Credit : Pagesix.com
Credit : Pagesix.com
It wasn’t always the happiest of days for The Fonz.
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Henry Winkler sat down with CNN’s Chris Wallace and revealed he’s a “damn fool” for passing on the iconic lead role of Danny Zuko in “Grease.”
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After a decade of playing the legendary character of Arthur Fonzarelli on “Happy Days” from 1974 to 1984, Winkler wasn’t getting many offers for other impactful roles.
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Then, while working on “Happy Days,” Winkler was offered the lead role in “Grease” over John Travolta but turned it down out of fear of being typecast.
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“I am a damn fool,” the 77-year-old actor said. “I only realized years afterwards. I thought, I’ve played the Fonz, I don’t want to do it again.”
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Passing up the role of the 1950s greaser has weighed heavy on Winkler’s mind.
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“I go home … and I have a diet Coke. John Travolta, who has done the movie, goes home and buys a plane.”
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“Grease” became the highest-grossing musical film ever at the time of its release, and in 1979 was the second-best-selling album in the US.
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During the film’s run in theaters, it generated over $396 million worldwide and cemented Travolta as a leading man and heartthrob in Hollywood.
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Winkler, who won two Golden Globes for his role as The Fonz, has appeared in many other roles including “The Waterboy,” “Holes,” and “Arrested Development.”