Henry Winkler (born October 30, 1945) is a celebrated American actor, director, and author, best known for his iconic role as Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli on the hit sitcom Happy Days (1974–1984), which earned him multiple Emmy and Golden Globe awards. Born in New York City to German Jewish parents who fled Nazi Germany in 1939, Winkler's family history is marked by tragedy—his uncle and grandmother were murdered at Auschwitz—and he later channeled his own childhood struggles with dyslexia into co-authoring the Hank Zipzer children's book series. Beyond Happy Days, he helped develop the original MacGyver series, directed films like Memories of Me (1988) and Cop and a Half (1993), and appeared in major movies such as Scream (1996) and The Waterboy (1998). Winkler enjoyed a remarkable career resurgence in the 2000s and 2010s with standout roles in Arrested Development, Parks and Recreation, and especially as Gene Cousineau in the dark comedy Barry (2018–2023), which won him a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor. A graduate of the Yale School of Drama, Winkler has also written several memoirs, including Being Henry: The Fonz ... and Beyond (2023), and continues to appear in major films like The French Dispatch (2021) and Black Adam (2022).