Henry Winkler doesn't mind confessing that he acted like a complete fan the other night. The actor/author/ producer/director tells us he got to "spend a little time with Patty and Bruce Springsteen, so my life is pretty complete now."

The Fonz meets The Boss! A pop culture moment! This was at a birthday party for manager Sandy Gallin, a private event, so no paparazzi. Were photos taken? Winkler says no. "I wondered, 'Should I take out my phone and take a picture?' I couldn't do it, couldn't do it. I had to slap my hand out of the way. I got tongue-tied, I swear to you," he says. "I've been to his concerts and -- oh! If there is such a thing as reincarnation, I'm coming back as Bruce."

Winkler's been in New York shooting episodes of "Royal Pains," on which he'll soon be seen playing the con artist dad of Mark Feuerstein and Paulo Costanzo. The show returns June 3. Henry's wife, Stacey, is by his side. The Winklers' two sons are in NYC, so they've had a chance for some get-togethers.

"Max just finished his first movie -- with Uma Thurman. He wrote it and produced it with his writing partner," Henry reports. "And, our older son Jed lives here with his incredible wife, Amanda, and six months ago, they had a daughter. Now I know the bliss of being a grandparent. I know other people say this, but my granddaughter is the smartest child on the planet. She's the only one in the family who speaks Portuguese," he dead-pans.

His daughter "Zoe is happily married now, and teaching in L.A. I call to hear her voice and send her a hug."

With his 17th Hank Zipzer kids' book freshly launched, a new recurring series role he loves, and his family doing well, the beloved star is having happy days indeed. And, it all goes back to his finding the grit and drive to work through difficult childhood years of being unable to do well in school, due to an undiagnosed case of dyslexia.

A tireless advocate for kids with learning difficulties (actually, for kids in general), he heads to Canada this week to give a speech before a thousand educators. He frequently does such motivational appearances, and, of course, his 17 Hank Zipzer books, with their learning-challenged hero (written in collaboration with Lin Oliver), have been a boon to such kids, their parents and teachers as well.

"It was so worth going through that, because look where I am now," he says.

Springsteen and all.