The Mount Vesuvius of Imagination: Henry Winkler on Why He Couldn't Stand 'Toe to Toe' with Robin Williams

Even the coolest man on TV had to step aside for a true force of nature. According to Entertainment Weekly, Henry Winkler, famous for his role as Fonzie on Happy Days, recently shared a vivid memory of the late Robin Williams and his unparalleled genius.

A Legendary Audition that Changed Everything

Speaking at a Fan Expo San Francisco panel, Winkler recalled Williams' audition for the role of Mork the Orkan. While Williams appeared unassuming at first, the energy shifted the moment he began to act. Winkler realized immediately that he was witnessing something extraordinary. "Stay out of his way because you will never stand toe-to-toe with this Mount Vesuvius of an imagination," Winkler recounted in a video shared by TikTok outlet It's Rec Time Media.

Scripts Half the Size: The Improv Legacy

Williams' performance was so dynamic that it led to the successful spin-off Mork & Mindy, which ran for 4 seasons between 1978 and 1982. Winkler noted that the scripts for Williams' show were famously brief—often half the length of a standard Happy Days script. Writers would simply leave a blank space with the instruction: "Robin will say something here."

Since Williams' passing in 2014 at the age of 63, his colleagues have continued to celebrate his unique brilliance. Winkler previously described Williams' creativity as a torrent flowing out of every pore, calling him a man from another plane of existence.