Irwin and Henry Winkler share many similarities and were even born in the same city, they’re both involved in showbiz entertainment and are fairly well-known people in Hollywood. They share the same last name, but are the pair related?
Although they share the same surname, Irwin and Henry Winkler are not related. Irwin is an only child while Henry had an older sister named Beatrice who passed away at the age of 92 in 2012.
You can read more below about Irwin and Henry Winkler, including how they both made their breakthrough in Hollywood.
Who is Irwin Winkler?
Irwin Winkler is most well-known for his work as a producer, director and writer, and he has produced many well-known films including Rocky (1976). Since beginning his career, Irwin has received at least 12 Academy Awards alongside a plethora of nominations.
Born May 28, 1931 to Jewish parents Sol and Anna Winkler, Irwin was an intelligent child growing up and this is demonstrated by how he managed to graduate prematurely from high school and be accepted into New York University.
Be that as it may, being gaining a place at the university was only one half of it. Irwin struggled to fit in amongst his older peers and, when the opportunity was provided, he served in the military once the Korean War had broken out.
After his military service, Irwin returned to New York University, obtaining his degree in English Literature in 1955.
Five years on, Irwin had begun producing films with his co-producer Robert Chartoff. Initially, the first film they produced didn’t receive much attention but it’s now regarded as one of the best films of all time, that film is the crime film, Point Blank (1967).
Perhaps one of the most famed films that Irwin is most well-known for is the sports drama film, Rocky (1976) which he and his partner produced together. The release of this film rewarded the pair with much success, and it even gained them an Academy Award for the Best Picture.
Who is Henry Winkler?
Henry Winkler is most well-known for being an American actor, however he has dabbled in directing and producing as well as writing and comedy. Henry was the director of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (1996) and he has acted in popular films including the horror movie Scream (1996).
Across his career, Henry has received many awards including Golden Globe Awards for the Best Actor in a Television Series amongst many others.
Similarly to Irwin, Henry was born in New York to parents of German-Jewish ancestry. Irwin’s parents were escapees of the Holocaust who fled to America in 1939. Unlike Henry, Irwin struggled growing up due to undiagnosed dyslexia which caused him to develop very low self-esteem.
It was expected that he would join his family’s lumber import-export business but instead he took up acting and pursued his dream job. After graduating from Yale University, Henry appeared in Another World, a 1972 soap opera produced by NBC.
Upon finishing his stint in Another World, Henry went on to appear in a sitcom named Happy Days which he starred in for a decade between 1972 and 1982. Henry is most famous for his role as Fonzie in the sitcom that spanned across eleven series.
Shortly after his role in Happy Days came to a standstill, Henry worked with John Rich to form Winkler-Rich Productions. The pair worked on the production of the TV series MacGyver which was streamed on ABC between 1985 and 1992. They also produced the TV movie Scandal Sheet.