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The Fonz Takes A Tumble From WCCO News Desk

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The actor best known as Fonzie, the king of '50s biker cool, ended up taking a somewhat Jerry Lewis-like spill from WCCO's morning news set Friday.

Henry Winkler, best known as the Fonzie and currently appearing on cable's Adult Swim network shot "Children's Hospital," was making an appearance on WCCO This Morning to talk about a benefit he's in town to promote.

Winkler is visiting the Golden Valley Courage Center at 11:30 a.m. and the Mankato Clinic at 3 p.m. in connection with the Open Arms campaign, which raises awareness of upper limb spasticity.

Winkler's own mother suffered a stroke about 10 years ago and developed upper limb spasticity, which affects an estimated 1 million Americans. About 58 percent of stroke survivors develop the condition, which can lead to "muscle stiffness and muscle tightness in the elbow, wrist and fingers," according to Open Arms' website.

"It happens to so many people who've had a stroke," Winkler said, "because their secondary muscles seize up."

Winkler said there has been a new development in treating upper limb spasticity, and it involves the therapeutic use of Botox, which he said was used for neurological purposes even before it was used for cosmetic procedures.

Winkler rose to fame playing Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli on ABC's sitcom "Happy Days." Since then, Winkler has played a variety of roles, including incompetent attorney Barry Zuckerkorn on "Arrested Development."

Winkler said on Twitter last month that he would be reprising that role along with the rest of the "Arrested Development" cast in a series of new episodes and also a movie.

Halfway through his interview with Angela Davis and Mike Binkley Friday morning, Winkler's chair slipped out from beneath him and fell off the side of the set. Winkler managed to stay atop the set, and even joked about the situation.

"No, I don't think I'm going to sit on this set anymore," Winkler joked. "I'm just going to hold on."

You can watch the entire interview in the video below. For more information on Open Arms, click here.

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