Henry Fonda
Born
May 16, 1905
Died
August 12, 1982 (77 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
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.
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Known For
Henry Fonda for President
Self (archive footage)
2025
The Fondas: A Cinematic Dynasty
Self - Actor (archive footage)
2023
Charles Bronson: The Spirit of Masculinity
Self (archive footage)
2020
Jay Sebring… Cutting to the Truth
Self (archive footage)
2020
'Fail-Safe' and the Cold War
Self (archive footage)
2020
John Ford: The Man Who Invented America
Self - Actor (archive footage)
2019
Jane Fonda in Five Acts
Self (archive footage)
2018
Spanish Western
Self (archive footage)
2015
Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia
Self (archive footage)
2013
John Ford & Monument Valley
Self (archive footage)
2013
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Making '12 Angry Men'
Self (archive footage)
2008
Jezebel: Legend of the South
Self (archive footage)
2006
Sacco and Vanzetti
Prof. Tommy Turner (archive footage)
2006
Guilt Trip: Hitchcock and 'The Wrong Man'
Self (archive footage)
2004
Something to Do with Death
Self (archive footage)
2003
The Wages of Sin
Self (archive footage)
2003
An Opera of Violence
Self - Actor (archive footage)
2003
Revisiting 'Fail-Safe'
Self (archive footage)
2000
Hidden Hollywood II: More Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Vaults
Self (Archival Footage)
1999
Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down The Line
Self (archive footage)
1997
Henry Fonda: Hollywood's Quiet Hero
Self (archive footage)
1997
La Classe américaine
Hugues (archive footage)
1993
Fonda on Fonda
Self (archive footage)
1992
Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker
1991
Barbara Stanwyck: Fire and Desire
Self (archive footage)
1991
Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To
(archive footage)
1990
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
Self (archive footage)
1988
Going Hollywood: The '30s
(archive footage)
1984
Let Poland Be Poland
Self
1982
Summer Solstice
Joshua
1981
On Golden Pond
Norman Thayer Jr.
1981
The Greatest Man in the World
Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1981
Gideon's Trumpet
Clarence Earl Gideon
1980
The Oldest Living Graduate
Col. J.C. Kincaid
1980
The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg
Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1980
Barn Burning
Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1980
The Jilting of Granny Weatherall
Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1980
Paul's Case
Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1980
The Golden Honeymoon
Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1980
The Sensational Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70's
Self (archive footage)
1980
Rappaccini's Daughter
Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1980
The Sky Is Gray
Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1980
Meteor
The President
1979
City on Fire
Fire Chief Risley
1979
The Man Who Loved Bears
Self
1979
Wanda Nevada
Old Prospector
1979
Roots: The Next Generations
Col. Frederick Warner · (7 episodes)
1979
The Kennedy Center Honors
Self · (1 episode)
1978
A Special Sesame Street Christmas
Self
1978
The Swarm
Dr. Walter Krim
1978
Fedora
President of the Academy
1978
The Great Smokey Roadblock
Elegant John
1978
Home to Stay
Grandpa George
1978
The Biggest Battle
Generale Foster
1978
Inside 'the Swarm'
Self
1978
Laugh-In
Guest Performer · (1 episode)
1977
Laugh-In
Guest Performer (uncredited) · (1 episode)
1977
Rollercoaster
Simon Davenport
1977
The Displaced Person
Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1977
I'm a Fool
Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1977
Tentacles
Mr. Whitehead
1977
The Blue Hotel
Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1977
Soldier's Home
Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1977
Underground Doctors
Self - Host
1977
Bernice Bobs Her Hair
Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1976
Captains and the Kings
Sen. Enfield Bassett · (8 episodes)
1976
Midway
Adm. Chester W. Nimitz
1976
Family
James Lawrence · (1 episode)
1976
Collision Course: Truman vs. MacArthur
Gen. Douglas MacArthur
1976
Parkinson: Meet Henry Fonda
Self
1975
Henry James' The Jolly Corner
Narrator
1975
Dinah!
Self · (2 episodes)
1974
Spécial cinéma
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
1974
Clarence Darrow
Clarence Darrow
1974
Letter to Jane: An Investigation About a Still
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1974
The Last Four Days
Kardinal Schuster
1974
Parker Adderson, Philosopher
Narrator (Voice)
1974
The Music School
Narrator (voice)
1974
My Name Is Nobody
Jack Beauregard
1973
Ash Wednesday
Mark Sawyer
1973
The Alpha Caper
Mark Forbes
1973
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
Self · (1 episode)
1973
The Serpent
Alan Davies
1973
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
Self · (4 episodes)
1973
The Red Pony
Carl Tiflin
1973
Sometimes a Great Notion
Henry Stamper
1971
The American West of John Ford
Self - Narrator
1971
Cadet Rousselle
Self · (1 episode)
1971
Directed by John Ford
1971
V.I.P. Schaukel
Self · (1 episode)
1971
The Smith Family
Chad Smith · (39 episodes)
1971
All in the Family
Self · (2 episodes)
1971
There Was a Crooked Man...
Woodward W. Lopeman
1970
The Cheyenne Social Club
Harley Sullivan
1970
Too Late the Hero
Capt. John G Nolan
1970
The Bill Cosby Show
Joshua Richards · (1 episode)
1969
Stiletto
1969
An Impression of John Steinbeck: Writer
John Steinbeck (voice)
1969
Once Upon a Time in the West
Frank
1968
Pat Paulsen for President
Narrator (voice)
1968
The Boston Strangler
John S. Bottomly
1968
The Doris Day Show
Henry Fonda (uncredited) · (1 episode)
1968
The Dick Cavett Show
Self - Guest · (3 episodes)
1968
Yours, Mine and Ours
Frank Beardsley
1968
Madigan
Commissioner Anthony X. Russell
1968
Firecreek
Bob Larkin
1968
A Space to Grow
Narrator
1968
The World About Us
Narrator · (1 episode)
1967
Stranger on the Run
Ben Chamberlain
1967
Welcome to Hard Times
Mayor Will Blue
1967
To Save a Soldier
Narrator (voice)
1966
Born to Buck
Narrator
1966
A Big Hand for the Little Lady
Meredith
1966
The Really Big Family
Self - Narrator
1966
Battle of the Bulge
Lt Col Kiley
1965
The Dirty Game
Dimitri Koulov
1965
In Harm's Way
CINCPAC II
1965
The Rounders
Marion 'Howdy' Lewis
1965
Sex and the Single Girl
Frank Broderick
1964
Fail Safe
The President
1964
The Best Man
William Russell
1964
Spencer's Mountain
Clay Spencer
1963
Hollywood: The Great Stars
Self - Host
1963
Hollywood: The Fabulous Era
Narrator / Host
1962
How the West Was Won
Jethro Stuart
1962
The Merv Griffin Show
Self · (1 episode)
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · (2 episodes)
1962
The Longest Day
Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt Jr.
1962
Advise & Consent
Robert Leffingwell
1962
President Kennedy's Birthday Salute
Self
1962
Hollywood: The Selznick Years
Self - Narrator
1961
The Mike Douglas Show
Self · (1 episode)
1961
The Fabulous Fifties
Narrator (segment "Fifties Dead Sequence") (voice)
1960
The Man Who Understood Women
Willie Bauche
1959
The Deputy
Marshal Simon Fry · (76 episodes)
1959
Warlock
Clay Blaisedell
1959
The Bell Telephone Hour
Self - Host · (1 episode)
1959
Stage Struck
Lewis Easton
1958
The Tin Star
Morgan Hickman
1957
12 Angry Men
Juror 8
1957
The Wrong Man
Manny Balestrero
1956
War and Peace
Pierre Bezukhov
1956
The Steve Allen Show
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
1956
Tony Awards
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
1956
Tony Awards
Self - Nominee · (1 episode)
1956
Tony Awards
Self - Host · (1 episode)
1956
Tony Awards
Self - Co-Host/Special Award Recipient · (1 episode)
1956
Tony Awards
Self - Host / Presenter · (2 episodes)
1956
Tony Awards
Self - Presenter · (2 episodes)
1956
Mister Roberts
Lieutenant Roberts
1955
The Petrified Forest
Alan Squier
1955
The Star and the Story
Self - Host · (38 episodes)
1955
General Electric Theater
Emmett Kelly · (1 episode)
1953
The Real Miss America
Narrator (voice)
1952
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Clarence Earl Gideon · (1 episode)
1951
Pictura
Narrator: Grant Wood episode (voice)
1951
Benjy
Narrator (voice)
1951
What's My Line?
Self - Mystery Guest · (4 episodes)
1950
Jigsaw
Nightclub Waiter (uncredited)
1949
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self · (6 episodes)
1948
Fort Apache
Lt. Col. Owen Thursday
1948
On Our Merry Way
Lank Solsky
1948
Daisy Kenyon
Peter Lapham
1947
The Fugitive
A Fugitive
1947
The Long Night
Joe Adams
1947
My Darling Clementine
Wyatt Earp
1946
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Cecil B. DeMille Award Recipient · (1 episode)
1944
Immortal Sergeant
Corporal Colin Spence
1943
The Ox-Bow Incident
Gil Carter
1943
The Battle of Midway
Narrator (voice)
1942
It's Everybody's War
Narrator
1942
The Big Street
Agustus 'Little Pinks' Pinkerton, II
1942
Tales of Manhattan
George
1942
The Magnificent Dope
Thadeus Winship 'Tad' Page
1942
Rings on Her Fingers
John Wheeler
1942
The Male Animal
Tommy Turner
1942
You Belong to Me
Peter Kirk
1941
Wild Geese Calling
John Murdock
1941
The Lady Eve
Charles Pike
1941
Chad Hanna
Chad Hanna
1940
The Return of Frank James
Frank James
1940
Lillian Russell
Alexander Moore
1940
The Grapes of Wrath
Tom Joad
1940
Drums Along the Mohawk
Gilbert Martin
1939
Young Mr. Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
1939
The Story of Alexander Graham Bell
Thomas Watson
1939
Let Us Live
"Brick" Tennant
1939
Jesse James
Frank James
1939
Breakdowns of 1938
Self (archive footage)
1938
The Mad Miss Manton
Peter Ames
1938
Spawn of the North
Jim Kimmerlee
1938
Blockade
Marco
1938
Jezebel
Preston Dillard
1938
I Met My Love Again
Ives Towner
1938
That Certain Woman
Jack V. Merrick, Jr.
1937
Slim
Slim Kincaid
1937
Wings of the Morning
Kerry Gilfallen
1937
You Only Live Once
Eddie Taylor
1937
Spendthrift
Townsend Middleton
1936
The Moon's Our Home
Anthony Amberton / John Smith
1936
The Trail of the Lonesome Pine
Dave Tolliver
1936
I Dream Too Much
Johnny Street
1935
Way Down East
David Bartlett
1935
The Farmer Takes a Wife
Dan Harrow
1935