policy and advocacy
Henry Winkler Stresses the Importance of the Arts at Congressional Arts Caucus
Reception Prior to accepting his 2004 Legendary Artist Award from Americans for the Arts, actor and author Henry Winkler attended a Captiol Hill reception on January 29, 2004, held by the Congressional Arts Caucus and Americans for the Arts.Mr. Winkler is instantly recognizable from his role as “The Fonz” on the long-running 1970s TV series Happy Days, and the black leather jacket he wore on the show has hung in the Smithsonian since 1980. In addition to his successful acting career, he is an award-winning producer and director of family and children’s programming, including television specials dealing with adoption, child abuse, teenage drunk driving, and young people coping with divorce. He is deeply committed to children’s welfare and uses his visibility to work with numerous children’s groups. Mr. Winkler is a founder of the Children’s Action Network, an organization composed of entertainment industry leaders dedicated to raising the profile of children’s issues through the media. He recently wrote a four-book series for kids entitled Hank Zipzer: The Mostly True Confessions of the World’s Best Underachiever, inspired by his struggle with dyslexia throughout his education.
Mr. Winkler spoke enthusiastically of his love of the arts, and his passion for arts education. As a result of the event, Reps. Tom Davis (R-VA) and Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX) joined the Congressional Arts Caucus, pushing the Caucus' membership to over 180.
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