Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, December 17, 1994 TAG: 9412190010
SECTION: SPECTATOR PAGE: S-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB THOMAS ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: BURBANK, CALIF. LENGTH: Medium
Her co-star, Henry Winkler, recalls asking her on the last day of filming Truman Capote's ``One Christmas'': ``How do you feel today?'' Her reply: ``I'm very sad. Because this is the very last day I shall ever act.''
``One Christmas,'' which also stars Swoosie Kurtz and Julie Harris and was directed by Tony Bill, appears on NBC (at 9 on WSLS-Channel 10). Based on a never-before dramatized Capote short story, it's a seemingly autobiographical tale of a young boy (T.J. Lowther) who leaves his Alabama home in 1930 to spend Christmas with his estranged father (Winkler) in New Orleans. Among the boy's rich experiences is a visit to a fascinating eccentric (Hepburn).
In his production office at Disney studio, Winkler offered his impressions of Hepburn:
``She is a very strong personality. She's 87, so there is some of whatever age does to a human being, body and soul. But there is a personality and a strength of character and a twinkle in the eye that is very much alive.
``She's a titan. When you're doing a scene, all of a sudden it crosses your mind: `I'm doing a scene with Katharine Hepburn!' I don't know anyone in the business today who would replace her. Her style, her personal credo, her power of being. ...''
Winkler is a successful producer - something that might seem out of character for the onetime Arthur ``Fonzie'' Fonzarelli of ``Happy Days.'' How did he make the transition?
``I made it out of fear,'' said Winkler.
``I never wanted to be in one of those books, `Whatever Happened to ...' That would have killed me, to be like a one-moment human being. I really like what I do. I really love to be able to go to work every day, support my family doing what I like doing.
``My lawyer during the run of `Happy Days' said, `Look, I'm going to start a production company for you. I'm going to get some commitments as part of the deal.' I said, `I haven't the slightest idea about that stuff.' He said, `You will learn.'''
Winkler learned fast. The first television movie for his company, Fair Dinkum (Australian for very OK), was a drama, ``Scandal Sheet.'' For the star, he sought out another prickly legend, the late Burt Lancaster.
``The day I knew I was a producer was the day I convinced Burt Lancaster to be in `Scandal Sheet,' which was an inside view of the way tabloids work. He played the devil, the editor of the newspaper.
``He said, `I don't think this is right for me.' I said, `This is my project and I am the producer and I know it is right for you. Whether you choose to do it or not, you cannot say to me you're not right. In my mind, you are perfect.' He finally said yes.''
In 1985, Winkler co-produced an adventure series, ``MacGyver,'' starring Richard Dean Anderson.
``ABC tried to kill `MacGyver' with a stick,'' Winkler claimed. ``We were moved from Sunday to Wednesday to Monday and back to Wednesday. No matter where they moved us, the audience followed.''
``MacGyver'' survived seven years and eight moves and came back this season for a special movie. Among Winkler's other series: ``Ryan's Four,'' ``Mr. Sunshine'' and ``The UFO Report: Sightings.'' After two years on the Fox network, the latter is now a syndication winner as ``Sightings.'' The company also has produced several TV movies.
Winkler's portrayal of the ever-cool high school dropout Fonz belied his upbringing in a privileged New York family. He got a taste of acting in private high school and earned a bachelor's degree in drama at Emerson College in Boston. He went on to receive a master's degree at the Yale School of Drama.
His film debut came in the 1974 ``The Lords of Flatbush,'' which also marked the first major role for Sylvester Stallone. Winkler created a swaggering character that proved a perfect rehearsal for The Fonz.
by CNB