Henry Winkler Kept an Unexpected Piece of the “Happy Days” Set That Became His Favorite Memorabilia
Henry Winkler Kept an Unexpected Piece of the “Happy Days” Set That Became His Favorite Memorabilia
Virginia ChamleeFri, April 17, 2026 at 6:42 PM UTC
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Henry WInklerCredit: Silver Screen Collection/Getty -
Henry Winkler is opening up about his most meaningful piece of Happy Days memorabilia
In a new interview with USA Today, the actor shared he has collected a number of iconic items from the show, like Fonz action figures
But his favorite souvenir from the show is one that captures personal moments with his castmates
Henry Winkler says he still holds on to souvenirs from his time as Arthur Fonzarelli on Happy Days.
Winkler, 80, rose to fame as the character nicknamed "Fonzie" on the show from 1974 to 1984. In a new interview with USA Today, he opened up about the memorabilia he’s kept from the iconic series—and one item in particular that stands out above the rest.
“I have, I think, almost every Fonz action figure and the Funkos now of the different characters. I have the lunch box that is now in the Smithsonian with a leather jacket. The Fonz, he changed my life. He was fun to play,” Winkler shared.
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Henry WinklerCredit: ABC Photo Archives/Disney/Getty
While the collectibles speak to the show’s enduring cultural impact, it’s a far more personal keepsake that Winkler told the outlet he treasures most: a simple piece of plywood.
“There is a piece of plywood that was a shelf just outside the swinging doors of Arnold's [the diner in the show]. And you would put your coffee cup or your water bottle on it before you walked in,” he continued.
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Over the years, that unassuming shelf became something of a time capsule, as the actor filled it with handwritten notes documenting various moments throughout the show’s run.
“I would write for years, like ‘Today, Ron Howard had a red-headed girl named Bryce.’ And then I would write down, ‘Today, we had a red-headed girl baby named Zoe.’ Months from each other, March to September, and they are friends today," Winkler added.
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Other notes, he said, included: “‘Today, it starts the eighth year of Happy Days.' ‘Oh, I finally got Scott Baio with a spitball.’ And so I have that piece of plywood.”
Fonzie became the breakout star of Happy Days, which also starred Howard, Anson Williams, Marion Ross, Tom Bosley, Don Most, and Erin Moran, and ran for 11 seasons.
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