Oklahoma native Ron Howard marks 'Happy Days' 50th anniversary with Henry Winkler at Emmys

"Hello sunshine, goodbye rain" and hello again to "Happy Days."

Oklahoma native Ron Howard reunited with his "Happy Days" co-star Henry Winkler onstage Sunday night during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards , where they celebrated the 50th anniversary of the classic comedy series.

"This is fantastic," Howard said, referring to the set dressed to resemble Arnold's Drive-In from the show.

"It feels like home," Winkler added.

But the former co-stars cheekily observed that the " Happy Days" theme song didn't play when they took the stage.

"('Murphy Brown' star) Candice Bergen had a theme song," Howard said.

"Of course, she would get one," Winkler replied.

"Well, I have a solution," Howard said. "You know, you could do it."

Despite Winkler's protests that he was "out of practice," he reenacted his character Fonzie's iconic jukebox-smacking move from the long-running sitcom, getting cheers from the star-studded crowd as the famous tune began to play.

'Happy Days' anniversary celebrated in addition to 'Saturday Night Live' and 'West Wing' milestones

"Happy Days" aired on ABC from 1974 to 1984. While Winkler played "The Fonz," Howard, already a familiar face to television audiences from his childhood days playing Opie on "The Andy Griffith Show," starred as Richie Cunningham.

Born in Duncan, Howard left "Happy Days" after its seventh season and went on to have a successful career as a filmmaker, winning an Oscar for best director in 2022 for "A Beautiful Mind."

"Happy Days" received nine Emmy nominations during its decade-long run, including nods for Winkler for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series in 1976, 1977 and 1978. But Winkler didn't receive his first Emmy until 2018, for his performance on HBO's "Barry," opposite Tulsa native Bill Hader .

The Emmys broadcast also celebrated the upcoming 50th anniversary of "Saturday Night Live" as well as the 25th anniversary of "The West Wing" by bringing together several stars from those shows.

Ron Howard receives Primetime Emmy for Disney+ documentary 'Jim Henson Idea Man'

To start their reunion segment, Winkler praised his "very good friend for 50 years" for winning his third career Primetime Emmy for the Disney+ documentary "Jim Henson Idea Man ," prompting a grin and several "thank yous" from Howard.

From Howard's Imagine Documentaries Productions, the new biography about the late "Sesame Street" and "The Muppet Show" mastermind received five trophies, including for outstanding documentary or nonfiction special, at the recent pre-broadcast Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

Howard also was nominated for outstanding directing for a documentary/nonfiction program for "Jim Henson Idea Man," but that prize went to Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss for the Apple TV+ documentary "Girls State."

His win for "Jim Henson Idea Man" marked the third Emmy Howard has received as a producer: "Arrested Development" was named outstanding comedy series in 2004, and "From the Earth to the Moon" won outstanding miniseries in 1998.

A 2013 Television Hall of Fame inductee , Howard, 70, has received 13 Emmy nominations across his long TV career.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma native Ron Howard marks 'Happy Days' 50th anniversary with Henry Winkler at Emmys