Henry Winkler had a memorable role in the Adam Sandler-led comedy The Waterboy, but as it turns out, Winkler’s participation was not planned. The Happy Days star’s appearance as Coach Klein was a last-minute favor for Sandler, who reached out to Winkler after the original actor cast for the role didn’t show up for production. Frank Coraci’s The Waterboy follows Sandler’s Bobby Boucher, an awkward waterboy who discovers he has a hidden talent for football and becomes a member of Coach Klein’s team. During an appearance on the Let’s Talk Off-Camera with Kelly Ripa podcast, Winkler recounted the story of how he ended up as Coach Klein:
“I did [
The
]
Waterboy
. He [Sandler] called me up in the middle of the night. He said, ‘Henry, I need a favor. My actor didn’t show up. I need you to drive right now to the park. It’s in L.A., it is now 11:30 at night. I go and I say, ‘Okay.’ I shave. I drive. I go. I sit. I get makeup until 3:30 in the morning Do you know what I got? A cookie. I didn’t even get to keep my wardrobe.”
When Ripa mentioned Chris Rock said Sandler gifted his Grown Ups co-stars Maseratis and asked the Barry actor what car he would want from Sandler, Winkler continued to joke, telling Ripa that he wouldn’t want a Maserati:
“I don’t want a Maserati because that would be so low to get into, I would have to sleep in it. I could never get out.”
Despite failing to impress critics, The Waterboy made a splash at the box office (grossing $190 million worldwide against a $20 million budget). Its underdog story – and Sandler and Winkler’s memorable performances – resonated with fans who love the film.
The Waterboy Helped Revive Henry Winkler’s Career
Despite Henry Winkler’s disillusionment at being compensated with a cookie, the actor has previously said that The Waterboy helped revive his career, as it was difficult for him to secure substantial roles post-Happy Days (where Winkler rose to stardom playing the iconic Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli). After The Waterboy, Winkler landed roles in popular shows like Arrested Development and Parks and Recreation, and in 2018, earned an Emmy Award for his work on Barry. Winkler has also reunited with Sandler for several projects following The Waterboy: 2000’s Little Nicky, 2006’s Click, 2008’s You Don’t Mess with the Zohan, and 2017’s Sandy Wexler.
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Winkler shared his admiration for Sandler (who is considered one of Hollywood’s nicest guys), telling Ripa:
“I love him. He is whatever you imagine. He is wacky. He is different. He is a family man. He is loyal. He is funny. He is in amazement. He has a vision. You know, when he, directs or he’s in a movie, he is in charge of every detail. There’s not a frame that gets by him. No matter what it is, I love him and I respect him deeply. I’m not crazy about the way he dresses.”
Winkler last appeared in the October 15 episode of American Horror Stories. In the episode, “X“, Winkler portrays Dr. Eric Nostrum, an oncologist who works at a hospital where unethical experimentation is taking place in a mysterious ward. Interestingly, Winkler’s son, Max, directs two episodes of this season’s horror anthology, but is not at the helm of “X.”
