Henry Jaynes Fonda

'''Henry Jaynes Fonda''' (1905-82), American Actor

This page is written and copyright 2008 by Will Johnson, Freelance biographer, [mailto:wjhonson@aol.com wjhonson@aol.com].

Should you have corrections, additions, deletions, chocolate eclairs, effusive praise, or vicious catty comments, please email me.

===Early life (1905-1926)===

Henry Fonda was born 16 May 1905 in Grand Island, Hall County, [[Nebraska]] to William Brace Fonda and his wife Herberta Jaynes.  It's not clear yet if the family was actually living in Grand Island, or visiting or if that's where a hospital or something was.  William Fonda, Henry's father was enumerated in 1900 in Omaha.

Whether they lived there temporarily or were visiting, in 1910 the family is enumerated in the U.S. Federal Census living in Omaha.  William's occupation in 1910 is "Salesman, Advertising Jobber", while in 1920 still in Omaha, he is a "Proprietor, Commercial Print Shop"

Henry graduated from Omaha Central High School in 1923.  A much later newspaper mention of him [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=4564143&currentResult=3&src=search&firstvisit=true here] states that he went to the University of Minnesota and got a degree, his thesis being on communication systems. Another source states that he had been studying journalism but dropped out after about two years.

Dorothy Brando, was an amateur actress and the co-founder of the Omaha Community Playhouse. She was also the mother of [[Marlon Brando]] and a friend to Henry Fonda's mother. She first got Henry Fonda interested in acting, his first role being Ricky in 1925 in the play ''You and I'' at that playhouse. His first starring role was also there, as Merton in ''Merton of the Movies'' in 1926 or 1927.

The first newspaper mention of Henry Fonda I find is Feb 1926, when he appeared at "The Strand" playing the role of Major John Hay, secretary to Abraham Lincoln, who was played by George Billings. I here correct Biography.com which incorrectly states that this occurred in 1927.  Answers.com [http://www.answers.com/topic/henry-fonda here] states that Billings and Fonda toured for three months, after which, he returning to Omaha, became "assistant director at the Omaha Community Playhouse."

"Dad had a $30-a-week job as a clerk at the Retail Credit Company in Omaha, but [[Marlon Brando]]'s mother a friend of my grandmother's, got him involved in the Omaha Community Playhouse, where dad was offered the part of Merton in the play ''Merton of the Movies''." (''My Life'', page 34)  I think this is a little confused, even if it does come from Jane herself.  The chronology is probably that he was in a few things before Merton, but Merton was his first '''starring''' role, and so stands out.  The story of the play ''Merton of the Movies'' is that Merton is a terrible actor. When film producers see how funny his over-acting is, they put him in a comedy but tell him it's a drama.

In his early twenties, "...he hitched a ride to Cape Cod with a family friend and soon hooked up with the University Players, a summer stock repertory company in Falmouth, Massachusetts." (''My Life'', p. 35)  Rather then just limiting ourselves to "his early twenties" we can pinpoint this exactly to 1928, but no earlier or later.

"When [[Margaret Sullavan]] was invited to join the University Players the following summer in Falmouth, she stole his shy Nebraska heart.  Their romance bloomed until Sullavan went off to star in a Broadway play." (''My Story'', p. 36).  Margaret's Wikipedia biography [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Sullavan here] states that both Henry and she were in the 1929 "undergraduate musical" ''Close Up''.  Since this was presumably while school was in session, it must have been in the Spring of that year.  It doesn't seem likely that Henry was performing as a member of the college, so perhaps this play had outside actors as well.  Margaret was then invited to join the University Players.  It is also possible that the Wikipedia entry is confused and that Fonda was not in that play, but only met Margaret, as his daughter Jane states, when she joined the summer stock a few months later.

In Apr 1930, he is enumerated, living in the household of his parents back in Omaha as an unemployed actor, and single.  "After a year and a half of courting her, he proposed and they married. They lived in Greenwich Village, New York City, but the marriage only lasted about four months."

===1930-1933===

NOTE: (scratch this paragraph!) A newspaper article dated 13 Jul 1930 puts a maximal date on when Henry married Margaret as it states : "Henry Fonda and Margaret Sullavan, married and divorced, are going together again...."  And again an announcement on 9 Jul 1930 of a new film ''Reno in the Fall'' co-starring Henry Fonda opposite Margaret Sullavan, calls him her "ex-husband".  It appears likely, from silence, that this film was never made.

Arrrrrrghhhh!  I hate it when this happens.  [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=22968994&currentResult=1&src=search Here] on NewspaperArchive.com we see a page from the ''Syracuse Herald'' (Syracuse, New York), and newspaper archive has it indexed at 9 Jul 1930, page 31.  This is '''one''' of the pages I was using to prove that Henry and Margaret had married earlier than supposed.  OK.  Now, the first thing I notice is that the image of this page actually says "Page Sixteen".  The date on the page is blurred '''just enough''' that it could be 1930 or 1936.  I'm starting to get a bad feeling here.  Slowly flipping back I notice something odd.  Every page, even-numbered in the index appears to say "1930", but every page odd-numbered in the index appears to say "1936"!  Gah!  Smacks forehead, NewspaperArchive has merged two different sets of pages into one run!  '''So''' apparently this announcement of a new film ''Reno in the Fall'' co-starring Henry Fonda opposite Margaret Sullavan, and calling him her "ex-husband" is supposed to be dated 9 Jul 1936.

Henry played the Prince in ''Cinderella'' in Nov 1930 opposite Suzanne Pollard (stage name "Shirley Horton"), daughter of the Governor of Virginia (see [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=50005553&currentResult=3&src=search&firstvisit=true here]). The Wikipedia biography of Jimmy Stewart [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Stewart_(actor) here] citing Houghton (1951) and also Eliot (2006) states that Henry Fonda and Margaret Sullavan did (re)marry on Christmas Day 1931, but by the following Summer of 1932 this second (re-)marriage had also ended.  Her Wikipedia biography states that they married in Baltimore, Maryland.  I've now found a contemporary announcement that they did marry on Christmas Day, 1931, the place not specified.

It was reportedly in this Summer of 1932 that Henry met and was the roommate of fellow-actor [[Jimmy Stewart]].  Some sources state that Stewart was also a member of the University Players, starting that Summer.

Meanwhile, his future wife, Frances (Seymour) Brokaw who had married George Brokaw Jan 1931 was "...living in splendor as Mrs Brokaw, in a mansion with a moat on Fifth Avenue..." (''My Life'', p 36)

Henry appeared on Broadway in 1932's ''I Love You Wednesday''.  In Sep 1932 he played the part of Inspector Enderby in ''Michael and Mary'' (see [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=55696065&currentResult=5&src=search&firstvisit=true here]).  He then had a role in the 1933 Broadway play ''Forsaking All Others''.  A Dec 1933 article in the ''New York Times'' mentions that he is rehearsing in the play ''Love Story''.

Henry Fonda co-starred with [[Imogene Coca]] in ''New Faces of 1934'' which opened March 1934. This was the first of [[Leonard Sillman]]'s annual revues, each called ''New Faces''. See the mention [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=38771701&currentResult=2&src=search&firstvisit=true here].  Note the interesting tidbit, that one of the potential backers who came to watch the auditions was none other than [[Libby Holmon]] later to be well-known in regards to her relationship with [[Montgomery Clift]].  Libby you will recall was the torch-singer who married a wealthy man who died such an interesting death that Libby went on trial for it.

Henry Fonda "will appear" opposite Margaret Sullavan in the play ''Coquette'' at the Westchester Playhouse in Mount Kisco, New York for the week 2 Jul 1934. (NYT, 15 Jun 1934).  Because of this, his multiple roles in ''New Faces'', still then running, were distributed among four other actors. (NYT, 22 Jun 1934).

At this time "Leland Hayward, who was on the brink of becoming the top talent agent in the country, signed him up and convinced a reluctant Fonda to go to Hollywood for $1,000 a week." (''My Life'', p 37).   

On 14 Aug 1934, a columnist is reporting that Henry was then on the Universal lot and had "signed with Walter Wagner [sic], to play an important part in ''The President Vanishes''" (see [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=45596791&currentResult=7&src=search&firstvisit=true here]).  And [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=40782721&firstvisit=true&src=search&currentResult=0 on 2 Sep 1934], another column states that he signed with Walter Wagner [sic] to "make two pictures a year starting with the summer months of 1935."  But note that "Henry Fonda, Broadway actor who will be seen this season [Winter of 1934 ?] in 'Rome Haul'" (erroneously called Rome "Hall"), which probably means he was still then in New York.  Evidently this title was the title of the book by Walter Edmonds, and the play was re-named ''The Farmer Takes a Wife'' (see [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=49072003&currentResult=21&src=search&firstvisit=true here]).  The play appeared on Broadway, and tells the story of Molly Harkins, a pretty girl who works as a cook on a boat, moving from town to town.  She meets Dan Harrow, a rough, simple man who wants to settle down as a farmer.  He has to convince her to marry him and farm.  Henry Fonda plays the man, and June Walker the woman (see [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=23032494&currentResult=22&src=search&firstvisit=true here]).  Noel Thornton was a bit psychic when he stated,<blockquote>"Indeed young Fonda is so good in the early part of the show that he undoubtedly will be transferred to the movie colony in jig time to become the newest of the leading men for Norma Shearer, Constance Bennett or Miriam Hopkins."</blockquote>

Henry and Margaret had  remained on reasonable terms for some time.  They were seen out-together once-in-a-while, and there was some gossip that they might remarry.  Jane Fonda however states that just after Henry and Margaret separated, Margaret had taken up with producer Jed Harris. "Dad would stand outside her window, knowing Harris was inside with her."<blockquote>"That just destroyed me," he said a lifetime later to Howard Teichmann. "Never in my life have I felt so betrayed, so rejected, so alone."</blockquote> Margaret and Jed however didn't marry, even though the gossip was they might, her next marriage was to director William Wyler.  He was directing her in her current film and there was '''no gossip''' that they were even romantically linked. So the marriage was a complete surprise. In the Nov 1934 article mentioning that Margaret had just re-married, they state that Fonda and she had divorced "two years ago".

In Jul 1935, the New York Times is reporting that Henry Fonda is under contact with "Walter Wanger, Paramount producer" and working at the Fox studios in a new version of ''Way Down East''.  Also in 1935, Henry Fonda worked in ''The Trail of the Lonesome Pine'' with Sylvia Sidney and Fred MacMurray, but the film didn't open until Feb 1936.

In Oct 1935 it was announced [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=48805611&firstvisit=true&src=search&currentResult=8 here] that he had been engaged for two months to 21-year-old singer and star of ''Anything Goes'' Shirley Ross and "wedding plans are being made."

Margaret Sullivan, "whose marriage headed to the divorce court today" (see [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=48805611&firstvisit=true&src=search&currentResult=8 here] where today is the suprisingly late 27 Feb 1936). By Mar 1936 she had obtained a "mail-order divorce" from Chihuahua, Mexico (see [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=6494756&firstvisit=true&src=search&currentResult=7]).  A newspaper report at that time, stated that speculation that she and Henry Fonda might re-marry led her, when asked, only to say "maybe".  A follow-up piece stated that this report was very upsetting to her, that she had never said any such thing (see [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=37004376&firstvisit=true&src=search&currentResult=13]).

"Henry Fonda sailed for England last night on the Normandie to appear with Annabella, the French actress, in ''Wings of the Morning'', which New World will make in Technicolor for release by Twentieth Century-Fox." ([http://scplweb.santacruzpl.org:2249/pqdweb?index=196&did=88674105&SrchMode=1&sid=2&Fmt=7&retrieveGroup=0&VType=PQD&VInst=PROD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1218580871&clientId=54310 ''New York Times'', 18 Jun 1936]). On 15 Jul 1936 [http://scplweb.santacruzpl.org:2249/pqdweb?index=199&did=87962669&SrchMode=1&sid=2&Fmt=7&retrieveGroup=0&VType=PQD&VInst=PROD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1218581506&clientId=54310 an article in the New York Times] is stating that Henry is then on the set in Denham, England (near London), Alexander Korda's London Film Company, he being one of the directors for United Artists.

In an article dated 7 Jul 1936 Walter Wanger was announcing that "next June" he hoped to start production on his first Italian picture, probably with Henry Fonda (NYT, 7 Jul 1936).  It is not clear whether this "probably with Henry Fonda" is a direct quote from Wanger, or the opinion of the columnist.

On his return from London in Sep 1936 to New York, he lists his address as "235 N Carmetina, West Los Angeles".  Soon after their return to New York, they were married.  Frances was a wealthy widow with a young daughter Frances "Pan" Brokaw from her prior marriage to George Tuttle Brokaw (see [http://scplweb.santacruzpl.org:2249/pqdweb?index=218&did=88694858&SrchMode=1&sid=2&Fmt=7&retrieveGroup=0&VType=PQD&VInst=PROD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1218583638&clientId=54310 here]), a retired lawyer and sportsman, many years her senior, who had died in May 1935.  Frances' family on both sides came from some sort of high-society as her engagement announcement makes clear.  Henry was to spend a few days in New York, and on [http://scplweb.santacruzpl.org:2249/pqdweb?index=219&did=87989590&SrchMode=1&sid=2&Fmt=7&retrieveGroup=0&VType=PQD&VInst=PROD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1218583654&clientId=54310 9 Sep 1936 the ''New York Times''] is reporting that Walter P. Chrysler Jr gave a reception for the engaged-couple at the Waldorf Astoria.  The article mentions the names of about 40 people who were present.  The next day, the New York Times is reporting that they obtained a marriage license at the Municipal Building (New York City) and that they would be married within a few days.  A long article about his travel in Europe is [http://scplweb.santacruzpl.org:2249/pqdweb?index=222&did=85420860&SrchMode=1&sid=2&Fmt=7&retrieveGroup=0&VType=PQD&VInst=PROD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1218584075&clientId=54310 here].  They were to be married, per [http://scplweb.santacruzpl.org:2249/pqdweb?index=225&did=88696250&SrchMode=1&sid=2&Fmt=7&retrieveGroup=0&VType=PQD&VInst=PROD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1218584362&clientId=54310 this article] on the 16 Sep 1936 in Christ Church, at Park Avenue and Sixtieth, New York City.  Then the marriage took place and was announced yet again! (See [http://scplweb.santacruzpl.org:2249/pqdweb?index=226&did=93529126&SrchMode=1&sid=2&Fmt=7&retrieveGroup=0&VType=PQD&VInst=PROD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1218584385&clientId=54310 here]).  Her sister Miss Marjory Capell Seymour was her maid-of-honor, and Joshua Logan was the best man.  The ushers were Leland Hayward and H. Roger Seymour, another brother of the bride.  They will make their home in Beverly Hills.  This article is where we learn that her first husband died in May 1935.  Unlike a few other cases such as [[Elizabeth Montogomery]] and her father [[Robert Montgomery]], the marriage of "the former Mrs Frances Ford Seymour Brokaw to Henry Fonda, the movie actor" did not cause her to be expelled from the ''Social Register''.  She still appeared in the relevant issue, with the marriage recorded under her name. (See [http://scplweb.santacruzpl.org:2249/pqdweb?index=240&did=88085649&SrchMode=1&sid=2&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1218584775&clientId=54310 here]).

Henry Fonda and Frances Seymour were the parents of actors [[Jane Fonda]] (b. 21 Dec 1937) and [[Peter Fonda]].  Jane was born in New York City while Henry was filming ''Jezebel'' with [[Bette Davis]].  William Wyler, the director of Jezebel, was none other than the next husband of Henry's ex-wife Margaret Sullavan.  William and Margaret had married at the end of 1934.

Henry had had it written into his contract that if his wife gave birth while they were shooting ''Jezebel'', he could fly back to New York to be with them.  Jane comments in her biography, how her father stated that he took dozens of pictures while there at the hospital, and that she has them.  She wistfully comments that in none of these pictures is there one of her mother holding her.

Henry in 1937 returned again to the stage for a brief run in ''Blow Ye Winds''.  The next year 1938, saw Henry's appearence in ''Spawn of the North'' starring George Raft and Dorothy Lamour.  You will of course remember George Raft because of the role he played in the relationship between [[Lucille Ball]] and Desi Arnaz.

In 1939 Henry "had a leading role" in ''The Story of Alexander Graham Bell'' also starring Don Ameche and Loretta Young.  In newspaper articles, at this time, is where we find the appropos mention that Henry had written a thesis on communication systems while he was in college.

Margaret Sullavan eventually married Fonda's agent Leland Hayward and "lived just down the street in the 1940s", this according to his daughter Jane who remembers playing with the Hayward children.  Margaret eventually committed suicide in the 1960's.  Her daughter Brooke Hayward wrote a book ''Haywire'' about her parents Margaret and Leland Hayward.

<table><tr><td>http://www.afi.com/Images/tvevents/laa/archive/gal_Fonda_Henry_3.jpg Henry Fonda as Tom Joad (Credit afi.com)</td><td>

Henry Fonda played the title role in 1939's ''Young Mr. Lincoln''.  In 1940 Henry received his first Oscar nomination playing in arguably his best-known role, as Tom Joad in the 1940 film ''The Grapes of Wrath'' based on the novel by Steinbeck. To get this role, he had agree to a seven-year contract which compelled him to play in such nothings as the romantic-comedy ''The Lady Eve'' in 1941 with [[Barbara Stanwyck]] and 1942's ''The Male Animal''.

Henry's co-starring role opposite [[Lucille Ball]] in 1942's ''The Big Street'' should probably be put into this category as well, except I can't quite get over this strangely self-centered, bitchy Lucy.  It's so different from her remembered character that you're forced to watch.  It's Lucy that makes this a movie-to-see, even though it's not her best work and it's a bit off-kilter.  Henry plays a man deeply in love with her, who she doesn't notice, thinking him beneath her station, even though he comes to her rescue several times.  Also as one of the supporting cast in this movie was [[Agnes Moorehead]].

</td></tr></table>

During WWII Henry Fonda served in the Navy, even though he was exempt.  For this he received a Bronze Star.

In 1946 he played Wyatt Earp in ''My Darling Clementine''.  In 1948 Henry returned to Broadway starring in ''Mister Roberts'' for it's multi-year run. He would reprise his role seven years later in the film version.

Jane states that Henry was a man of dark moods and that they "...lived in constant awareness of the minefield we had to tread so as not to trigger his rage." (''My Life'', p 35).  On 14 Oct 1950 his then-wife Frances Seymour killed herself by slitting her throat while in a mental hospital.  Three months later, in Dec 1950, Henry married Susan Blanchard.  They divorced in 1956.

<table><tr><td>On stage he played businessman Charles Gray in 1951's ''Point of No Return''.  He was the prosecuting attorney Lt. Greenwald in 1954's ''The Caine Mutiny Court‐Martial''.

In 1955 he returned to film starring in that year's ''Mister Roberts'' with [[Jack Lemmon]].  In 1957 he was in ''12 Angry Men''.  Fonda married his fourth wife, Countess Adfera Franchetti, on 10 Mar 1957. They divorced in 1962.

He was again on-stage as lawyer Jerry Ryan in 1958's ''Two for the Seesaw''.  He played John, in 1959 in ''Silent Night, Lonely Night''.  And he was drama critic Parker Ballantine in 1960's ''Critic's Choice''.

Fonda married for the fifth and final time to model and stewardess Shirlee Adams, in 1965, and that same year played on-stage the conservative executive Jim Bolton in ''Generation''.</td>

<td>http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/d/d0/250px-Fonda.henry.12am.JPG<br>Henry Fonda in 1957's ''12 Angry Men''<br>(Credit Answers.com)</td></tr></table>

Henry Fonda worked again with [[Lucille Ball]] in 1968's film ''Yours, Mine and Ours''.  Again he returned to the stage for the 1974 one-man show ''Clarence Darrow''.  But shortly after played Adm. Chester Nimitz in the 1976 film ''Midway''.  In 1978 he appeared as liberal Supreme Court Justice Daniel Snow in ''First Monday in October''.

His first Best Actor Oscar did not come until 1981 for ''On Golden Pond'' co-starring [[Katherine Hepburn]] as his wife, and his real-life daughter [[Jane Fonda]] playing his movie daughter.

Henry Fonda died of heart failure 12 Aug 1982 in [[Los Angeles County, California]].</td></tr></table>

*[http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&rank=0&gsfn=&gsln=Fonda&sx=&f7=&f9=&f10=&f18__n=&f20=nebraska&rg_81004011__date=&rs_81004011__date=0&f23=&f17=&f16=&rg_f19__date=&rs_f19__date=0&_8000C002=&f21=&_80008002=&f22=&_80018002=&gskw=&prox=1&db=1910uscenindex&ti=0&ti.si=0&gss=angs-d&fh=11&recid=44813824&recoff=3+18+19 1910 Census of Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska]

*[http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&rank=0&gsfn=&gsln=Fonda&sx=&f8=&f9=&f10=&f20=Nebraska&rg_fa5__date=&rs_fa5__date=0&f16__n=&rg_f19__date=&rs_f19__date=0&f18=&fa20=&f21=&fa18=&f22=&fa14=&gskw=&prox=1&db=1920usfedcen&ti=0&ti.si=0&gss=angs-d&fh=17&recid=51390463&recoff=3+18+19 1920 Census of Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska]

*[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid=7488&iid=NYT715_5860-0051&fn=Henry&ln=Fonda&st=r&ssrc=&pid=21298558 4 Sep 1936]