Henry Winkler earned decades of goodwill playing the Fonz on “Happy Days,” but that beloved image nearly kept his name out of one of horror’s most famous slasher films. The studio behind the original “Scream” believed Winkler’s sitcom past would weaken the movie’s scares — even though audiences applauded when his character appeared during test screenings.
Winkler played Principal Arthur Himbry in the 1996 film. Recalling the decision during an In Depth interview, he said the studio told him, “We can’t put your name on the film. We cannot put you anywhere near the poster.”
When he asked why, the response was blunt: “Well, you were the Fonz, and you will knock the balance of horror off if we let them know you’re in it.”
Winkler said he felt “insulted” and went home upset and bewildered, but he didn’t fight the decision. The same people who had left him off the poster later asked him to help promote the movie. He agreed anyway — for his own sake, for director Wes Craven and for the film.
Looking back 30 years later, Winkler said the experience taught him to accept what he couldn’t control. “That’s the lesson. You just show up,” he said. “You have no idea what’s going to happen, but that’s out of your control.”
“Scream” also starred Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Drew Barrymore and Matthew Lillard. The franchise’s latest release, “Scream 7,” became its highest-grossing installment with $176.9 million.
