Henry Winkler reflected on a fascinating story about how a crumpled piece of paper belonging to Dolly Parton turned into an unexpected souvenir for one actor.
Henry Winkler Recalls Filming Scene on 1986 Movie
The Hollywood veteran directed the 1986 made-for-TV film, “A Smoky Mountain Christmas,” which was also one of Parton’s early acting credits. At Rhode Island Comic Con on November 7, Winkler discussed his experience working with Parton and revealed his on-set rule: no stealing props.
“So there was a moment when in the movie, she’s kidnapped,” Winkler recalled of Parton’s character, People reports. “And the police come, and they are searching her apartment, trying to find clues and everything.” One of the actors who played a cop requested a souvenir. “I would love to take a souvenir. What can I take?” Winkler recalled him saying, to which he responded, “Anything you take would be stealing.”
But the boom microphone operator had a “great idea,” suggesting the actor take an item from the trash can. “She was writing music, and she crumpled it up and threw it in the trash can,” Winkler recalled. “It was gonna be trash anyway. You could take that,” Winkler said the boom operator said. He added, “And that was my experience with Dolly.”
Henry Winkler Calls Dolly Parton an ‘Amazing Soul’
In an August appearance on “ Jimmy Kimmel Live,” Winkler spoke about Parton and how incredible she was. “One of my first directing jobs ever was her first television movie. It was called ‘A Smoky Mountain Christmas,’ Winkler said, Entertainment Weekly reports. “Everything you imagine, she is, or was. Everything that you wanted her to be, she was.”
He reflected on Parton’s talents before saying, “I still… I’m talking about her as if she’s still here.” Parton died on August 25, 2026. She was 80. Winkler called her “an amazing soul on this earth.”
Henry Winkler’s Inspiring Career
Like Parton, Winkler has had an incredible career, and he overcame so much to succeed. In a November 2023 interview with “PBS News Weekend,” he discussed how he built an acting career despite having dyslexia.
“Destiny is very strange, because I’ve chosen a profession that is so unbelievably difficult, not only to survive in, but to participate in for me,” he said, Fox News Digital reports. “When we were doing ‘Happy Days’ or any table read, which is the whole cast all the producers, the directors, everybody on the crew listening, for the first time to the script. I couldn’t read off the page. And it was embarrassing. It was humiliating. I covered it with humor.”
Winkler’s acting work has spanned decades, and he has had many incredible experiences. He reflected on these in an appearance on the “Funny You Ask with Ike Barinholtz” podcast in October. He shared that he has a mantra that helps to keep him inspired.
He said: “Now I never knew that I would do this. See, here is the lesson at this moment in time that I’ve really learned. Show up,” People reports. “You can find a billion reasons to say no: your fear, your fear of failure. Just shut up and show up.”
Henry Winkler Remembers Actor Stealing Something From Dolly Parton’s Trash Can in Interesting Story