Henry Winkler Recalls Near-Fatal Accident on Happy Days Set

Published: June 23, 2025

Henry Winkler, the iconic actor best known for his role as Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli on Happy Days, has shared a harrowing story about a near-fatal accident that occurred on the set of the popular sitcom.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Winkler revealed that he nearly killed the head of cinematography on Happy Days while riding a motorcycle, a stunt he was required to perform as part of his character's persona.

"I am so dyslexic. I couldn't figure out what was the gas, what was the gear, what was the brake. And I nearly killed the head of cinematography on Happy Days," Winkler admitted.

This was not Winkler's only brush with danger on a set. He also shared a scary experience during the filming of the 1977 film Heroes, which he starred in alongside Sally Field and Harrison Ford.

"In the movie Heroes, I raced a car around a track. I was surrounded by these wonderful stuntmen. I stepped on the brake too hard and spun out, and they all had to miss me," he recalled.

"It wasn't in the script. I did it by mistake, and they all screeched to a halt and ran over and said, 'Do you understand that you could have just been killed?' "

Winkler's new History Channel series, Hazardous History with Henry Winkler, premieres on Sunday, June 15 at 10/9c. The show explores the stories of the things we did for fun, for money, or out of plain boredom that are no longer allowed or encouraged in modern America.

Read more about Henry Winkler's new series and his life's greatest thrills in his exclusive interview with PEOPLE.