Henry Fonda is an American theater and film actor. Twice nominated and twice Oscar winner, Emmy nominee. His collection includes many prizes received at various festivals: Golden Globe, BAFA, Karlovy Vary Film Festival. In addition to awards and recognition in the field of cinema, the actor was awarded the prestigious Tony Theater Award for his contribution to the development of theatrical art.
The famous actor played on stage and acted in films for almost 50 years. He played over 100 roles and made a huge contribution to the development of cinema and theatrical art. His children and granddaughter continued the acting dynasty and received well-deserved recognition from viewers around the world.
Childhood and adolescence
Henry was born in America, in the city of Grand Island, in 1905, on May 16. His ancestors lived in Italy, then moved to Holland, and in the mid-1960s ended up in America, where they founded their own small city called Fonda. The boy's family was engaged in advertising activities, and his father had a small business of his own, where Henry was going to go to work after school, taking up journalism.
During his school years, Henry did a lot of swimming, jogging and skating and participated in the Boy Scout movement. By nature, the boy was very shy, this prevented him from showing himself among his peers. By the end of school, the young man was already working in a telephone company, where he independently earned his living so as not to depend on his parents.
After graduating from school, Fonda decides to get a higher education and enters the Faculty of Journalism at the University, but leaves it without completing his studies.
Carier start
When Henry was 20 years old, his mother introduced the young man to her friend, who ran an amateur theater. This woman was Dorothy Brando, the mother of one of America's most famous actors, Marlon Brando. It was with her that the young actor later repeatedly appeared on the theatrical stage, where his creative biography began.
Dorothy invited the young man to audition for the play "You and Me". When Henry Fonda got into the theater, he made an indelible impression on him. The young man was amazed by everything: theatrical atmosphere, rehearsals, stage design. From that moment on, love for the stage became for Henry an integral part of his whole life. The innate acting talent allowed the young man to immediately get several small roles, and then the main role in the performances of the "Omaha Community Playhouse" theater.
Having played several roles, Fonda decides to leave the organization where he worked and start to professionally engage in acting. He leaves the city and embarks on a journey for his glory.
In 1929, Henry went to Broadway, where he got a supporting role in the theatrical production "The Game of Love and Death".
He failed to achieve a rapid career and for several years the actor continues to perform only episodic roles in performances. He was able to attract the director's attention only after playing a role in the production of "New Faces", where he revealed his theatrical talent and was recognized by the public.
Rumors about the success of the young actor quickly reached the "Star Factory", where he was invited by producer W. Wanger. Soon after, they signed a contract with Henry, according to which the actor was to act in two films a year. This allowed him to work in films and not leave the theater stage.
Film career
In 1935, the actor starred in the comedy "The Farmer Marries" and they started talking about him as a rising star in Hollywood. Henry captivated audiences and film critics with his charming smile and attractive appearance. The image of the romantic, ideal hero created by the Fonda was at that time very much in demand in the cinema and immediately gave the actor the opportunity to receive many invitations to shoot.
Henry was a versatile actor and created on the screen not only images of a romantic or a hero-lover. He was offered shooting in crime dramas, westerns, biographical films, tragedies and comedies. Henry became widely known for the painting "The Path of a Lonely Pine" - the first film in color, filmed not with the help of scenery in the studio, but in nature. Together with him in the film starred S. Sidney and F. McMurray. The next film was "Our Home Luna", where the actor's partner was his, already ex-wife, M. Sallavan. One of his main roles, the actor considered the image he created of the President of America - Abraham Lincoln - in the film "Young Mr. Lincoln".
The film "Grapes of Wrath", based on the play by Steinbeck, was a huge success among viewers and critics. The actual theme raised in the film about the fate of a family of small farmers forced to survive in the economic crisis touched the hearts of the audience and brought the actor a nomination for the main Hollywood Academy Award - "Oscar". At first, they refused to take the actor for this role, but after lengthy negotiations and signing a seven-year contract with 20th Century Fox, he got the role. Everyone predicted an Oscar for him, but the main prize in 1940 went to another film, and Grapes of Wrath took only the second position, but this did not become an obstacle to his recognition as one of the best actors in America.
During the war, Henry goes to serve in the US Navy and takes part in battles for which he was awarded the Orders of Bronze Star and Presidential Citation.
Returning from the front, Fonda stops filming for a while and enjoys a normal life. And a year later, he resumes his acting activity and has been fruitfully filming for several years. About a dozen more films appear at the box office, where Fonda played the central roles.
After the contract with the studio came to an end, the actor decides to devote himself only to the stage for some time. But in the mid-1950s, the actor reappears on the screens and works with leading directors on new characters, including: Pierre Bezukhov in War and Peace, the architect Davis in 12 Angry Men. He also starred with the famous master of thrillers A. Hitchcock in The Wrong Man.
Henry Fonda ranks sixth on the list of the greatest movie stars. His paintings "12 Angry Men", "On the Golden Lake" and "Grapes of Wrath" were included in the hundred best films of the century in American history.
In 1981, the actor plays the role of an aging father in the film "On the Golden Lake". The film was nominated for an Oscar in eleven nominations, and G. Fonda himself received the coveted award for Best Actor.
The last work of the actor in 1981 was the television film "Summer Solstice".
Henry Fonda passed away in 1982 on August 12 in Los Angeles. Heart failure was the cause of his death.
Personal life and family
Henry was married five times, but his personal life can hardly be called happy. Only his fifth wife, Shirley Adams, who worked as a flight attendant for an American airline, became for him the last true love with which the actor lived from 1961 until the end of his life and bequeathed his entire fortune to her.
From the previous relationship, the actor left two children: Jane Fonda and Peter Fonda, who followed in their father's footsteps and also became film actors who built a successful film career.
Henry Fonda is also the grandfather of famous Hollywood star Bridget Fonda.
