Henry Fonda

16 May 1905 (119 years old) in Grand Island, Nebraska, USA

Henry Jaynes Fonda (May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American actor who had a career that spanned five decades in Hollywood. Fonda cultivated a strong, appealing screen image in several films now considered to be classics, earning one Academy Award for Best Actor on two nominations. Fonda made his mark early as a Broadway actor and made his Hollywood film debut in 1935. His film career began to gain momentum with roles such as Bette Davis's fiancee in her Academy Award-winning performance in Jezebel (1938), brother Frank in Jesse James (1939), and the future President in Young Mr. Lincoln (1939), directed by John Ford. His early career peaked with his Academy Award-nominated performance as Tom Joad in The Grapes of Wrath, about an Oklahoma family who moved to California during the Dust Bowl 1930s. This film is widely considered to be among the greatest American films. In 1941 he starred opposite Barbara Stanwyck in the screwball comedy classic The Lady Eve. Book-ending his service in WWII were his starring roles in two highly regarded westerns: The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) and My Darling Clementine (1946), the latter directed by John Ford, and he also starred in Ford's western Fort Apache (1948). After a seven-year break from films, during which Fonda focused on stage productions, he returned with the WWII war-boat ensemble Mister Roberts (1955). In 1957 he starred as Juror No.8, the hold-out juror, in 12 Angry Men. Fonda, who was also co-producer, won the BAFTA for Best Foreign Actor. Later in his career, Fonda moved into darker roles, such as the villain in the epic Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), underrated and a box office disappointment at its time of release, but now regarded as one of the best westerns of all time. He also played in lighter-hearted fare such as Yours, Mine and Ours with Lucille Ball, but also often played important military figures, such as a Colonel in Battle of the Bulge (1965), and Admiral Nimitz in Midway (1976). He finally won the Academy Award for Best Actor at the 54th Academy Awards for his final film role in On Golden Pond (1981), which also starred Katharine Hepburn and his daughter Jane Fonda, but was too ill to attend the ceremony. He died from heart disease a few months later. Description above from the Wikipedia article Henry Fonda, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

Credits

  • 2024 · Henry Fonda for President as Self (archive footage)
  • 2023 · The Fondas: A Cinematic Dynasty as Self - Actor (archive footage)
  • 2020 · Charles Bronson: The Spirit of Masculinity as Self (archive footage)
  • 2020 · Jay Sebring… Cutting to the Truth as Self (archive footage)
  • 2020 · 'Fail-Safe' and the Cold War as Self (archive footage)
  • 2019 · John Ford: The Man Who Invented America as Self - Actor (archive footage)
  • 2018 · Jane Fonda in Five Acts as Self (archive footage)
  • 2015 · Spanish Western as Self (archive footage)
  • 2013 · John Ford & Monument Valley as Self (archive footage)
  • 2008 · Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Making '12 Angry Men' as Self (archive footage)
  • 2006 · Jezebel: Legend of the South as Self (archive footage)
  • 2006 · Sacco and Vanzetti as Prof. Tommy Turner (archive footage)
  • 2004 · Guilt Trip: Hitchcock and 'The Wrong Man' as Self (archive footage)
  • 2003 · The Wages of Sin as Self (archive footage)
  • 2003 · Something to Do with Death as Self (archive footage)
  • 2003 · An Opera of Violence as Self - Actor (archive footage)
  • 2000 · Revisiting 'Fail-Safe' as Self (archive footage)
  • 1997 · Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down The Line as Self (archive footage)
  • 1997 · Henry Fonda: Hollywood's Quiet Hero as Self (archive footage)
  • 1993 · La Classe américaine as Hugues (archive footage)
  • 1992 · Fonda on Fonda as Self (archive footage)
  • 1991 · Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker as
  • 1991 · Barbara Stanwyck: Fire and Desire as Self (archive footage)
  • 1990 · Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To as (archive footage)
  • 1988 · The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind as Self (archive footage)
  • 1984 · Going Hollywood: The '30s as (archive footage)
  • 1982 · Let Poland Be Poland as Self
  • 1981 · Summer Solstice as Joshua
  • 1981 · On Golden Pond as Norman Thayer Jr.
  • 1981 · The Greatest Man in the World as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
  • 1980 · Gideon's Trumpet as Clarence Earl Gideon
  • 1980 · The Oldest Living Graduate as Col. J.C. Kincaid
  • 1980 · The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
  • 1980 · Barn Burning as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
  • 1980 · The Jilting of Granny Weatherall as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
  • 1980 · Paul's Case as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
  • 1980 · The Golden Honeymoon as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
  • 1980 · The Sensational Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70's as Self (archive footage)
  • 1980 · Rappaccini's Daughter as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
  • 1980 · The Sky Is Gray as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
  • 1979 · Meteor as The President
  • 1979 · City on Fire as Fire Chief Risley
  • 1979 · The Man Who Loved Bears as Self
  • 1979 · Wanda Nevada as Old Prospector
  • 1979 · Roots: The Next Generations as Col. Frederick Warner
  • 1978 · The Kennedy Center Honors as Self
  • 1978 · A Special Sesame Street Christmas as Self
  • 1978 · The Swarm as Dr. Walter Krim
  • 1978 · Fedora as President of the Academy
  • 1978 · The Great Smokey Roadblock as Elegant John
  • 1978 · Home to Stay as Grandpa George
  • 1978 · The Biggest Battle as Generale Foster
  • 1978 · Inside 'the Swarm' as Self
  • 1977 · Laugh-In as Guest Performer
  • 1977 · Rollercoaster as Simon Davenport
  • 1977 · The Displaced Person as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
  • 1977 · I'm a Fool as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
  • 1977 · Tentacles as Mr. Whitehead
  • 1977 · The Blue Hotel as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
  • 1977 · Soldier's Home as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
  • 1977 · Underground Doctors as Self - Host
  • 1976 · Bernice Bobs Her Hair as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
  • 1976 · Captains and the Kings as Sen. Enfield Bassett
  • 1976 · Midway as Adm. Chester W. Nimitz
  • 1976 · Family as James Lawrence
  • 1976 · Collision Course: Truman vs. MacArthur as Gen. Douglas MacArthur
  • 1975 · Parkinson: Meet Henry Fonda as Self
  • 1974 · Dinah! as Self
  • 1974 · Spécial cinéma as Self (archive footage)
  • 1974 · Clarence Darrow as Clarence Darrow
  • 1974 · Letter to Jane: An Investigation About a Still as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
  • 1974 · The Last Four Days as Kardinal Schuster
  • 1973 · My Name Is Nobody as Jack Beauregard
  • 1973 · Ash Wednesday as Mark Sawyer
  • 1973 · The Alpha Caper as Mark Forbes
  • 1973 · The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts as Self
  • 1973 · The Serpent as Alan Davies
  • 1973 · The American Film Institute Salute to ... as Self
  • 1973 · The Red Pony as Carl Tiflin
  • 1971 · Sometimes a Great Notion as Henry Stamper
  • 1971 · The American West of John Ford as Self - Narrator
  • 1971 · Cadet Rousselle as Self
  • 1971 · Directed by John Ford as
  • 1971 · V.I.P. Schaukel as Self
  • 1971 · The Smith Family as Chad Smith
  • 1971 · All in the Family as Self
  • 1970 · There Was a Crooked Man... as Woodward W. Lopeman
  • 1970 · The Cheyenne Social Club as Harley Sullivan
  • 1970 · Too Late the Hero as Capt. John G Nolan
  • 1969 · The Bill Cosby Show as Joshua Richards
  • 1969 · Stiletto as
  • 1969 · An Impression of John Steinbeck: Writer as John Steinbeck (voice)
  • 1968 · Once Upon a Time in the West as Frank
  • 1968 · Pat Paulsen for President as Narrator (voice)
  • 1968 · The Boston Strangler as John S. Bottomly
  • 1968 · The Doris Day Show as Henry Fonda (uncredited)
  • 1968 · The Dick Cavett Show as Self - Guest
  • 1968 · Yours, Mine and Ours as Frank Beardsley
  • 1968 · Madigan as Commissioner Anthony X. Russell
  • 1968 · Firecreek as Bob Larkin
  • 1968 · A Space to Grow as Narrator
  • 1967 · The World About Us as Narrator
  • 1967 · Stranger on the Run as Ben Chamberlain
  • 1967 · Welcome to Hard Times as Mayor Will Blue
  • 1966 · To Save a Soldier as Narrator (voice)
  • 1966 · Born to Buck as Narrator
  • 1966 · A Big Hand for the Little Lady as Meredith
  • 1966 · The Really Big Family as Self - Narrator
  • 1965 · Battle of the Bulge as Lt Col Kiley
  • 1965 · The Dirty Game as Dimitri Koulov
  • 1965 · In Harm's Way as CINCPAC II
  • 1965 · The Rounders as Marion 'Howdy' Lewis
  • 1964 · Sex and the Single Girl as Frank Broderick
  • 1964 · Fail Safe as The President
  • 1964 · Hollywood and the Stars as Self
  • 1964 · The Best Man as William Russell
  • 1963 · Spencer's Mountain as Clay Spencer
  • 1963 · Hollywood: The Great Stars as Self - Host
  • 1962 · Hollywood: The Fabulous Era as Narrator / Host
  • 1962 · How the West Was Won as Jethro Stuart
  • 1962 · The Merv Griffin Show as Self
  • 1962 · The Longest Day as Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt Jr.
  • 1962 · Advise & Consent as Robert Leffingwell
  • 1962 · President Kennedy's Birthday Salute as Self
  • 1961 · Hollywood: The Selznick Years as Self - Narrator
  • 1961 · The Mike Douglas Show as Self
  • 1960 · The Fabulous Fifties as Narrator (segment "Fifties Dead Sequence") (voice)
  • 1959 · The Man Who Understood Women as Willie Bauche
  • 1959 · The Deputy as Marshal Simon Fry
  • 1959 · Warlock as Clay Blaisedell
  • 1958 · Stage Struck as Lewis Easton
  • 1957 · The Tin Star as Morgan Hickman
  • 1957 · 12 Angry Men as Juror 8
  • 1956 · The Wrong Man as Manny Balestrero
  • 1956 · War and Peace as Pierre Bezukhov
  • 1956 · The Steve Allen Show as Self - Guest
  • 1956 · Tony Awards as Self (archive footage)
  • 1956 · Tony Awards as Self - Nominee
  • 1956 · Tony Awards as Self - Host
  • 1956 · Tony Awards as Self - Co-Host/Special Award Recipient
  • 1956 · Tony Awards as Self - Host / Presenter
  • 1956 · Tony Awards as Self - Presenter
  • 1955 · Mister Roberts as Lieutenant Roberts
  • 1955 · The Petrified Forest as Alan Squier
  • 1955 · The Star and the Story as Self - Host
  • 1953 · General Electric Theater as Emmett Kelly
  • 1952 · The Real Miss America as Narrator (voice)
  • 1951 · Hallmark Hall of Fame as Clarence Earl Gideon
  • 1951 · Pictura as Narrator: Grant Wood episode (voice)
  • 1951 · Benjy as Narrator (voice)
  • 1950 · What's My Line? as Self - Mystery Guest
  • 1949 · Jigsaw as
  • 1948 · The Ed Sullivan Show as Self
  • 1948 · The Ed Sullivan Show as Actor - Dramatic Reading
  • 1948 · The Ed Sullivan Show as Self (archive footage)
  • 1948 · Fort Apache as Lt. Col. Owen Thursday
  • 1948 · On Our Merry Way as Lank Solsky
  • 1947 · Daisy Kenyon as Peter Lapham
  • 1947 · The Fugitive as A Fugitive
  • 1947 · The Long Night as Joe Adams
  • 1946 · My Darling Clementine as Wyatt Earp
  • 1943 · Immortal Sergeant as Corporal Colin Spence
  • 1943 · The Ox-Bow Incident as Gil Carter
  • 1942 · The Battle of Midway as Narrator (voice)
  • 1942 · It's Everybody's War as Narrator
  • 1942 · The Big Street as Agustus 'Little Pinks' Pinkerton, II
  • 1942 · Tales of Manhattan as George
  • 1942 · The Magnificent Dope as Thadeus Winship 'Tad' Page
  • 1942 · Rings on Her Fingers as John Wheeler
  • 1942 · The Male Animal as Tommy Turner
  • 1941 · You Belong to Me as Peter Kirk
  • 1941 · Wild Geese Calling as John Murdock
  • 1941 · The Lady Eve as Charles Pike
  • 1940 · Chad Hanna as Chad Hanna
  • 1940 · The Return of Frank James as Frank James
  • 1940 · Lillian Russell as Alexander Moore
  • 1940 · The Grapes of Wrath as Tom Joad
  • 1939 · Drums Along the Mohawk as Gilbert Martin
  • 1939 · Young Mr. Lincoln as Abraham Lincoln
  • 1939 · The Story of Alexander Graham Bell as Thomas Watson
  • 1939 · Let Us Live as "Brick" Tennant
  • 1939 · Jesse James as Frank James
  • 1938 · Breakdowns of 1938 as Self (archive footage)
  • 1938 · The Mad Miss Manton as Peter Ames
  • 1938 · Spawn of the North as Jim Kimmerlee
  • 1938 · Blockade as Marco
  • 1938 · Jezebel as Preston Dillard
  • 1938 · I Met My Love Again as Ives Towner
  • 1937 · That Certain Woman as Jack V. Merrick, Jr.
  • 1937 · Slim as Slim
  • 1937 · Wings of the Morning as Kerry Gilfallen
  • 1937 · You Only Live Once as Eddie Taylor
  • 1936 · Spendthrift as Townsend Middleton
  • 1936 · The Moon's Our Home as Anthony Amberton / John Smith
  • 1936 · The Trail of the Lonesome Pine as Dave Tolliver
  • 1935 · I Dream Too Much as Johnny Street
  • 1935 · Way Down East as David Bartlett
  • 1935 · The Farmer Takes a Wife as Dan Harrow