„Dog and I Became Friends. The Star Did Not Become My Friend.” 35 Years Ago, There Was Reportedly a Misunderstanding Between Tom Hanks and the Director of the Comedy

As a fan who has grown up admiring Tom Hanks and his illustrious career, I must confess that this revelation about a supposed rift between him and Henry Winkler leaves me somewhat perplexed. It’s like learning that Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny had a spat over who should bring more joy to children around the world!


Tom Hanks is widely adored as one of Hollywood’s favorite actors, appreciated by both industry peers and fans. However, it seems that not everyone shares this sentiment towards him. As per multiple reports and suggestions from director Henry Winkler, their professional collaboration was less than smooth and even led to disputes between them.

In the past, Winkler was dismissed from his position as director of the 1989 comedy “Turner and Hooch”, in which Hanks starred as the lead character. Despite having been involved in the project since its inception, preparing extensively for set work, Winkler spent minimal time on set due to his dismissal. It appears that he holds Hanks responsible for this situation, as he implied during his appearance on the podcast How to Fail with Elizabeth Day.

For eleven weeks, I thoroughly prepared myself. This affectionate Mastiff dog and I grew quite fond of each other. Regrettably, the celebrity didn’t develop a friendship with me.

When queried about whether he had Hanks on his mind, he answered: “It’s quite possible.” Later, the director reminisced about an incident that supposedly strained their relationship negatively. He implied in this recollection that he may have been dismissed due to Hanks.

In the charming coastal town of Carmel, California, we were scouting for a location when suddenly, a woman emerged from a shop and exclaimed, “Henry! Fonz!” It’s true as can be! I replied, “And naturally, you recognized Tom Hanks.” Later, the director of photography, after my dismissal on the 13th day of filming, remarked, “I had a feeling that something extraordinary would happen in Carmel that very day.”

Despite rumors suggesting that Hanks might have played a part in Winkler’s termination, their mutual friend, Ron Howard, clarified in a 2020 interview with The Guardian that there was actually a misunderstanding between them. This disagreement was resolved many years ago.

I have friendly relationships with both of them, and on different occasions, each man felt the need to approach me about their issues. Unfortunately, it turned out that their work styles simply didn’t mesh well together. With the passing of time, we can say there has been a lot of history between these two men.

In a 2020 conversation with TMZ, Winkler himself clarified that there was no dispute between him and Hanks. He emphasized, “What people claim and what truly happens can sometimes be two different stories.” Remarkably, Hanks chose not to respond to these allegations, maintaining silence on the matter.

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2024-08-05 13:32