Henry Winkler thought his "life [was] over" when Ron Howard quit Happy Days

Speaking to People, Henry recalled: "When we worked together, there was something that happens out of the blue. We had a shorthand with the script. He went where I went, I went where he went, and it became something else."

However, Ron decided to quit the show in 1980, and Henry still has vivid memories of the day he found out.

Henry shared: "There was a phone booth right by the front door of stage 19. They said, 'Oh, the phone is for you, Henry.'"

Ron - who has subsequently become one of the most successful directors in Hollywood - told his co-star at the time: "It's going to come out in the press in about 10 minutes, but I wanted you to know first, I'm not coming back."

Henry was initially shaken by the news. However, he ultimately encouraged his showbiz pal to follow his long-term ambitions.

Henry said: "My first thought was, 'I'm going to die now'. My great acting partner on this show, my good friend is no longer going to be here. My life is over.

"And that was in the first two seconds. Then I said, 'Ron, we've talked about this since the beginning. All you want to do is be a director. It's in your DNA. Go and be the best you can be, and I cannot wait to see what you do.'"

Meanwhile, Henry previously admitted that he struggled with his mental health after leaving Happy Days.

The actor confessed to struggling after the TV show ended in 1984.

He told the Today show: "There were eight or nine years at a time when I couldn't get hired because I was 'The Fonz' because I was typecast."

Despite this, Henry doesn't have any regrets about starring on Happy Days.

He explained: "I loved playing 'The Fonz'. I love those people. I loved learning how to play softball. I loved travelling all over the world together with the cast. I would not have traded it."