Few stars have the professional standing in their respective industries like Tom Hanks and Henry Winkler. Hanks, 70, is a two-time Academy Award winner whose classic films include Philadelphia, Saving Private Ryan, and Forrest Gump. Winkler, 80, will forever be remembered for his signature role as Fonzie in the 70s sitcom Happy Days. However, the two actors have not always seen eye-to-eye. What is the story with that? Winkler told all about their alleged rift recently.
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Winkler Was Allegedly Booted From Directing a Tom Hanks Film Years Ago
The actor talked frankly about his supposedly long-standing beef with Tom Hanks when he was on In Depth With Graham Benzinger. Winkler was at the time on board to direct a 1989 comedy starring Hanks called Turner & Hooch. (Hooch was a dog.) But things unfortunately went sideways fast.
As Henry Winkler tells it, "I now meet the puppies, and I meet with Tom [Hanks]. I, at that time being insecure, I talked too much and I gave them direction. I [did] what I thought was my job, and I wanted to do it over again; and apparently that [expletive] them off."
Winkler did concede that maybe the gig was not the best fit for him. Nevertheless, he was "devastated" when he was shown to the door after less then two weeks. He told Graham Benzinger, "I'm called into [entertainment executive] Jeff Katzenberg's office and he said, 'It's not in the dailies.' I then go to the set. I get my things. I drive home. I'm fired as a director."
Hanks Guest-Starred on 'Happy Days'
The relationship between Tom Hanks and Henry Winkler wasn't always frosty. In fact, Hanks was once on Happy Days in 1982. "We did a retrospective of 'Happy Days,' and we wanted 60 seconds of Tom Hanks in his episode," Winkler noted. Hanks actually cut his acting teeth in a sitcom called Bosom Buddies. It aired from 1980 to 1982.
Winkler seemed to be open to healing their relationship. He replied "sure" when questioned about the possibility of a truce. Tom Hanks and Henry Winkler are two of the nicest guys in Hollywood. Let's hope they eventually get together in friendship.
