Due to the traditional TV collection Joyful Days, Henry Winkler grew to become a family identify by taking part in Arthur Fonzarelli a.ok.a. The Fonz. He’s probably the most beloved TV present characters ever and he had the prospect to play one other iconic film character at one level in his profession.
Winkler was provided the lead position of Danny Zuko within the 1978 film Grease, however he turned it down! John Travolta ended up being solid and the remaining is historical past. Winkler now regrets turning down the film position, however on the time, he made that alternative as a result of he was afraid of being typecast as Fonzie. He didn’t wish to be identified for enjoying just one form of position.
Now, whereas he made an effort to not be typecast by turning down roles just like the Fonz, he revealed in an interview with CNN’s Chris Wallace that his typecasting occurred regardless. He referred to himself as a “rattling idiot” for turning down the position, and added:
“I solely realized years afterwards. I believed, ‘I’ve performed the Fonz. I do not wanna do it once more, nevertheless it’s already occurred, I am already typecast.
“I ought to’ve simply shut up and had a extremely good time making that film. Now, I am going dwelling, I say no, and I’ve a Weight loss program Coke. John Travolta goes dwelling, and has finished the film, and buys a aircraft.”
On the time that Winkler bought the preliminary provide to star in Grease, he hoped for a task that might have the identical cultural impression that he had with Joyful Days, however in the long run, he simply felt that the character of The Fonz and Zuko had been too comparable. He stated:
“It was so unhealthy that not solely may I not discover work, however I used to be sitting at my desk at Paramount and I actually thought, ‘Am I ever going to seek out something with as a lot impression because the Fonz?’ How will I do know? Will anyone ever ask me? I am not getting any provides.”
Winkler went on to play the Fonz for eleven seasons of Joyful Days and Travolta went on to be an enormous Hollywood main man. It will have been attention-grabbing to see what Winkler’s profession would have been like had he taken the position in Grease, and would have Travolta ever turn into the large star that he grew to become? Ya gotta love desirous about the “what if” moments in life.
