MILWAUKEE — David Fantle, the driving force behind the creation of Milwaukee's Bronze Fonz statue, died Tuesday from a "sudden cardiovascular emergency," his family shared with TMJ4 News. He was 66.
Fantle was an author, a professor at Marquette University for 18 years, and an expert on Hollywood legends. Over his 45-year career, he interviewed 250 stars.
His idea for a statue representing the iconic Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli character from the hit show "Happy Days" took off in 2006 during his time at Visit Milwaukee.
TMJ4 News spoke with Fantle about the statue's history this past October during an 80th birthday celebration for actor Henry Winkler held at the Bronze Fonz.
"I like to make noise for a community in a positive way. Minneapolis has Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart's statue is in Chicago, both from fictional TV shows. I said what fictional character is most associated with Milwaukee. It's the Fonz. It's Henry Winkler, so that started the ball rolling," Fantle said.
Fantle explained that a group of people at Visit Milwaukee and outside organizations raised about $100,000 for the project.
"We brought Henry in, shows creator, Gary Marshall, the cast and crew, including Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams from Laverne and Shirley. And we had a huge party and dedication back in 2008. The idea was a photo op for locals and visitors, and it's incredible the Fonz statue is growing in popularity," Fantle said.
Marquette University shared a statement regarding his death.
"The university is shocked and saddened at the loss of Professor David Fantle. His passion for film and TV history and care for his students will be deeply missed," the university said.
Winkler appeared on the third hour of the "Today" show today, coinciding with the news of Fantle's passing.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
