Henry Fonda

Henry Fonda married five times. He first married Margaret Sullavan in 1931; it ended in a divorce in 1933. Next in 1936, he married Frances Ford Seymour Brokaw, with whom he had two children, Jane and Peter Fonda. Both the children grew up to be renowned actors.

Henry Fonda ended his thirteen year old marriage with Frances in 1949. The following year he married twenty-one year old Susan Blanchard. Together they adopted a child, Amy Fishman. This marriage too ended in a divorce within three years.

Next in 1957, Fonda married Italian baroness Afdera Franchetti; the union ended in a divorce in 1961. Finally, in 1965 he married Shirlee Mae Adams and remained wedded to her until his death in 1982.

Henry Fonda was born on May 16, 1905 in Grand Island, Nebraska, to William Brace Fonda, and his wife, Elma Herberta (née Jaynes). His father was an advertising-printing jobber. Henry often worked at his father’s plant after school.

Initially, he wanted to become a journalist. Therefore, after graduating from school he enrolled at the University of Minnesota with journalism as his major; but did not finish his course. Instead, he took up employment at a Retail Credit Company Equifax Inc.

Henry Fonda began his acting career in 1925 at Omaha Community Hall, Nebraska at the behest of Dorothy Brando. At that time he did not take it as a career option. Three years later, he made up his mind to be an actor.

Accordingly, he left his job in 1928 and set out for New England. Here he began performing first for Provincetown Players and then for Joshua Logan's University Players Guild in Massachusetts and finally headed for New York City to work in the Broadway in 1932.

In New York, he struggled for two years; but everything changed when ‘The Farmer Takes A Wife’ opened at Broadway on October 30, 1934. In this show, Fonda played the part of Dan Harrow and received critical acclaim.

The success of the play induced Victor Fleming to adapt the drama for a comedy film and chose Fonda for the same role. Accordingly, Fonda moved to Hollywood and began shooting for the film version of ‘The Farmer Takes A Wife’. The film, released in 1935, helped him find a foothold in Hollywood.

In 1935, Fonda was cast in ‘Trail of the Lonesome Pine’ as Dave Tollivert. His acting ability attracted the attention of celebrated actress Batte Davis, who picked him up to play the part of Preston Dillard against her in the 1938 production of ‘Jezebel’. The role established him as successful leading man.

In 1981, Henry Fonda received the Academy Awards in the Best Actor category for his role in ‘On Golden Pond’. In 1982, he received Golden Globe Award in Best Motion Picture Actor – Drama category for the same work.

In 1948, he won Tony Award for his role in ‘Mister Roberts. In 1958, he received BAFTA Award in the Best Actor category and Golden Globe Award in Best Motion Picture Actor – Drama category for his role in ‘12 Angry Man’.

In 1977, he received Grammy Awards in the Best Spoken Word Album for his work in ‘Great American Document’. He was also awarded the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ by Academy Awards in 1980, by Tony Awards in 1979 and by AFI Awards in 1978.

For his role during the Second World War he was awarded the Navy Presidential Unit Citation and the Bronze Star.