Bronze Statue Of "Happy Days" The Fonz Unveiled In Milwaukee

Milwaukee, WI (CNS) - A bronze statue of the Fonz, from the classic television show "Happy Days," was unveiled in Milwaukee Tuesday. Henry Winkler, the actor who brought Fonzie to life and made turning two-thumbs up cool, was at the ceremony.

The statue stands near the Milwaukee River, where "Happy Days" supposedly took place. Although no scenes were filmed in the city, the show ran from 1974 to 1984, and helped draw attention to Milwaukee.

Most of the cast was on hand Tuesday, along with the show's creator, director and producer Garry Marshall, and actors Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams from the spin-off "Laverne & Shirley."

Ron Howard, who played Richie Cunningham on "Happy Days," was filming a movie and wasn't able to make it. Winkler's two sons, daughter and wife were in the audience, however.

The statue's sculptor, Gerald Sawyer, put the initials of Winkler and his wife in the veins in the hands, "like the David in Italy," Winkler said.

The Fonz statue joins a group of other television statues scattered around the country. The project was started by the cable network TV Land, but the program has since ended. TV Land did place statues in six other cities: Mary Tyler Moore in Minneapolis; Bob Newhart in Chicago; Elvis Presley in Honolulu; Ralph Kramden in New York; Samantha from "Bewitched" in Salem, Mass.; and Andy Griffith in Raleigh, N.C.

Two booster groups, VISIT Milwaukee and Spirit Milwaukee, helped raise funds for the statue. TV Land also contributed.