Henry Jaynes Fonda
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(→Early life) |
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Henry graduated from Omaha Central High School in 1923. A much later newspaper mention of him [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=4564143¤tResult=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. | Henry graduated from Omaha Central High School in 1923. A much later newspaper mention of him [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=4564143¤tResult=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. | |
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| + | 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 most likely pinpoint this exactly to either 1927 or 1928, but no earlier or later. | ||
<table><tr><td>http://www.afi.com/Images/tvevents/laa/archive/gal_Fonda_Henry_2.jpg<br> | <table><tr><td>http://www.afi.com/Images/tvevents/laa/archive/gal_Fonda_Henry_2.jpg<br> | ||
A very young Henry Fonda (Credit afi.com)</td><td> | A very young Henry Fonda (Credit afi.com)</td><td> | ||
| − | The following year he met and fell in love with fellow-actress [[Margaret Sullavan]]. Her Wikipedia biography [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Sullavan here] states that both her and Henry 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 they had outside actors as well. She was then invited to join the University Players. | + | "The following year" he met and fell in love with fellow-actress [[Margaret Sullavan]]. Her Wikipedia biography [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Sullavan here] states that both her and Henry 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 they had outside actors as well. She was then invited to join the University Players. |
"She appeared as Goldina opposite Fonda in the first production of their second summer stock season in 1929, ''The Devil in the Cheese'', her debut on the professional stage." (Wikipedia, "Margaret Sullavan") | "She appeared as Goldina opposite Fonda in the first production of their second summer stock season in 1929, ''The Devil in the Cheese'', her debut on the professional stage." (Wikipedia, "Margaret Sullavan") | ||
