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.
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.
External links
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/nm0000020
Wikipedia: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q19155
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Filmography (Movies)
Henry Fonda for President
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:10/01/2025
The Fondas: A Cinematic Dynasty
Character:Self - Actor (archive footage)
Release Date:13/08/2023
'Fail-Safe' and the Cold War
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:28/01/2020
John Ford: The Man Who Invented America
Character:Self - Actor (archive footage)
Release Date:03/02/2019
Spanish Western
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:04/05/2015
Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:04/08/2013
John Ford & Monument Valley
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:05/03/2013
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Making '12 Angry Men'
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:04/03/2008
Jezebel: Legend of the South
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:30/05/2006
Sacco and Vanzetti
Character:Prof. Tommy Turner (archive footage)
Release Date:06/04/2006
Guilt Trip: Hitchcock and 'The Wrong Man'
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:07/09/2004
The Wages of Sin
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:18/11/2003
Something to Do with Death
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:18/11/2003
An Opera of Violence
Character:Self - Actor (archive footage)
Release Date:18/11/2003
Revisiting 'Fail-Safe'
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:31/10/2000
Hidden Hollywood II: More Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Vaults
Character:(archive footage)
Release Date:20/07/1999
Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down The Line
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:12/05/1997
Henry Fonda: Hollywood's Quiet Hero
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:18/03/1997
La Classe américaine
Character:Hugues (archive footage)
Release Date:31/12/1993
Fonda on Fonda
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:13/01/1992
Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker
Character:
Release Date:28/10/1991
Barbara Stanwyck: Fire and Desire
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:15/07/1991
Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To
Character:(archive footage)
Release Date:04/06/1990
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:01/10/1988
Going Hollywood: The '30s
Character:(archive footage)
Release Date:01/01/1984
Let Poland Be Poland
Character:Self
Release Date:31/01/1982
Summer Solstice
Character:Joshua
Release Date:30/12/1981
On Golden Pond
Character:Norman Thayer Jr.
Release Date:04/12/1981
The Greatest Man in the World
Character:Self - Series Host (uncredited)
Release Date:09/06/1981
Gideon's Trumpet
Character:Clarence Earl Gideon
Release Date:30/04/1980
The Oldest Living Graduate
Character:Col. J.C. Kincaid
Release Date:07/04/1980
The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg
Character:Self - Series Host (uncredited)
Release Date:17/03/1980
Barn Burning
Character:Self - Series Host (uncredited)
Release Date:17/03/1980
The Jilting of Granny Weatherall
Character:Self - Series Host (uncredited)
Release Date:03/03/1980
Paul's Case
Character:Self - Series Host (uncredited)
Release Date:11/02/1980
The Golden Honeymoon
Character:Self - Series Host (uncredited)
Release Date:04/02/1980
The Sensational Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70's
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:04/01/1980
Rappaccini's Daughter
Character:Self - Series Host (uncredited)
Release Date:01/01/1980
The Sky Is Gray
Character:Self - Series Host (uncredited)
Release Date:01/01/1980
Meteor
Character:The President
Release Date:19/10/1979
City on Fire
Character:Fire Chief Risley
Release Date:11/07/1979
The Man Who Loved Bears
Character:Self
Release Date:17/06/1979
Wanda Nevada
Character:Old Prospector
Release Date:01/06/1979
A Special Sesame Street Christmas
Character:Self
Release Date:08/12/1978
Fedora
Character:President of the Academy
Release Date:29/06/1978
The Swarm
Character:Dr. Walter Krim
Release Date:26/06/1978
The Great Smokey Roadblock
Character:Elegant John
Release Date:21/06/1978
Home to Stay
Character:Grandpa George
Release Date:02/05/1978
The Biggest Battle
Character:Generale Foster
Release Date:07/02/1978
Inside 'the Swarm'
Character:Self
Release Date:01/01/1978
Rollercoaster
Character:Simon Davenport
Release Date:10/06/1977
Soldier's Home
Character:Self - Series Host (uncredited)
Release Date:26/04/1977
The Blue Hotel
Character:Self - Series Host (uncredited)
Release Date:19/04/1977
The Displaced Person
Character:Self - Series Host (uncredited)
Release Date:12/04/1977
I'm a Fool
Character:Self - Series Host (uncredited)
Release Date:05/04/1977
Tentacles
Character:Mr. Whitehead
Release Date:25/02/1977
Underground Doctors
Character:Self - Host
Release Date:01/01/1977
Bernice Bobs Her Hair
Character:Self - Series Host (uncredited)
Release Date:06/10/1976
Midway
Character:Adm. Chester W. Nimitz
Release Date:18/06/1976
Collision Course: Truman vs. MacArthur
Character:Gen. Douglas MacArthur
Release Date:04/01/1976
Parkinson: Meet Henry Fonda
Character:Self
Release Date:01/11/1975
Henry James' The Jolly Corner
Character:Narrator
Release Date:01/01/1975
Clarence Darrow
Character:Clarence Darrow
Release Date:04/09/1974
Letter to Jane: An Investigation About a Still
Character:Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Release Date:11/04/1974
The Last Four Days
Character:Kardinal Schuster
Release Date:27/03/1974
Parker Adderson, Philosopher
Character:Narrator (Voice)
Release Date:08/01/1974
The Music School
Character:Narrator (voice)
Release Date:01/01/1974
My Name Is Nobody
Character:Jack Beauregard
Release Date:13/12/1973
Ash Wednesday
Character:Mark Sawyer
Release Date:01/11/1973
The Alpha Caper
Character:Mark Forbes
Release Date:06/10/1973
The Serpent
Character:Alan Davies
Release Date:07/04/1973
The Red Pony
Character:Carl Tiflin
Release Date:18/03/1973
Sometimes a Great Notion
Character:Henry Stamper
Release Date:17/12/1971
The American West of John Ford
Character:Self - Narrator
Release Date:05/12/1971
Directed by John Ford
Character:
Release Date:06/09/1971
There Was a Crooked Man...
Character:Woodward W. Lopeman
Release Date:18/09/1970
The Cheyenne Social Club
Character:Harley Sullivan
Release Date:12/06/1970
Too Late the Hero
Character:Capt. John G Nolan
Release Date:20/05/1970
Stiletto
Character:
Release Date:30/07/1969
An Impression of John Steinbeck: Writer
Character:John Steinbeck (voice)
Release Date:01/01/1969
Once Upon a Time in the West
Character:Frank
Release Date:21/12/1968
Pat Paulsen for President
Character:Narrator (voice)
Release Date:20/10/1968
The Boston Strangler
Character:John S. Bottomly
Release Date:08/10/1968
Yours, Mine and Ours
Character:Frank Beardsley
Release Date:24/04/1968
Madigan
Character:Commissioner Anthony X. Russell
Release Date:29/03/1968
Firecreek
Character:Bob Larkin
Release Date:24/01/1968
A Space to Grow
Character:Narrator
Release Date:01/01/1968
Stranger on the Run
Character:Ben Chamberlain
Release Date:31/10/1967
Welcome to Hard Times
Character:Mayor Will Blue
Release Date:30/04/1967
To Save a Soldier
Character:Narrator (voice)
Release Date:23/10/1966
Born to Buck
Character:Narrator
Release Date:01/09/1966
A Big Hand for the Little Lady
Character:Meredith
Release Date:08/06/1966
The Really Big Family
Character:Self - Narrator
Release Date:01/01/1966
Battle of the Bulge
Character:Lt Col Kiley
Release Date:16/12/1965
The Dirty Game
Character:Dimitri Koulov
Release Date:23/06/1965
In Harm's Way
Character:CINCPAC II
Release Date:06/04/1965
The Rounders
Character:Marion 'Howdy' Lewis
Release Date:08/01/1965
Sex and the Single Girl
Character:Frank Broderick
Release Date:25/12/1964
Fail Safe
Character:The President
Release Date:07/10/1964
The Best Man
Character:William Russell
Release Date:05/04/1964
Spencer's Mountain
Character:Clay Spencer
Release Date:16/05/1963
Hollywood: The Great Stars
Character:Self - Host
Release Date:20/02/1963
Hollywood: The Fabulous Era
Character:Narrator / Host
Release Date:28/11/1962
How the West Was Won
Character:Jethro Stuart
Release Date:02/11/1962
The Longest Day
Character:Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt Jr.
Release Date:25/09/1962
Advise & Consent
Character:Robert Leffingwell
Release Date:06/06/1962
President Kennedy's Birthday Salute
Character:Self
Release Date:19/05/1962
Hollywood: The Selznick Years
Character:Self - Narrator
Release Date:31/12/1961
The Fabulous Fifties
Character:Narrator (segment "Fifties Dead Sequence") (voice)
Release Date:22/01/1960
The Man Who Understood Women
Character:Willie Bauche
Release Date:02/10/1959
Warlock
Character:Clay Blaisedell
Release Date:15/05/1959
Stage Struck
Character:Lewis Easton
Release Date:22/04/1958
The Tin Star
Character:Morgan Hickman
Release Date:06/11/1957
12 Angry Men
Character:Juror 8
Release Date:10/04/1957
The Wrong Man
Character:Manny Balestrero
Release Date:22/12/1956
War and Peace
Character:Pierre Bezukhov
Release Date:21/08/1956
Mister Roberts
Character:Lieutenant Roberts
Release Date:10/07/1955
The Petrified Forest
Character:Alan Squier
Release Date:30/05/1955
The Real Miss America
Character:Narrator (voice)
Release Date:02/02/1952
Pictura
Character:Narrator: Grant Wood episode (voice)
Release Date:01/06/1951
Benjy
Character:Narrator (voice)
Release Date:01/01/1951
Jigsaw
Character:Nightclub Waiter (uncredited)
Release Date:11/03/1949
Fort Apache
Character:Lt. Col. Owen Thursday
Release Date:21/05/1948
On Our Merry Way
Character:Lank Solsky
Release Date:03/02/1948
Daisy Kenyon
Character:Peter Lapham
Release Date:25/12/1947
The Fugitive
Character:A Fugitive
Release Date:11/11/1947
The Long Night
Character:Joe Adams
Release Date:28/05/1947
My Darling Clementine
Character:Wyatt Earp
Release Date:17/10/1946
Immortal Sergeant
Character:Corporal Colin Spence
Release Date:29/04/1943
The Ox-Bow Incident
Character:Gil Carter
Release Date:11/03/1943
The Battle of Midway
Character:Narrator (voice)
Release Date:14/09/1942
It's Everybody's War
Character:Narrator
Release Date:06/09/1942
The Big Street
Character:Agustus 'Little Pinks' Pinkerton, II
Release Date:13/08/1942
Tales of Manhattan
Character:George
Release Date:05/08/1942
The Magnificent Dope
Character:Thadeus Winship 'Tad' Page
Release Date:01/07/1942
Rings on Her Fingers
Character:John Wheeler
Release Date:20/03/1942
The Male Animal
Character:Tommy Turner
Release Date:12/03/1942
You Belong to Me
Character:Peter Kirk
Release Date:22/10/1941
Wild Geese Calling
Character:John Murdock
Release Date:15/08/1941
The Lady Eve
Character:Charles Pike
Release Date:25/02/1941
Chad Hanna
Character:Chad Hanna
Release Date:25/12/1940
The Return of Frank James
Character:Frank James
Release Date:10/08/1940
Lillian Russell
Character:Alexander Moore
Release Date:24/05/1940
The Grapes of Wrath
Character:Tom Joad
Release Date:15/03/1940
Drums Along the Mohawk
Character:Gilbert Martin
Release Date:10/11/1939
Young Mr. Lincoln
Character:Abraham Lincoln
Release Date:09/06/1939
The Story of Alexander Graham Bell
Character:Thomas Watson
Release Date:04/04/1939
Let Us Live
Character:"Brick" Tennant
Release Date:29/03/1939
Jesse James
Character:Frank James
Release Date:14/01/1939
Breakdowns of 1938
Character:Self (archive footage)
Release Date:31/12/1938
The Mad Miss Manton
Character:Peter Ames
Release Date:21/10/1938
Spawn of the North
Character:Jim Kimmerlee
Release Date:26/08/1938
Blockade
Character:Marco
Release Date:17/06/1938
Jezebel
Character:Preston Dillard
Release Date:26/03/1938
I Met My Love Again
Character:Ives Towner
Release Date:14/01/1938
That Certain Woman
Character:Jack V. Merrick, Jr.
Release Date:30/08/1937
Slim
Character:Slim Kincaid
Release Date:24/06/1937
Wings of the Morning
Character:Kerry Gilfallen
Release Date:19/02/1937
You Only Live Once
Character:Eddie Taylor
Release Date:23/01/1937
Spendthrift
Character:Townsend Middleton
Release Date:22/07/1936
The Moon's Our Home
Character:Anthony Amberton / John Smith
Release Date:10/04/1936
The Trail of the Lonesome Pine
Character:Dave Tolliver
Release Date:13/03/1936
I Dream Too Much
Character:Johnny Street
Release Date:29/11/1935
Way Down East
Character:David Bartlett
Release Date:25/10/1935
The Farmer Takes a Wife
Character:Dan Harrow
Release Date:05/07/1935
Television Appearances
Roots: The Next Generations
Character:Colonel Frederick Warner
The Kennedy Center Honors
Character:Self
Laugh-In
Character:Guest Performer
Laugh-In
Character:Guest Performer (uncredited)
Captains and the Kings
Character:Sen. Enfield Bassett
Family
Character:James Lawrence
People's Choice Awards
Character:Self
Dinah!
Character:Self
Spécial cinéma
Character:Self (archive footage)
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
Character:Self
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
Character:Self
Film '72
Character:Self
Cadet Rousselle
Character:Self
V.I.P. Schaukel
Character:Self
The Smith Family
Character:Chad Smith
All in the Family
Character:Self
The Bill Cosby Show
Character:Joshua Richards
The Doris Day Show
Character:Henry Fonda (uncredited)
The Dick Cavett Show
Character:Self - Guest
The World About Us
Character:Narrator
The Merv Griffin Show
Character:Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Character:Self
The Mike Douglas Show
Character:Self
The Deputy
Character:Marshal Simon Fry
The Bell Telephone Hour
Character:Self - Host
The Steve Allen Show
Character:Self - Guest
Tony Awards
Character:Self (archive footage)
Tony Awards
Character:Self - Nominee
Tony Awards
Character:Self - Host
Tony Awards
Character:Self - Co-Host/Special Award Recipient
Tony Awards
Character:Self - Presenter
Tony Awards
Character:Self - Host / Presenter
The Star and the Story
Character:Self - Host
General Electric Theater
Character:Emmett Kelly
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Character:Clarence Earl Gideon
What's My Line?
Character:Self - Mystery Guest
The Ed Sullivan Show
Character:Self
Golden Globe Awards
Character:Self - Cecil B. DeMille Award Recipient
Golden Globe Awards
Character:Self
Images
