Beyond Limits: Henry Winkler’s Journey from Dyslexia and Self Doubt to Success as Actor, Author, and Advocate for Aging and Vision Care

Renowned for his iconic portrayal of the Fonz on “Happy Days,” Henry Winkler invites us on a poignant journey of resilience, unexpected relationships, and personal triumphs. In his memoir, “Being Henry: The Fonz…And Beyond,” he reflects on the moments when he was constrained by the expectations of who he thought he should be, realizing later that he wasted valuable time. Through this narrative, Winkler opens up about his struggle to find authenticity, highlighting the courage it took to break free and ultimately embrace a life that is genuine, free, and filled with gratitude.
In a candid conversation with CALIFORNIA SENIOR GUIDE, Henry Winkler shares the profound impact of his relationship with his father-in-law, Ed Furstman, and sheds light on the crucial significance of eye care health. Despite a challenging childhood marked by stern German refugee parents and undiagnosed dyslexia, Winkler found solace in the affectionate bond he shared with his father-in-law – the first man to truly love him. “I loved him too. He was funny. He was massive and filled a room when he walked in. He was different than my father, more accessible than my father was,” As he recounts the painful experience of witnessing his beloved father-in-law’s loss of vision due to age-related macular degeneration, Winkler underscores the urgency of early eye exams to impede the progression of this debilitating condition. From the heart-wrenching moments of seeing his father-in-law adapt from reading mail to relying on specialized letter enlarging devices, Winkler passionately advocates for people not to delay in safeguarding one of our most incredible senses through regular eye check-ups.
Teaming up with Apellis for an awareness campaign, Winkler is on a mission to enlighten individuals, particularly those aged 60 and older, about geographic atrophy (GA) and advanced age-related macular degeneration. Recognizing symptoms early such as blurry or missing spots in one’s vision, distorted straight lines, and challenges seeing in low light, Winkler emphasizes that these signs can lead to the loss of essential daily tasks like reading, driving, and recognizing faces. Urging immediate professional help when such symptoms arise, Winkler dispels the misconception that significant vision loss is an inevitable part of aging.
“Don’t wait to see if it goes away or improves. Don’t self-diagnose when it comes to your vision,” urges Winkler. Stressing the irreplaceability of our singular body, life, ears, and eyes, he emphasizes that our vision is the gateway to the soul. Winkler encourages open dialogue about vision concerns, highlighting it as the primary gateway to maintaining overall health. “Mention it to someone if you notice something is wrong—say something,” he adds, reinforcing the importance of addressing and acknowledging potential vision issues promptly.
“It is a common misconception that significant vision loss is a natural part of aging, which can cause patients to delay in seeking out important care,” Caroline Baumal, MD, chief medical officer of Apellis, said in a news release. “An early diagnosis is critical for this progressive disease, so we are thrilled to be working with Henry Winkler to help older adults learn about GA and reinforce that eye health should be prioritized as we age.”
Please visit the website GAwontwait.com to learn more.
Emphasizing the importance of a healthy lifestyle, Winkler shares, “I am fortunate to have great genes and constitution – still have hair and hearing, but my knees are going another direction,” humorously adding that he has no plans to slow down.
Reflecting on his journey, Winkler acknowledges the significance of maintaining one’s spirit and courageously trying new things. Despite struggling with severe dyslexia and facing mockery from his parents, he discovered the power of saying “yes” to challenges. Recalling times when he used to quickly reject opportunities, Winkler realized that attempting things he thought he couldn’t handle often turned out to be more manageable than expected. “The courage to try,” he states, is vital for maintaining the soul and mind.
Winkler encourages others to seek help, not letting self-doubt hinder their potential. In a resounding message, he advises, “Shut up and try,” encapsulating the pivotal lesson that fueled his journey and prompted him to embrace new challenges with courage and determination.
Reflecting on the enduring impact of his role as Fonzie in “Happy Days,” Winkler expresses how the character has left an indelible mark on his life. Beyond the entertainment realm, playing Fonzie provided Winkler with extraordinary experiences and opportunities.
In a standout episode, Winkler’s portrayal of Fonzie demonstrated a profound respect for Native Americans, a pivotal moment in the iconic “Happy Days” series. During the Thanksgiving episode, featured among the 255 episodes, Winkler, embodying Fonzie, showcased this respect. Inspired by the educational journey of his then third-grade son, who was studying Native Americans in school, Winkler took the opportunity to visit the Hopi Indian Nation. It’s worth noting that photographing the Hopi Indians is legally prohibited due to their belief that it diminishes their soul. However, Winkler’s respectful on-screen representation resonated with the community, leading to a rare invitation to take a picture with the chief—an honor he cherishes as one of the greatest in his life.
Winkler shares another touching encounter where a father approached him, asking for a photo with his autistic son who rarely allows others to touch him. “That’s the magic of connection, being able to transcend a character’s on-screen presence, into real-life moments… that’s what I dreamed to be able to accomplish, and I am living this dream.”
Another transformative power of television became evident during a midnight encounter in Italy. Recognized as Fonzie, Winkler realized the impact his character had globally when a car stopped, and someone shouted his iconic character’s name. This affirmed that the Fonz had become more than just a character; he had become a source of courage and inspiration for people worldwide.
Winkler acknowledges the profound lesson he learned from embodying Fonzie – the courage to reinvent oneself and tackle the unexpected, trusting that one can figure it out along the way. The Fonz, beyond the screen, became a catalyst for personal growth and an emblem of the unexpected joys that life, inspired by the magic of television, can bring.
Winkler, initially hesitant due to dyslexia, defied his own doubts by authoring 39 books, including his autobiography. Drawing on his experience of working with partners, he discovered that tackling challenges becomes a breeze when you venture into the unknown. Winkler encourages embracing aging, emphasizing the choice between going with it or living anxiously.
Highlighting the untapped potential of the senior population, he envisions them as valuable tutors and mentors, urging society to transform thoughtless disregard into respect. Beyond dyslexia advocacy, Winkler’s life lesson centers on gratitude and flexibility. He dismantles self-imposed limitations with a powerful mantra – “shut up and try.” Winkler calls on others to take a leap of faith, trust in their abilities, and discover the soaring potential within.

About Henry Winkler
Henry Winkler will celebrate 50 years of success in Hollywood this year and continues to be in demand not only as an actor, producer, and director but as a best-selling children’s book author. His autobiography, BEING HENRY…The Fonz and Beyond, was published on October 31 of this year.
Winkler was born October 30, 1945 (age 78 years), Manhattan, New York, NY. He has co-starred as acting teacher Gene Cousineau on the hit HBO dark comedy, “Barry.” And, in 2018, he won his first Primetime Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy for his role on the series. He was nominated again for an Emmy in 2019, 2022 and 2023. Winkler has also won two Television Critics Choice Awards for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and was nominated for both a Golden Globe and SAG Award. The fourth and final season of the series aired in April on HBO and HBO Max.
A 1973 audition in Los Angeles forever changed the life of the Yale School of Drama graduate when producer Garry Marshall and Tom Miller cast Winkler in the iconic role of Arthur Fonzarelli, aka “The Fonz,” in the TV series “Happy Days.’ During his 10 years on the popular sitcom, he won two Golden Globe Awards, was nominated three times for an Emmy Award and was also honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Both his famous leather jacket and Fonzie’s lunch box became part of an exhibit at the Smithsonian Museum in 1980.
In recent years, Winkler appeared in a number of series, including “Arrested Development,” “Children’s Hospital,” “Royal Pains,” “New Girl” and “Parks and Recreation.” He also starred and co-executive produced the popular NBC Reality series, “Better Late Than Never.”
His guest role in the ABC drama series “The Practice” earned him an Emmy Award nomination and he also starred in the CBS sitcom “Out of Practice.” His other guest-starring roles have included “Numb3rs,” “Third Watch,” “Crossing Jordan,” “Law and Order: SVU,” and the Hallmark Channel holiday movie “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”
Lately Winkler’s become a much sought after voice actor having lent his talent to such shows as “Rugrats, “Monsters at Work,” “The Legend of Vox Machina,” “Central Park,” “Reindeer in Here,” “Human Resources,” “American Dad,” “All Hail King Julien,” “Puppy Dog Pals,” “South Park,” “King of the Hill,” “Family Guy,” “The Simpsons” and “Clifford: The Puppy Years,” for which he received a Daytime Emmy Award.
Some of his other notable roles include Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch,” “On The Count of Three,” “Pink Skies Ahead,” “Night Shift,” “Here Comes the Boom,” “The Waterboy,” “Click,” “The Lords of Flatbush,” “Heroes,” “Holes” and “Scream.”
Behind the scenes he has also made his mark as a producer and director. Winkler has executive produced or produced TV series and specials for over 25 years, including “MacGyver,” (which ran a total of 13 years),“So Weird,” “Mr. Sunshine,” “Sightings,” “A Family Again,” “All Kids Do It,” (which won him a Daytime Emmy Award for Best Director), “Ryan’s Four,” “Scandal Sheet” and the ABC documentary “Who Are the DeBolts and Where Did They Get 19 Kids?,” which won the prestigious Humanitas Prize.
He directed several movies, including “Memories of Me,” starring Billy Crystal and“Cop and a Half,” starring the late Burt Reynolds. On stage, Winkler has appeared on Broadway in “Neil Simon’s The Dinner Party” (with the late John Ritter) and “The Performers.”
Winkler has always been concerned about the quality of children’s television programming. He has produced countless worthwhile projects for young audiences, including “Happily Ever After” for PBS and its sequel, “Two Daddies to Love Me.” Additional specials include “Run, Don’t Walk,” and “All the Kids Do It,” which was about teenage drunk driving (he also directed).
Winkler can add to his resume the title of New York Times best-selling author. His first book, Niagara Falls or Does It? Hank Zipzer the World’s Greatest Under-Achiever, became a New York Times bestseller. The book was inspired by Winkler’s struggle throughout his education due to his learning challenges and became so popular, it grew into a series of 28 novels. All the books are available in bookstores and online across the United States and have been published around the world in nine languages with more than 5 million copies sold.

To date, he and his co-author, Lin Oliver, have written 39 children’s novels. Alien Superstar, a trilogy, became an instant New York Times best seller. Their newest book, Detective Duck was recently published.
Winkler has always believed in helping others and is especially passionate about children. He is a featured speaker at WE Day Celebrations promoting education and service for students. His work also included Honorary Chairman of United Friends of the Children; Founding Member of the Children’s Action Network; the first National Honorary Chairman of the Epilepsy Foundation of America; National Chairman of the annual Toys for Tots campaign; the National Committee for Arts for the Handicapped; the Special Olympics; and the Los Angeles Music Center’s Very Special Arts Festival for children who are physically challenged; as well as participating in numerous teenage alcohol and drug abuse programs.
He has received a number of accolades from a variety of prestigious organizations, including B’nai B’rith, Peace Prize by the United Nations and Women in Film’s Norma Zarky Humanitarian Award, presented to both Henry and his wife, Stacey, for their tireless efforts and devotion to the “improvement of the human condition.”
He also received the Chevallier de l’Ordre des Artes et Lettres, the French government’s highest honor. In addition, Winkler was one of 10 individuals honored by AARP with their 2010 Inspire Award.
Of all the titles he has received, the ones he relishes most are husband, father and grandfather. Winkler and his wife, Stacey, have three children, Jed, Zoe and Max and six grandchildren. They reside in Los Angeles with their two dogs.