Before he ever gave us one of sitcom’s most iconic characters, Henry Winkler had a lot of experience as a “serious” theatre actor under his belt. He had studied at the Yale School of Drama, acted in several plays (including on Broadway), and had already dipped his toe into the pond of television comedies with his small part in The Mary Tyler Moore Show.  Plus, Winkler famously won the role of Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli with his audition, featuring an iconic comb bit, ad-libbing, and creating a new physical persona that completely won over the directors.  @thevideonook The Fonz Ayyyyy Compilation #tvshow #fonz #thefonz #fonzie #arthurfonzarelli #happydays #henrywinkler #familyguy #simpsons #scrubs #theoffice #boymeetsworld #robotchicken #fullhouse #funnyvideo #videonook ♬ original sound – TheVideoNook – TheVideoNook Point being, Winkler had every reason to walk onto his first day on set for Happy Days completely confident. But as the actor shared with Hoda Kotb’s Joy 101, that wasn’t the case.  Even a seasoned actor can have moments of doubt Apparently, one joke in the script was really tripping him up, causing him to doubt himself. Out of frustration, Winkler began hitting his script, saying, “I can’t do this. What is this?” It would take the calm advice of his teenage costar, Ron Howard, to bring him back to earth.  Ron Howard’s life-changing advice “I’m twenty-seven, Ron Howard is eighteen,” Winkler explained. “He puts his arm around me, walks me to the back of soundstage 24  on Paramount Lot and says, ‘You know they’re working as hard as they can. Let’s not hit our script.’“ Instantly sobered, Winkler said, “Ron, I’ll never hit my script as long as I live.” Having been a child actor on The Andy Griffith Show, Howard had been well exposed to the often chaotic working environment of television, and had learned how to keep his cool under this specific kind of pressure.  But perhaps even more than that, he had learned that golden rule that applies to those in the film industry, and those outside of it: interactions go more smoothly when you assume that everyone is trying their best to do a great job.  How Winkler and Howard became fans of one another And so, with his young guide, Winkler was able to navigate the early days of his very first big role on a TV  show. And in turn, Howard appreciated the rigorousness Winkler brought to the work thanks to his training.  “Henry’s a few years older than I am.” Howard once told People magazine. “Yale educated, and he looked at acting in a way that was — it wasn’t Hollywood. It was a little more intellectual. It was theater-based, and that was new to me.” The mutual respect Winkler and Howard developed during those early days on set endured, becoming one of the many reasons their friendship has lasted long after the show had ended.  It goes to show that age and experience don’t always determine who has the right perspective in a given moment.  Keeping an open mind to that possibility can lead to lessons that stay with you for the rest of your life. The post Henry Winkler reveals how teenage Ron Howard adjusted his attitude the first day on ‘Happy Days’ set appeared first on Upworthy.