‘Happy Days’ Star Henry Winkler Once Wrote a Fan Letter to ‘Yellowstone’ Co-Creator Taylor Sheridan

Classic TV Happy Days star Henry Winkler is fanboying over Yellowstone co-creator Taylor Sheridan, and who can blame him?

During a recent chat with E! News, the former Fonzie talked about his days in pandemic lockdown. To beat the boredom, he and his wife Stacy binge-watched television from all over the world. And while doing so, they became quite the connoisseurs.

“We watched television from Mexico, Spain, India, South Korea,” he said. “The streamers are incredible. HBO, Apple, HBO Max. I’m telling you, TV is king right now.”

While Winkler was getting into the recent hits, he uncovered Sheridan’s two Dutton sagas. And like most people, the 76-year-old was instantly hooked. So he thought he’d send Sheridan a little note of gratitude for being such a screenwriting genius.

“Yellowstone is great. 1883 is great,” he told the publication. “I wrote a fan letter to Taylor Sheridan.”

“I said it’s amazing to spend time with your storytelling because we are loving every episode of these things,” Winkler continued.

Of course, after hearing about Henry Winkler’s great respect for Taylor Sheridan, we wondered if perhaps he’d like to guest star on one of his shows. But unfortunately, the answer is “no.”

Former ‘Happy Days’ Star Henry Winkler Has no Intentions of Leaving His Current Gig For a Taylor Sheridan Project

“I’m very happy where I am,” he shared about his current Emmy-winning gig on HBO’s Barry.

In the dark comedy, Winkler plays Gene Cousineau, a character he’s molded after his many acting teachers. The series is in its third season. And he gets progressively more twisted as the story plays out.

The six-time Emmy-winning show also stars Bill Hader, who serves as a creator as well. And Winkler said that working with Hader has been the highlight of his career. So, he can’t imagine starring in anything else.

“Bill is a generous, thoughtful director. In his structure comes freedom,” Winkler told E!. “He knows what he wants. He’s open to you filling that vessel with what you bring. If it works for him and it works for his imagination, it’s in.”

And to get the part of Cousineau, Winkler unwittingly beat out John Lithgow. While the star didn’t learn of the feat until well into the show, that fact is also something he holds close to his heart.

“I never found out, but backstage at a John Lithgow play, he asked how I was doing. I said, ‘Better’ and that I had this part,” Winkler explained in a June 2021 interview. “He said, ‘Oh, you got it. I wanted that.’ Wow. Oh my God, that was the greatest thing. Wow, wow! I’ve seen him in everything on Broadway. And I’ve written him notes, his Churchill in The Crown was divine.”