Henry Winkler 'thought he was going to die' when Ron Howard quit Happy Days Henry Winkler has revealed how he responded to Ron Howard quitting Happy Days. 28 August 2025 Henry Winkler thought his "life [was] over" when Ron Howard quit Happy Days. Henry Winkler starred on the hit TV sitcom The 79-year-old actor played Arthur 'Fonzie' Fonzarelli on the hit sitcom, and he quickly developed a close relationship with Ron, his co-star. Speaking to People, Henry recalled: "When we worked together, there was something that happens out of the blue. We had a shorthand with the script.