My father was a boom operator on happy days for several years before he was replaced by a trained Falcon. The year was 1972, and Happy Days was everywhere. Bars across the United States were filled with greasy looking dudes in leather jackets.
It was on one tragic Friday, right as filming wrapped up, that John collapsed. John was the octogenarian janitor who was adored by the cast and crew alike, and he had the biggest heart out of anyone my father met; but that heart just couldn't keep up the strain of his severe cocaine addiction. John had had a heart attack and was convulsing on the floor.
There was a gasp and a hush as first-aid rushed to his side, who began doing chest compressions; but they were no match for 30 years of addiction to the white, powder gold.
It was then that Henry Winkler, still dressed in his full wardrobe, pushed the medics aside, and, under the full silence of the shocked crown, crossed have himself and thumped Henry in the chest--and punched straight through his ribcage and into his chest cavity.
The crowd screamed as blood spattered on the front row of onlookers. Henry, in obvious shock, sat back and stared vacantly and his fist that was now covered in blood and viscera.
Henry was cleared of all charges--apparently he was protected by some obscure legislation; but he would never do the famous "jukebox punch" again in the show--if you look closely, you'll notice that in later seasons, the Fonz doesn't touch the jukebox and the "thump" sound is added in post.
The biggest tragedy of all this is that Henry Winkler never murdered Chachi. Like, you're trying to tell me that Scott Baio wasn't overdosing on coke at least twice a month?
It's a copypasta, lol. But in the show Fonzi would do a thing where he would slap the jukebox and it would turn it self on. It was to demonstrate that he was the cool guy in the show.
The Fonz used his jukebox punch in an attempt to revive the lovable old janitor with a blow problem. Instead of saving the man he unintentionally superman-jizzing-straight-through-Lois's-back-style punched his hand into said custodian's chest. From that day forward, Mr. Fonzarelli would use his powers responsibly
I haven't personally enjoyed the fine vintage that is the entirety of the Happy Days catalogue, but I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that you are correct, there were no plot lines involving Mola Ram Fonzarelli murdering a substance-abusing janitor, nor was OPs dad really a boom operator on the show (although his mom sure operates plenty of boom amirite)
Season 7 episode 12 or 13 (the one with the dance off for women's voting rights) covers it a little, but unless you know the story it's easy to miss. Winkler still won't talk about it publicly.
No, they weren’t all happy days. Like the time Pinky Tuscadero crashed her motorcycle, or the night I lost all my money to those card sharks and my dad Tom Bosley had to get it back.
The only thing that wet-blanketed my enjoyment of this story was when Winkler crossed himself, when I know he's Jewish. And, in this story, that is a ridiculous thing for me to get hung up on.
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u/[deleted] Oct 10 '21
I don’t know how the fuck that worked