Henry Winkler officially Most Excellent, receives honorary OBE

Happy Days star Henry Winkler has been made an honorary OBE for his work on dyslexia in the UK.


The actor and director, who played the Fonz in the classic US sitcom, said it was "humbling" to receive the honour, awarded at the British embassy in Washington DC.


Having been diagnosed with dyslexia as an adult, Winkler has toured schools in the UK over the last two years to talk about the learning difficulty.


He has also written books for children about Hank Zipzer, a boy with dyslexia, whose experiences are based on the actor's own childhood struggles.


In a statement on the embassy's website, Winkler said: "Receiving this honour is a very humbling experience.


"My goal when I started working with children was never to bring accolades on myself, but instead to change how people think about those around them for whom learning is a struggle.


"I am flattered to have had my work recognised in this manner, and hope to continue showing kids that their learning difficulty isn't a disability."


The British ambassador to the US, Nigel Sheinwald, presented the OBE during a ceremony at the embassy.


According to the British Embassy in Washington, he's spent much of the last two years touring the U.K. to educate about dyslexia and other learning difficulties. Winkler, who was diagnosed with dyslexia as an adult, is also the author of 17 children's books centered on Hank Zipzer, a boy with dyslexia who overcomes his struggles at school and with bullies.
There are two things I love about the press release: One, that "Happy Days" the show is never actually mentioned, although Sheinwald sneaks in a reference ("Henry Winkler is living proof that difficulties can be overcome and that for those suffering disability and self-doubt, happy days can nevertheless lie ahead").
And two, the sense of formality that insures you will also not see the words "the Fonz" or "Fonzie" ("Mr. Winkler's portrayal of Arthur Fonzarelli garnered him two Golden Globes and three Primetime Emmy nominations"). What I love about this in general is that it's just another wonderful, unexpected line on Winkler's résumé.
It's kinda like the first time you read that he was an executive producer on "MacGyver" or heard that he saw the short film that "Better Off Dead"... writer/director Savage Steve Holland had made about having suicidal thoughts after his high school girlfriend dumped him for the captain of the ski team and gave him an office so he could write it as a feature.
It's easy to just think of Winkler as "The Fonz" instead of as a man who's also done multiple Adam Sandler movies, "Arrested Development," and "Childrens Hospital" among other things (like wear orange shirts on "Royal Pains"). Every now and then we like to stop and remember.