Henry Fonda

From Bashful Boy to Natural Actor

Henry Jaynes Fonda was born on May 16, 1905, in Nebraska, where he spent his youth before leaving for college at the University of Minnesota. He majored in journalism but left in his sophomore year, returned to Nebraska, and worked as a file clerk for a credit company.

The Accidental Actor

Family friend, Dorothy Brando (Yes, Marlon’s mom!), suggested this shy, awkward 20-year-old audition for a play at the Omaha Community Playhouse—and he was cast. The following season, he got the lead in the satirical comedy, Merton of the Movies, and he decided that acting would be his career. He quit his job and moved east.

From Stage to Screen

After a few years in regional and summer stock theaters, Fonda had a successful Broadway run as the lead in The Farmer Takes a Wife, a role he reprised in the film version, starring opposite Janet Gaynor. Now, the guy who often struggled to make ends meet in New York, along with his roommate and best friend, James Stewart, was making $3,000 a week.

More movies followed, including many made by the famous Western director, John Ford. Some of Fonda’s outstanding Westerns include: Jesse James (1939) with Tyrone Power, Drums Along the Mohawk (1939) with Claudette Colbert, My Darling Clementine (1946) with Victor Mature and Linda Darnell, Fort Apache (1948) with John Wayne, The Ox-Bow Incident with Anthony Quinn, The Tin Star (1957) with Anthony Perkins, Warlock (1959) with Richard Widmark, How the West Was Won (1962) which also featured James Stewart and John Wayne, Firecreek (1968) with James Stewart, spaghetti western, Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) with Charles Bronson and Claudia Cardinale.

Despite making over 100 films, Fonda’s only Academy Award win was for On Golden Pond (1981), which also starred his daughter, Jane Fonda. He died from heart disease the following year on Aug. 12, 1982. He was 77.