Stacey Weitzman is an American former public relations professional, philanthropist, podcast host, and the longtime wife of actor Henry Winkler. Although many people recognize her through Winkler’s role as Fonzie on Happy Days, Stacey established her own career in fashion publicity before their relationship began in 1976. The couple married in 1978 and built a family that includes three children.
Beyond her Hollywood connections, Stacey has contributed to children’s charities, survived breast cancer, and received recognition for humanitarian work. Her life also includes a previous marriage to entertainment attorney Howard Weitzman and more recent work sharing family experiences through a podcast with her daughter.
Who Is Stacey Weitzman?
Stacey Weitzman was born Stacey Cooper Furstman on November 15, 1947, in Los Angeles, California. She is 78 years old as of October 2026 and has spent much of her adult life connected to California’s entertainment industry.
Her public profile combines several different experiences, including running a public relations business, raising a blended family, and supporting nonprofit organizations. She also has a small number of entertainment credits under the name Stacey Winkler, reflecting her occasional involvement in television and film.
Stacey Weitzman’s Early Life and Education
Stacey grew up in Los Angeles during a period when Hollywood influenced much of the city’s business and cultural life. Her later career brought her into contact with clothing retailers, fashion brands, and entertainment personalities.
She attended the University of Southern California, where she pursued her higher education before entering the public relations industry. Her professional path focused on business promotion and client relationships rather than the acting career that eventually made her husband famous.
Stacey Weitzman’s Career Before Hollywood Fame
After college, Stacey established her own public relations firm and developed connections within the fashion and retail industries. Her clients included luxury jewelry company Van Cleef & Arpels, clothing brand Jag, and the Beverly Hills retailer Jerry Magnin’s.
Her agency work involved representing commercial clients and helping them maintain a public presence. This career also created the circumstances that introduced her to Henry Winkler, who visited one of her retail clients while looking for clothing in 1976.
Stacey’s professional history matters because it places her in Los Angeles business circles before she became a recognizable celebrity spouse. She already had an independent career and a young son when her relationship with Winkler began.
Stacey Weitzman’s First Marriage to Howard Weitzman
Before meeting Henry Winkler, Stacey married entertainment attorney Howard Weitzman on October 19, 1969. The marriage ended in divorce in 1976, and the couple shared a son named Jed Weitzman.
Howard built a prominent legal career representing individuals and companies in the entertainment industry. His clients included Michael Jackson, John DeLorean, and Justin Bieber, while his work extended into criminal defense, entertainment disputes, and major business litigation.
One of Howard’s best-known achievements came in 1984, when he successfully defended DeLorean against federal drug charges. Howard later worked as a senior executive at Universal Studios between 1995 and 1998 and continued practicing entertainment law afterward.
Howard died on April 7, 2021, at age 81, leaving two sons, Jed and Armen Weitzman, from separate marriages. Stacey and Howard had ended their marriage decades earlier, but their shared parenthood remained part of the larger Weitzman family history.
How Did Stacey Weitzman Meet Henry Winkler?
Stacey met Henry Winkler in 1976 at Jerry Magnin’s clothing store in Beverly Hills. Winkler had already become a television star through his portrayal of Arthur Fonzarelli, better known as Fonzie, on the ABC sitcom Happy Days.
Winkler visited the store while searching for a sports coat and noticed Stacey, who was handling business connected to the retailer. He returned approximately a week later and invited her for a drink, beginning a relationship that quickly developed beyond their initial meeting.
Their early dates also introduced Winkler to Stacey’s four-year-old son, Jed, who already recognized the actor from television. Jed greeted him as Fonzie, creating an immediate connection between Winkler’s public identity and his future family life.
Stacey Weitzman and Henry Winkler’s Wedding in 1978
Stacey and Henry married on May 5, 1978, in a synagogue in New York City. Their wedding followed approximately two years of dating, during which Winkler’s television career continued bringing him considerable public attention.
The couple soon established a household that included Jed, whom Winkler helped raise as his stepson. Their family expanded with the birth of daughter Zoe in 1980 and son Max in 1983.
Marriage to a television celebrity also introduced Stacey to the demanding side of Hollywood fame. Fans frequently approached her husband in public, sometimes overlooking her presence entirely, an experience she later discussed when describing their early married years.
Henry Winkler’s Career and Its Connection to Stacey’s Life
Henry Winkler was born on October 30, 1945, in New York City and studied acting at the Yale School of Drama. His career changed dramatically in 1974 when he joined Happy Days, playing a motorcycle-loving character who became one of American television’s most recognizable personalities.
The show ran until 1984, but Winkler continued building a career as an actor, producer, director, and author. He worked on productions including MacGyver, Arrested Development, and The Waterboy, demonstrating that his professional life could extend beyond Fonzie.
In 2018, Winkler won a Primetime Emmy for portraying acting teacher Gene Cousineau in HBO’s Barry. Stacey accompanied him during this later stage of his career, which also included the publication of his memoir Being Henry: The Fonz…and Beyond in 2023 and his Television Academy Hall of Fame induction in 2025.
Winkler’s struggles with dyslexia also influenced their home life. After Jed experienced difficulties with schoolwork, the family pursued an assessment that helped Winkler recognize his own learning disability at age 31.
That discovery eventually influenced Winkler’s children’s books, particularly the Hank Zipzer series about a student with learning challenges. The couple also learned that Zoe and Max had dyslexia, making education and learning differences part of their shared parenting experience.
Stacey Weitzman’s Children and Their Careers
Stacey is the mother of three children: Jed Weitzman, Zoe Winkler Reinis, and Max Winkler. Each followed a different professional direction, connecting the family to music, humanitarian work, and filmmaking.
Jed Weitzman: Her Eldest Son
Jed Weitzman is Stacey’s son from her first marriage to Howard Weitzman. Born in the early 1970s, he grew up with Henry Winkler as a stepfather after Stacey and Henry began their relationship.
Jed eventually established a career in the entertainment business rather than following his father’s legal profession. He has worked as head of music at Logitix, a company involved in ticketing technology and entertainment services.
His childhood also holds significance in the family history because his difficulties with reading contributed to Henry Winkler’s discovery of dyslexia. That experience influenced how the family understood learning differences and supported educational development.
Zoe Winkler Reinis: Education and Humanitarian Work
Zoe Emily Winkler was born on September 30, 1980, and later attended Loyola Marymount University. She worked as a preschool teacher before expanding her efforts into charitable work supporting vulnerable families.
In 2018, Zoe helped establish This Is About Humanity, an organization focused on assisting families affected by separation at the United States-Mexico border. Her work includes raising awareness, organizing fundraising events, and helping direct support toward children and families.
Zoe married actor Rob Reinis in 2009, and they became parents to three sons. She also entered podcasting with her mother, creating an opportunity for Stacey to discuss family experiences and Hollywood life directly with listeners.
Max Winkler: Film and Television Director
Max Winkler was born on August 18, 1983, and developed an interest in directing during childhood. He later built a filmmaking career through projects including New Girl, American Horror Story, and the feature film Jungleland.
Max also contributed directly to his father’s career when he coached Henry through his audition for Barry. Henry subsequently earned the role of Gene Cousineau, which brought him the 2018 Emmy Award.
Max married British actress Jessica Barden in 2021 after their relationship developed through their work on Jungleland. Their family has since grown to include children, extending Stacey’s role as a grandmother.
Stacey Weitzman’s Marriage and Family Life
Stacey and Henry’s marriage has lasted more than 48 years as of October 2026. Their relationship has continued through changes in Winkler’s career, the arrival of children and grandchildren, and serious personal health challenges.
Stacey has spoken about the importance of growing together rather than expecting two people to remain unchanged throughout marriage. She has also acknowledged that maintaining a long relationship requires effort, patience, and the willingness to work through disagreements.
The couple enjoys spending time with their grandchildren, watching movies, and participating in outdoor activities. Fly fishing became one of Winkler’s favorite hobbies, and Stacey has joined him on fishing trips over the years.
Their family now includes seven grandchildren, reflecting the growth of the household they began establishing in the late 1970s. Family gatherings and time with younger generations have remained recurring subjects in their public conversations.
Stacey Weitzman’s Breast Cancer Journey
Stacey experienced a major health challenge when doctors diagnosed her with breast cancer in 1998. After initial treatment and remission, the disease returned in 2001, leading her to undergo a double mastectomy.
Her experience brought considerable changes to her family’s daily life and emotional well-being. She survived the illness, while Henry later reflected on how difficult the treatment period had been for their marriage.
In his 2023 memoir, Winkler acknowledged that he struggled to provide the emotional support Stacey needed during her treatment. He attended chemotherapy appointments but later recognized that his own unresolved emotional difficulties affected his ability to remain fully present.
Winkler subsequently pursued therapy to address long-standing personal issues, including experiences from his childhood. His reflections added another dimension to the couple’s marriage story by showing how personal development continued well after their early years together.
Stacey Weitzman’s Charity Work and Humanitarian Recognition
Stacey’s charitable involvement extends beyond appearing alongside her husband at fundraising events. In 1988, Women in Film honored Stacey and Henry with the Norma Zarky Humanitarian Award for their contributions to humanitarian causes.
The award recognized individuals who supported equal opportunity and efforts to improve people’s lives. Receiving it together reflected the couple’s involvement in community service and charitable initiatives during the 1980s.
In 1990, Stacey and Henry joined other entertainment-industry families in establishing the Children’s Action Network. The organization worked to increase public awareness of issues affecting children, including access to immunizations, adoption, and child welfare.
Stacey also helped found the Los Angeles Children’s Services Commission, demonstrating a commitment to children’s services beyond fundraising alone. Her involvement connected local community concerns with larger campaigns that brought additional public attention to vulnerable children.
The Children’s Action Network brought together Hollywood figures, including Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw, to support projects that could benefit from their influence. These initiatives form an important part of Stacey’s professional and personal legacy outside entertainment.
Stacey Weitzman’s Connection to Marlee Matlin
Another important chapter in Stacey’s life involves Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin. Stacey and Henry met Matlin when she was a young performer, years before she achieved international recognition.
Matlin later gained prominence through the 1986 film Children of a Lesser God, becoming the first deaf actress to win an Academy Award. During a difficult period in her personal life, she stayed with the Winklers for an extended time while working toward recovery and stability.
Stacey and Henry offered Matlin a family environment while she addressed challenges involving addiction and her developing career. Their relationship continued long after Matlin moved into her own home, and she maintained a close connection with the couple.
Matlin’s story demonstrates how the Winklers’ support sometimes extended beyond organized charities into their personal household. Their involvement became a lasting part of her Hollywood history.
Stacey Weitzman and the Howard Family Connection
Stacey also shares a longstanding family connection with filmmaker Ron Howard, Henry’s former Happy Days costar. Ron and his wife, Cheryl Howard, chose Henry and Stacey as godparents to their daughter, actress and director Bryce Dallas Howard.
Bryce discussed that relationship during a March 2025 appearance on the What in the Winkler?! podcast. She described the couple’s supportive role in her upbringing and their continuing involvement in her family’s life.
The bond connects two families whose relationships began during one of American television’s most successful sitcoms. What started as a friendship between actors developed into a lasting connection involving their spouses, children, and later generations.
Stacey Weitzman’s Acting and Television Appearances
Although public relations remained her main early profession, Stacey has several credits in entertainment databases under the name Stacey Winkler. Her credits include casting-department work on the 1995 film Safe and a voice appearance as Muffin in the animated series As Told by Ginger in 2001.
She also appeared as a shelter resident in the 2005 film The Touch, credited as Stacy Winkler. These roles represent a limited screen career rather than a sustained effort to become a full-time actress.
Stacey has also appeared as herself in entertainment coverage and televised celebrity events. Her public appearances often connect to Henry’s film premieres, award ceremonies, or family projects.
Stacey Weitzman’s Podcast With Daughter Zoe
On October 30, 2024, Stacey and Zoe launched the iHeartPodcasts series What in the Winkler?!. The show introduced the mother and daughter as hosts who could share their own perspectives on growing up and living within a famous Hollywood family.
Their conversations explored family memories, parenting, relationships, celebrity friendships, and experiences connected to Henry Winkler. Guests included relatives and entertainment personalities who had developed relationships with the family over many years.
The podcast marked a notable development in Stacey’s public career because she moved from supporting roles in celebrity coverage to directly participating in a media project. It also gave her an opportunity to work alongside Zoe in a format centered on their shared experiences.
Episodes released in 2025 featured conversations about Max’s filmmaking career, the extended Winkler family, and various personal experiences. The program added a contemporary chapter to Stacey’s entertainment profile decades after her initial public relations career.
Where Is Stacey Weitzman in 2026?
As of 2026, Stacey remains publicly connected to her husband, children, and extended family in Los Angeles. She continues to make occasional media appearances while maintaining a considerably smaller public profile than Henry.
In September 2026, Stacey and Henry appeared together in an interview with Graham Bensinger. Their conversation included a humorous disagreement about Henry’s fly fishing records, with Stacey teasing him for exaggerating the size of his catches.
The exchange showed the couple interacting openly after celebrating their 48th wedding anniversary. It also offered a recent glimpse into Stacey’s personality beyond the biographical descriptions and formal appearances that have traditionally shaped her public image.
Stacey Weitzman’s Net Worth and Financial Background
Stacey earned income through her public relations business before marriage, but her personal finances have not received the same public attention as her husband’s acting career. No dependable public figure establishes her individual net worth.
Henry Winkler’s lengthy career includes acting, producing, directing, and publishing, yet his professional earnings should not automatically represent Stacey’s personal wealth. Their financial situation remains separate from the documented charitable, professional, and family activities that define her public life.
Conclusion
Stacey Weitzman’s life includes far more than her long marriage to Henry Winkler. She developed a career in fashion public relations, raised three children, contributed to charitable organizations, and faced serious health challenges while maintaining a connection to Hollywood.
Her humanitarian recognition, involvement in child welfare, and lasting relationships with people such as Marlee Matlin highlight contributions outside her husband’s career. More recently, her podcast work with Zoe and public appearances in 2026 have brought additional attention to her own experiences.
Nearly five decades after her wedding, Stacey remains part of a multigenerational family whose influence extends across television, filmmaking, education, and philanthropy. That combination of professional history, family relationships, and charitable involvement gives her biography lasting relevance.
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Frequently Asked QuestionsÂ
1. Who is Stacey Weitzman?
Stacey Weitzman is an American former public relations professional, philanthropist, and podcast host. She is also widely recognized as the wife of actor Henry Winkler.
2. How old is Stacey Weitzman in 2026?
Stacey Weitzman was born on November 15, 1947, in Los Angeles, California. She is 78 years old as of October 2026 and will turn 79 in November.
3. Who was Stacey Weitzman’s first husband?
Stacey’s first husband was Howard Weitzman, a prominent Hollywood entertainment attorney. They married in 1969, divorced in 1976, and had one son together, Jed Weitzman.
4. When did Stacey Weitzman marry Henry Winkler?
Stacey Weitzman married Henry Winkler on May 5, 1978, in New York City. Their relationship began in 1976 after they met at a Beverly Hills clothing store.
5. How many children does Stacey Weitzman have?
Stacey Weitzman has three children: Jed Weitzman, Zoe Winkler Reinis, and Max Winkler. Jed is from her first marriage, while Zoe and Max are her children with Henry.
6. Did Stacey Weitzman have breast cancer?
Yes, Stacey Weitzman received a breast cancer diagnosis in 1998 and experienced a recurrence in 2001. She underwent a double mastectomy and survived the disease.
7. What podcast does Stacey Weitzman host?
Stacey co-hosted What in the Winkler?! with her daughter Zoe Winkler Reinis. The iHeartPodcasts series debuted in October 2024 and features family memories and conversations about Hollywood life.
8. What is Stacey Weitzman’s net worth?
Stacey Weitzman’s personal net worth has no reliable public confirmation. Her financial background includes an earlier public relations career, but published estimates cannot establish her individual wealth with confidence.
