Saturday, March 28, 2009

The Fonz..ayyyyy!



Ok. Too much thinking by yours truly Flathead Jedd. I'll admit it. I loved Happy Days! It got very cheesey. Some would even say it "jumped the shark." Let's talk about The Fonz. No let's talk about the Fonz' bike. Here's what I remember. The first season he rode a purple Knucklehead. Yes he did! Well maybe not rode but was sitting on or standing next to. Do you remember the first season. No leather jacket! That's right the producers felt that even in 1974 the symbolic leather jacket was to evil. So what did the Fonz wear. Do you remember the light blue windbreaker? Also do you remember the Cunningham's oldest boy Chuck? He went off to college and we never heard from him again. Why did they drop the Knuckle after the first season? Who knows? Maybe Chuck stole it and rode off to California. In comes the Triumph Trophy. Very cool in it's own right and more associated with the Fonz. The inspiration for my Triumph, by the way. And what about the leather jacket? It was agreed that as long as the Fonz was near his bike and it could be perceived as a piece of safety equipment he could wear it. Obviously as time went on he never took it off, even to jump a shark. Well this post is jumping the shark and I'm embarrassed that I know so much about Happy Days. If you are ever in Washington DC and visit the Smithsonian, visit Fonzie's jacket. It's there and it brought a tear to my eye.

FHJ

11 comments:

epinut said...

Funny thing is that the Triumph looks real nice & "period correct", the Knuck however don't at all...

BitMonkey said...

Chris Haynes (the first season Happy Days bike wrangler) posted a great behind-the-scenes piece on Fonzie's bikes to the Jockey Journal a few month ago.

http://www.jockeyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42648&highlight=fonz

Chessie (Chesshirecat) said...

Cool to see this information, thanks John for the link!

Ha-milton said...

Dont be embarassed jedd, Id say youve got a couple years before you "jump the shark"

Chris K said...

Different strokes for different folks. Hope your kidding about the tear. I guess we all have our guilty pleasures. Was never into Happy Days or the Fonz. (I hated the 50's nostalgia that was big stuff in the 70's, including American Graffiti). Watched a few of the first episodes just to see the bike. As a person, actor/director/producer etc., I won't knock him but, always found it funny that a little wimp like Henry Winkler played a tough guy.

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Anonymous said...

Hermosa Beach All parts and components are blacked out,giving it a very cool,toughb and mellow look.
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Unknown said...

Belive Me Fonzie is after all Fonzie no one can take his place in seasons bisniess No one can forget Fonzie's Happy days Happy Days Henry Winkler (Fonzie) Jacket he is look more handsome in jacket in this season

Unknown said...

Nothing says cool like the Fonz' and a classic Triumph. Was never really into happy days, but many years later and here's my kid showing up at my house on a 1969 Tr6, leather jacket, blue jeans and a white Tee.... And all I could say was "Fonzie???" and my son says "what? Who's Fonzie?" I guess I'm getting old :)