson, and Jon Voight. He also con-starred with Kevin James in Here Comes the Boom (2012) which was produced by Adam Sandler’s production company, Happy Madison Productions.  

Henry Winkler tied the knot with Stacey Cooper Furstman on May 5th, 1978. Furstman had previously been married to Howard Weitzman, with whom she had a son named Jed. Not long after they were married, Jed was later tested for dyslexia, and Winkler was surprised to discover that he and his stepson shared the same disability and they were both officially diagnosed. The experiences they shared inspired him to write a book series in 2003 about a 4th Grade boy named Hank Zipzer, who is dyslexic. Since writing the book series, Winkler has also written and made guest star appearances for a Hank Zipzer the television series, which began airing on the BBC in 2014.

Winkler became close to Ron Howard on “Happy Days.” So close, in fact, that Howard gave him a part in his movie, Night Shift (1982), the second feature film he ever directed. Howard also made him the godfather of his daughter, Bryce Dallas Howard. Since “Happy Days,” ended its run on television Winkler has continued to act on television, though he has also become quite recognizable for movies too. He is a favorite collaborator of Adam Sandler’s, having co-starred with Sandler in The Waterboy (1998), Little Nicky (2000), and Click (2006). In between “Little Nicky,” and “Click,” Winkler also landed the role of Stanley Yelnats III in Disney’s live-action adaptation of the acclaimed novel Holes (2003) starring Shia LaBeouf, Sigourney Weaver, Tim Blake Nelson, and Jon Voight. He also con-starred with Kevin James in Here Comes the Boom (2012) which was produced by Adam Sandler’s production company, Happy Madison Productions.

Winkler is also an exceptional director, having directed the ABC made-for-television film A Smoky Mountain Christmas (1986) which starred Dolly Parton, Memories of Me (1988) which starred Billy Crystal, and Cop and a Half (1993), which starred Burt Reynolds. He also directed episodes of the television series Clueless (1996-1999) and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (1996-2003).

In addition, he’s been acting again. Most recently, he received two Golden Globe Nominations for his performance as Gene Cousineau on the HBO Series Barry (2018-present) and he will voice the character of Fritz on the Disney+ Series Monsters at Work (2020-present), based on the Monsters. Inc. franchise.     

We will always think of Henry Winkler as the stud who said things like “Heyyy!” and “Whoa!” and of course “Sit on it!” But he has proven that he has a great deal of versatility since his happy days ended 35 years ago. From television to film to what he wrote in books, he is one accomplished dude!    

Eartha Kitt: Entertaining Beyond All Reason

If you’re hearing an unmistakable, high-pitched speaking and singing voice with a sultry, sensual air, then you know you must be hearing Eartha Kitt. An incredible talent with a career spanning more than five decades, she was a star on Broadway, Television, and Film (including some things for Disney)! Eartha Kitt was another one of many talented performers whose life and work deserves another look. She overcame challenges and sorrow, but found success as a performer in the U.S. and abroad.

Eartha Mae Keith was born on a cotton plantation in St. Matthews, South Carolina on January 17th, 1927. She was born out-of-wedlock, as a result of her father, whose identity is unknown to this day, unfortunately raping her mother. Her mother, Annie Mae Keith, later gave her away to be raised by her Aunt Rosa when she went to live with another black man who refused to accept Eartha because of her pale complexion. Sadly, she was also abused while living at her aunt’s as well. After her mother passed away, young Eartha was sent to live with another relative named Mamie Kitt in Harlem, New York City, where she attended the Metropolitan Vocational High School (which would later be named High School for the Performing Arts).

Kitt’s performing career took off in 1943 when she became a member of the Katherine Dunham Company (the very first African-American modern dance company) at just 16 years of age. While singing with the group she recorded songs such as “Let’s Do It,” “Champagne Taste,” and “C’est si bon.”She remained with the group until 1948, and that same year she made her film debut playing an uncredited role in the Universal film Cabash.  In 1950, Orson Welles gave Kitt her first starring role as Helen of Troy in a Broadway production of Dr. Faustus. Kitt and Welles later worked together on Broadway again in 1957 in a play called Shinbone Alley, where they were rumored to have had an affair, though she herself denied that in one of the later interviews of her life. She also began performing live on television and in nightclubs as well throughout the 1950s. 

In the late 1960s, she landed the role of Catwoman on Batman (1966-1968) after Julie Newmar left the show and played the role for five episodes. In 1968, she made controversial anti-war statements about the Vietnam War during a White House Luncheon and First Lady “Lady Bird” Johnson took the comments very personally. As a result, Kitt became unemployable all throughout the United States, so began performances in Asia and Europe. Throughout the ‘70s she appeared on the BBC’s variety show The Good Old Days (1953-1983), though she was later invited to return to New York City in 1978 to star as the female lead in the musical Timbuktu! which earned her a Tony Award Nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. In 1987 she succeeded Delores Gray in London’s West End Original Production of Stephen Sondheim’s Follies. After that show, she landed her own one-woman show in which she performed the classic “Follies,” song “I’m Still Here.” Both productions received monumental acclaim.

In 1991, Eartha Kitt starred as Francis “Old Lady” Hackmore in Touchstone’s Ernest Scared Stupid. In 1998, she landed the voice-over role of Bagheera in Disney’s direct-to-video film, The Jungle Book: Mowgli’s Story. There actually is a scene in this film where Baloo (voiced by Brian Doyle-Murray) calls Bagheera “Catwoman” in reference to Eartha Kitt’s famed role from “Batman.” Not long after finishing that film, Kitt was hired by Disney again to voice the ruthless Yzma in The Emperor’s New Groove (2000), a role that she reprised for the direct-to-video sequel, Kronk’s New Groove (2005) as well as the series, The Emperor’s New School (2006-2008). Kitt worked for Disney once more when she was cast as Madame Zeroni in the 2003 adaptation of the acclaimed novel, Holes. 

Eartha Kitt passed away on Christmas Day, 2008 at the age of 81 due to colon cancer. Her resilience in extending her talents in variety of areas and around the world is to be envied and admired. She will forever be remembered for her distinctive “cat-like” voice that makes her immediately recognizable to audiences of stage, screen, and television.  

Les Clark: The Other Man Behind the Mouse

You might remember from some of my other blogs that I’ve acknowledged some of the top animators at Disney Studios throughout Walt Disney’s time, otherwise known as Walt Disney’s Nine Old Men. Each of the “Nine Old Men,” made unique contributions to the studio, and their influence on animation continues. Though I haven’t shared the stories of all nine of the men just yet, today I’d like to tell you about one who drew many classic Disney characters—including Mickey Mouse,—and was the first of the “Nine Old Men,” to be hired at the studio: Les Clark.

  Leslie James “Les” Clark was born in Ogden, Utah on November 17th, 1907. His family relocated Los Angeles in the mid-1920’s where he attended Venice High School. While there, he worked a summer job at an ice cream shop near the Walt Disney Studios, where he designed the lettering of the menus. Walt and Roy Disney regularly visited the ice cream shop and Walt immediately became intrigued by Les’s drawing gift when he saw the ice cream menus, complimenting him on his work. Les was moved by the compliment and although nervous, he asked Walt for a job. Walt replied, “Bring some of your drawings in and let’s see what they look like.” He brought in freehand copies of cartoons that he had created in college, and Walt said that he admired Les’s “swift, deft graphic line,” and hired him, though he said at the time that the job might only be temporary. Little did they know at the time that Les’s employment at the studio would last for nearly half a century. 

Les Clark’s first job at Disney was as camera operator on the “Alice” Comedies and doing ink and paint on the animations. In addition to working at the studio, he also attended art classes there to improve his skills. Walt Disney’s long-term business partner, Ub Iwerks, became Clark’s mentor, and the mentorship earned Clark a job as an “inbetweener” on the short, Steamboat Willie (1928). When Iwerks left the studio, in 1930, Clark was officially promoted to animator and he became the full-time animator of Mickey Mouse. When he started Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Walt assigned Les to animate the dwarfs, and one of the best examples of Clark’s work at Disney is the scene in “Snow White” where she dances with each of the Seven Dwarfs. In 1940, when Pinocchio and Fantasia were in production at Disney, Les Clark worked as an animator on the character of Pinocchio and he animated the Nutcracker Suite and Sorcerer’s Apprentice sequences on Fantasia. “Nutcracker Suite,” and “Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” along with the dance scene in “Snow White,” underscore what makes Les Clark special from the other “Nine Old Men,” because he became known at Disney for his unique ability to time animation to musical score as well as depicting emotion in his work. 

He made his debut as a directing animator in Song of the South in 1946. Throughout the 1950s he animated many leading ladies at the studio, including Cinderella in Cinderella (1950), Alice in Alice in Wonderland (1951), Tinker Bell in Peter Pan (1953) and Aurora/Sleeping Beauty in Sleeping Beauty (1959). In addition to the feature length films, Clark also applied his talents to short films: Plutotopia (1951), The Little House (1952), and Ben and Me (1953). He animated Anita Radcliffe and the Dalmatian Puppies in 101 Dalmatians (1961) and worked on several episodes of Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color (1961-1969).

Les Clark remained a faithful employee at the Walt Disney Studios until he retired in 1975. Having worked at Disney from 1927-1975, he earned the title of “longest continuously employed member of Walt Disney Productions.” He made uncredited animation contributions to Robin Hood (1973) and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977), before he passed away in Santa Barbara, California on September 12th, 1979 at the age of 71. Les Clark’s contributions to the Walt Disney Studios are not only special, but they are vastly underrated, given his amazing contributions to movies that captured audiences everywhere.