Henry Winkler Shares Heartfelt Bond with Adam Sandler After Collaborating on ‘Chanukah Song’ and ‘The Waterboy’

Henry Winkler (left), Adam Sandler.
Credit:

Michael Kovac/Getty; Emma McIntyre/WireImage

NEED TO KNOW

• Henry Winkler describes his bond with Adam Sandler as “like family” after the comedian mentioned him in “The Chanukah Song.”
• Winkler honored Sandler’s tribute by appearing in the actor’s 1998 film, The Waterboy.
• Winkler stated, “We have a connection now,” during a recent interview.

Henry Winkler has expressed that his relationship with Adam Sandler resembles that of family, a sentiment stemming from Sandler’s shout-out to him in “The Chanukah Song,” where Winkler was featured. Winkler reciprocated by appearing in Sandler’s film, The Waterboy, released in 1998.

Sandler, 59, first introduced “The Chanukah Song” on Saturday Night Live in 1994. In the song, he humorously names other Jewish celebrities, among them Winkler, with the line: “Guess who eats together at the Carnegie Deli, Bowzer from Sha Na Na and Arthur Fonzarelli.”

Winkler, now 80, is well-known for his portrayal of Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli on the sitcom Happy Days from 1974 to 1984.

On January 10, 2026, Winkler presented Sandler with a career achievement award at the AARP Movies for Grownups Awards held at The Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE ahead of the event, Winkler elaborated, “We are like family since I called him to thank him for making me a lyric in his Chanukah song. And then he invited me to be in The Waterboy.

Jackie Sandler, Adam Sandler, and Henry Winkler.

Michael Kovac/Getty

“And we have a connection now,” Winkler said. “He is a man of the world. He is connected to the world. He’s universal. Not just in popularity but in his reach. I am so happy to be in that orbit.”

He added that those in Sandler’s circle “learn from him.”

“I will say in my speech that he teaches us how to have generosity of soul. That is his essence,” Winkler stated.

Despite their closeness, Winkler noted that he refrains from trying to outwit Sandler with humor, saying, “Never have I, nor have I even tried.”

He added, “You never know what’s going to come out. You never know what the next moment is going to be with Adam, but it is always filled with warmth.”

The Waterboy.

Getty

Winkler previously shared that his compensation for his role in The Waterboy amounted to little more than “a cookie.” Reflecting on the experience during an October 9 episode of SiriusXM’s Let’s Talk Off-Camera with Kelly Ripa, he recounted being called by Sandler late at night for a favor, resulting in a late-night drive to the set. “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,” he said.

Winkler and Sandler have collaborated on three films together, including 2006’s Click and 2008’s You Don’t Mess with the Zohan. Winkler has also made appearances in Sandler’s 2000 film Little Nicky and the 2017 movie Sandy Wexler.