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Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
May 16, 1905
Died
August 12, 1982
Place of Birth
Grand Island, Nebraska, USA
Also Known As
- Hank Fonda
- Henry Jaynes Fonda
- One-Take Fonda
- هنری فوندا
Henry Fonda
2.2 Popularity
Biography
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.
Known For
0.0
Self (archive footage)
Henry Fonda for President
2025
10.0
Self - Actor (archive footage)
The Fondas: A Cinematic Dynasty
2023
0.0
Self (archive footage)
'Fail-Safe' and the Cold War
2020
6.5
Self - Actor (archive footage)
John Ford: The Man Who Invented America
2019
6.2
Self (archive footage)
Spanish Western
2015
7.8
Self (archive footage)
Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia
2013
1.0
Self (archive footage)
John Ford & Monument Valley
2013
0.0
Self (archive footage)
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Making '12 Angry Men'
2008
7.0
Self (archive footage)
Jezebel: Legend of the South
2006
7.0
Prof. Tommy Turner (archive footage)
Sacco and Vanzetti
2006
Credits
Henry Fonda for President
as Self (archive footage)
2025
0.0
The Fondas: A Cinematic Dynasty
as Self - Actor (archive footage)
2023
10.0
'Fail-Safe' and the Cold War
as Self (archive footage)
2020
0.0
John Ford: The Man Who Invented America
as Self - Actor (archive footage)
2019
6.5
Spanish Western
as Self (archive footage)
2015
6.2
Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia
as Self (archive footage)
2013
7.8
John Ford & Monument Valley
as Self (archive footage)
2013
1.0
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: Making '12 Angry Men'
as Self (archive footage)
2008
0.0
Jezebel: Legend of the South
as Self (archive footage)
2006
7.0
Sacco and Vanzetti
as Prof. Tommy Turner (archive footage)
2006
7.0
Guilt Trip: Hitchcock and 'The Wrong Man'
as Self (archive footage)
2004
6.5
An Opera of Violence
as Self - Actor (archive footage)
2003
6.0
Something to Do with Death
as Self (archive footage)
2003
6.0
The Wages of Sin
as Self (archive footage)
2003
7.4
Revisiting 'Fail-Safe'
as Self (archive footage)
2000
0.0
Hidden Hollywood II: More Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Vaults
as (archive footage)
1999
0.0
Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down The Line
as Self (archive footage)
1997
7.5
Henry Fonda: Hollywood's Quiet Hero
as Self (archive footage)
1997
0.0
La Classe américaine
as Hugues (archive footage)
1993
7.6
🎬
Fonda on Fonda
as Self (archive footage)
1992
6.0
Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker
1991
7.7
Barbara Stanwyck: Fire and Desire
as Self (archive footage)
1991
5.7
Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To
as (archive footage)
1990
9.0
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
as Self (archive footage)
1988
8.0
Going Hollywood: The '30s
as (archive footage)
1984
10.0
Let Poland Be Poland
as Self
1982
0.0
Summer Solstice
as Joshua
1981
4.0
On Golden Pond
as Norman Thayer Jr.
1981
7.3
The Greatest Man in the World
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1981
4.0
Gideon's Trumpet
as Clarence Earl Gideon
1980
6.0
The Oldest Living Graduate
as Col. J.C. Kincaid
1980
4.0
Barn Burning
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1980
4.5
The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1980
4.0
The Jilting of Granny Weatherall
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1980
4.0
Paul's Case
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1980
3.0
The Golden Honeymoon
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1980
4.0
The Sensational Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70's
as Self (archive footage)
1980
4.0
Rappaccini's Daughter
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1980
6.7
The Sky Is Gray
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1980
4.0
Meteor
as The President
1979
5.1
City on Fire
as Fire Chief Risley
1979
5.0
🎬
The Man Who Loved Bears
as Self
1979
4.0
Wanda Nevada
as Old Prospector
1979
5.6
Roots: The Next Generations
as Colonel Frederick Warner
1979
7.5
The Kennedy Center Honors
as Self
1978
7.4
A Special Sesame Street Christmas
as Self
1978
6.0
Fedora
as President of the Academy
1978
6.7
The Swarm
as Dr. Walter Krim
1978
5.0
The Great Smokey Roadblock
as Elegant John
1978
5.6
Home to Stay
as Grandpa George
1978
3.0
The Biggest Battle
as Generale Foster
1978
4.4
Inside 'the Swarm'
as Self
1978
7.0
🎬
Laugh-In
as Guest Performer
1977
5.8
🎬
Laugh-In
as Guest Performer (uncredited)
1977
5.8
Rollercoaster
as Simon Davenport
1977
6.0
Soldier's Home
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1977
4.0
The Blue Hotel
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1977
4.7
The Displaced Person
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1977
6.0
I'm a Fool
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1977
4.0
Tentacles
as Mr. Whitehead
1977
4.6
Underground Doctors
as Self - Host
1977
6.0
Bernice Bobs Her Hair
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
1976
5.2
Captains and the Kings
as Sen. Enfield Bassett
1976
8.3
Midway
as Adm. Chester W. Nimitz
1976
6.6
Family
as James Lawrence
1976
7.2
Collision Course: Truman vs. MacArthur
as Gen. Douglas MacArthur
1976
4.0
Parkinson: Meet Henry Fonda
as Self
1975
4.0
Henry James' The Jolly Corner
as Narrator
1975
4.0
Dinah!
as Self
1974
6.7
Spécial cinéma
as Self (archive footage)
1974
0.0
Clarence Darrow
as Clarence Darrow
1974
9.0
Letter to Jane: An Investigation About a Still
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1974
7.0
The Last Four Days
as Kardinal Schuster
1974
6.2
🎬
Parker Adderson, Philosopher
as Narrator (Voice)
1974
4.0
The Music School
as Narrator (voice)
1974
4.0
My Name Is Nobody
as Jack Beauregard
1973
7.3
Ash Wednesday
as Mark Sawyer
1973
5.4
The Alpha Caper
as Mark Forbes
1973
5.5
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
as Self
1973
5.4
The Serpent
as Alan Davies
1973
6.1
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
as Self
1973
6.3
The Red Pony
as Carl Tiflin
1973
0.0
Sometimes a Great Notion
as Henry Stamper
1971
7.0
The American West of John Ford
as Self - Narrator
1971
6.2
🎬
Film '72
as Self
1971
4.7
Cadet Rousselle
as Self
1971
0.0
Directed by John Ford
1971
6.9
🎬
V.I.P. Schaukel
as Self
1971
7.5
The Smith Family
as Chad Smith
1971
6.0
All in the Family
as Self
1971
7.8
There Was a Crooked Man...
as Woodward W. Lopeman
1970
6.8
The Cheyenne Social Club
as Harley Sullivan
1970
6.3
Too Late the Hero
as Capt. John G Nolan
1970
6.4
The Bill Cosby Show
as Joshua Richards
1969
5.4
Stiletto
1969
5.0
An Impression of John Steinbeck: Writer
as John Steinbeck (voice)
1969
4.5
Once Upon a Time in the West
as Frank
1968
8.3
Pat Paulsen for President
as Narrator (voice)
1968
4.0
The Boston Strangler
as John S. Bottomly
1968
6.7
The Doris Day Show
as Henry Fonda (uncredited)
1968
5.8
The Dick Cavett Show
as Self - Guest
1968
6.8
Yours, Mine and Ours
as Frank Beardsley
1968
6.9
Madigan
as Commissioner Anthony X. Russell
1968
6.1
Firecreek
as Bob Larkin
1968
6.3
A Space to Grow
as Narrator
1968
5.8
The World About Us
as Narrator
1967
7.8
Stranger on the Run
as Ben Chamberlain
1967
5.5
Welcome to Hard Times
as Mayor Will Blue
1967
5.1
🎬
To Save a Soldier
as Narrator (voice)
1966
4.0
🎬
Born to Buck
as Narrator
1966
4.0
A Big Hand for the Little Lady
as Meredith
1966
7.1
The Really Big Family
as Self - Narrator
1966
4.0
Battle of the Bulge
as Lt Col Kiley
1965
6.9
The Dirty Game
as Dimitri Koulov
1965
5.5
In Harm's Way
as CINCPAC II
1965
6.6
The Rounders
as Marion 'Howdy' Lewis
1965
5.5
Sex and the Single Girl
as Frank Broderick
1964
6.4
Fail Safe
as The President
1964
7.8
The Best Man
as William Russell
1964
7.2
Spencer's Mountain
as Clay Spencer
1963
6.7
Hollywood: The Great Stars
as Self - Host
1963
4.0
Hollywood: The Fabulous Era
as Narrator / Host
1962
0.0
How the West Was Won
as Jethro Stuart
1962
7.0
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
as Self
1962
7.5
The Merv Griffin Show
as Self
1962
6.2
The Longest Day
as Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt Jr.
1962
7.6
Advise & Consent
as Robert Leffingwell
1962
7.2
President Kennedy's Birthday Salute
as Self
1962
7.3
Hollywood: The Selznick Years
as Self - Narrator
1961
3.5
The Mike Douglas Show
as Self
1961
5.4
The Fabulous Fifties
as Narrator (segment "Fifties Dead Sequence") (voice)
1960
5.3
The Man Who Understood Women
as Willie Bauche
1959
3.0
The Deputy
as Marshal Simon Fry
1959
6.2
Warlock
as Clay Blaisedell
1959
6.7
The Bell Telephone Hour
as Self - Host
1959
7.3
Stage Struck
as Lewis Easton
1958
5.9
The Tin Star
as Morgan Hickman
1957
7.0
12 Angry Men
as Juror 8
1957
8.5
The Wrong Man
as Manny Balestrero
1956
7.1
War and Peace
as Pierre Bezukhov
1956
6.7
The Steve Allen Show
as Self - Guest
1956
5.6
Tony Awards
as Self (archive footage)
1956
5.9
Tony Awards
as Self - Nominee
1956
5.9
Tony Awards
as Self - Host
1956
5.9
Tony Awards
as Self - Co-Host/Special Award Recipient
1956
5.9
Tony Awards
as Self - Host / Presenter
1956
5.9
Tony Awards
as Self - Presenter
1956
5.9
Mister Roberts
as Lieutenant Roberts
1955
7.0
The Petrified Forest
as Alan Squier
1955
6.8
The Star and the Story
as Self - Host
1955
7.0
General Electric Theater
as Emmett Kelly
1953
6.4
🎬
The Real Miss America
as Narrator (voice)
1952
0.0
Hallmark Hall of Fame
as Clarence Earl Gideon
1951
8.6
Pictura
as Narrator: Grant Wood episode (voice)
1951
0.0
Benjy
as Narrator (voice)
1951
6.0
What's My Line?
as Self - Mystery Guest
1950
6.9
Jigsaw
as Nightclub Waiter (uncredited)
1949
4.8
The Ed Sullivan Show
as Self
1948
6.8
Fort Apache
as Lt. Col. Owen Thursday
1948
7.0
On Our Merry Way
as Lank Solsky
1948
5.6
Daisy Kenyon
as Peter Lapham
1947
6.6
The Fugitive
as A Fugitive
1947
5.9
The Long Night
as Joe Adams
1947
5.6
My Darling Clementine
as Wyatt Earp
1946
7.4
Golden Globe Awards
as Self - Cecil B. DeMille Award Recipient
1944
7.2
Golden Globe Awards
as Self
1944
7.2
Immortal Sergeant
as Corporal Colin Spence
1943
5.8
The Ox-Bow Incident
as Gil Carter
1943
7.7
The Battle of Midway
as Narrator (voice)
1942
5.8
It's Everybody's War
as Narrator
1942
5.7
The Big Street
as Agustus 'Little Pinks' Pinkerton, II
1942
5.6
Tales of Manhattan
as George
1942
6.2
The Magnificent Dope
as Thadeus Winship 'Tad' Page
1942
7.2
Rings on Her Fingers
as John Wheeler
1942
6.5
The Male Animal
as Tommy Turner
1942
3.9
You Belong to Me
as Peter Kirk
1941
5.8
Wild Geese Calling
as John Murdock
1941
5.8
The Lady Eve
as Charles Pike
1941
7.2
Chad Hanna
as Chad Hanna
1940
6.0
The Return of Frank James
as Frank James
1940
6.3
Lillian Russell
as Alexander Moore
1940
6.1
The Grapes of Wrath
as Tom Joad
1940
7.8
Drums Along the Mohawk
as Gilbert Martin
1939
6.4
Young Mr. Lincoln
as Abraham Lincoln
1939
7.2
The Story of Alexander Graham Bell
as Thomas Watson
1939
6.0
Let Us Live
as "Brick" Tennant
1939
6.8
Jesse James
as Frank James
1939
6.5
Breakdowns of 1938
as Self (archive footage)
1938
4.7
The Mad Miss Manton
as Peter Ames
1938
6.3
Spawn of the North
as Jim Kimmerlee
1938
5.7
Blockade
as Marco
1938
5.5
Jezebel
as Preston Dillard
1938
7.0
I Met My Love Again
as Ives Towner
1938
5.4
That Certain Woman
as Jack V. Merrick, Jr.
1937
5.4
Slim
as Slim Kincaid
1937
6.3
Wings of the Morning
as Kerry Gilfallen
1937
6.1
You Only Live Once
as Eddie Taylor
1937
7.1
Spendthrift
as Townsend Middleton
1936
5.0
The Moon's Our Home
as Anthony Amberton / John Smith
1936
6.6
The Trail of the Lonesome Pine
as Dave Tolliver
1936
6.5
I Dream Too Much
as Johnny Street
1935
5.1
Way Down East
as David Bartlett
1935
3.0
The Farmer Takes a Wife
as Dan Harrow
1935
6.1