Let's be honest for a minute: it would be the most disappointing thing ever if the Fonz and Richie weren't friends in real life. It would also be a bit awkward if the two men, who are now in their 70s and 60s, respectively, were having some sort of feud.
Fans who are nostalgic for the '90s re-runs of 'Happy Days' or the original show, which spanned the '70s and '80s, will be relieved to find out that Henry Winkler and Ron Howard are still buddies to this day. They didn't even let a feud with another famous actor get in the way of their adorable bromance.
As CheatSheet elaborated, back in 1989, Ron Howard and Henry Winkler were both set to work on 'Turner & Hooch' together, along with Tom Hanks. But only two weeks in, Winkler, who was directing, was told to clear out.
As Henry recalled in an interview just a couple of years ago, he was unceremoniously dumped from the film because of Tom's objections to him being on set. Howard, however, was kept on the crew. But as CheatSheet detailed, that didn't mean Henry held it against him.
As Ron Howard would later explain, he didn't enjoy being stuck in the middle between his pals Tom Hanks and Henry Winkler. That said, the two actors finally got over their arguments and would later attend Ron's birthday parties and tolerate each other's company.
Which proves to fans that Ron and Henry are thick as thieves. After all, celebrating birthdays is a pretty personal thing, especially when the 'Happy Days' co-stars starting getting up there in years.
Plus, in 2019, Winkler reflected on his friendship with Howard in a heartwarming way. Fox News elaborated that Ron helped him navigate the early days of fame on 'Happy Days.' Since Henry was relatively unknown before his breakout role as Fonzie in 1974, he had a lot to learn.
In contrast, Ron was well-versed in Hollywood's rules; despite being nine years younger, Ron had a history on TV already. Some fans might recall that before appearing on 'Happy Days' as Richie Cunningham, Ron played Ope Taylor on 'The Andy Griffith Show' back in the '60s.
And although Ron left the show before its finale in 1984, he and Henry kept in touch. Ron even returned to the show for special appearances (and to explain Richie Cunningham's absence from the series).
Fame wasn't always easy, Henry said, but "That’s just the way it is. So, you have to hold on to yourself and then you’ve got friends like Ron who doesn’t take it all seriously. I learned from him; he was my teacher."
For Ron's part, Fox News explained that the director confirmed he and Henry were fast friends on set, and that their bond "continues all these years later" because they "just clicked."