Henry Fonda Photo

Henry Fonda

Acting

2.4 Popularity May 16, 1905 (77 years old) Grand Island, Nebraska, USA

Henry Jaynes Fonda 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 ac...

Biography

Henry Jaynes Fonda 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.

Filmography 206

2025
Henry Fonda for President Movie

as Self (archive footage)

2023
The Fondas: A Cinematic Dynasty Movie

as Self - Actor (archive footage)

2020
Charles Bronson: The Spirit of Masculinity Movie

as Self (archive footage)

2020
Jay Sebring… Cutting to the Truth Movie

as Self (archive footage)

2020
'Fail-Safe' and the Cold War Movie

as Self (archive footage)

2019
John Ford: The Man Who Invented America Movie

as Self - Actor (archive footage)

2018
Jane Fonda in Five Acts Movie

as Self (archive footage)

2015
Spanish Western Movie

as Self (archive footage)

2013
Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia Movie

as Self (archive footage)

2013
John Ford & Monument Valley Movie

as Self (archive footage)

2008
2006
Jezebel: Legend of the South Movie

as Self (archive footage)

2006
Sacco and Vanzetti Movie

as Prof. Tommy Turner (archive footage)

2004
Guilt Trip: Hitchcock and 'The Wrong Man' Movie

as Self (archive footage)

2003
The Wages of Sin Movie

as Self (archive footage)

2003
Something to Do with Death Movie

as Self (archive footage)

2003
An Opera of Violence Movie

as Self - Actor (archive footage)

2000
Revisiting 'Fail-Safe' Movie

as Self (archive footage)

1997
Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down The Line Movie

as Self (archive footage)

Photos 7

Henry Fonda Photo
Henry Fonda Photo
Henry Fonda Photo
Henry Fonda Photo
Henry Fonda Photo
Henry Fonda Photo
Henry Fonda Photo

Personal Details

Known For Acting
Gender Male
Birthday May 16, 1905 (77 years old)
Died August 12, 1982
Place of Birth Grand Island, Nebraska, USA
Also Known As Hank Fonda, Henry Jaynes Fonda, One-Take Fonda and 1 more
Years Active 1935 - 2025
Popularity 2.4
Career Stats
206 Total Credits
168 Movie Roles
36 TV Roles
7 Photos