Henry Winkler Says 'Retiring Is Not a Good Thing for Anybody'

Nicole WeaverTue, February 24, 2026 at 12:42 AM UTC

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(Chris Haston/WBTV via Getty Images)

It's a personal decision whether to retire if someone can afford to, and that's the same for actors. Henry Winkler shared why he's against it after years of doing what he loves.

Henry Winkler Says Retiring Leads to Atrophy

Winkler, 80, appeared on the "What Matters With Liz" podcast to discuss what he values in life. "I'm willing to make a broad statement that if you wind up doing nothing, everything will atrophy. Your imagination, your will, your happiness, your points of view," the Emmy winner said. "Retiring is not a good thing for anybody," he later said. The actor said if your job is something you're not passionate about, then you could retire and find a new passion.

Winkler's first acting credit is from 1972, and he became a household name playing The Fonz on television. He revealed throughout his career his characters have changed from the page to being more like him. "When I was doing Barry, I was supposed to be a complete a–hole as Gene, the drama teacher, but I just started playing him the way I felt and saw him, and the writers went, ‘Oh, okay, I guess we could write that, too,’" he said. "And all of a sudden he just became more a part of me. There was more me in there, not more than the character, but they let me in."

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He claimed the same thing happened with the Fonz. "As long as you let me show the emotion," the Happy Days actor said. "When he's in his apartment, and he's not wearing that jacket, who does he have to be cool for? There's got to be something else going on. They said yes. I said yes."

Winkler and Lin Oliver recently released a book called Detective Duck. He's also the host and executive producer of Hazardous History with Henry Winkler on the History Channel. The series follows hazardous toys and household items from America's past. The actor is also taking on more roles and not showing any signs of slowing down.

This story was originally published by Parade on Feb 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the Celebs section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”