Acting · Grand Island, Nebraska, USA · Born May 16, 1905
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.
MovieHenry Fonda for President
2025
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe Fondas: A Cinematic Dynasty
2023
as Self - Actor (archive footage)
MovieCitizen Jane Fonda
2020
MovieJay Sebring… Cutting to the Truth
2020
as Self(archive footage)
Movie'Fail-Safe' and the Cold War
2020
as Self (archive footage)
MovieJohn Ford: The Man Who Invented America
2019
as Self - Actor (archive footage)
MovieSpanish Western
2015
as Self (archive footage)
MovieGore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia
2013
as Self (archive footage)
MovieJohn Ford & Monument Valley
2013
as Self (archive footage)
MovieBeyond a Reasonable Doubt: Making '12 Angry Men'
2008
as Self (archive footage)
MovieJezebel: Legend of the South
2006
as Self (archive footage)
MovieSacco and Vanzetti
2006
as Prof. Tommy Turner (archive footage)
MovieGuilt Trip: Hitchcock and 'The Wrong Man'
2004
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe Wages of Sin
2003
as Self (archive footage)
MovieSomething to Do with Death
2003
as Self (archive footage)
MovieAn Opera of Violence
2003
as Self - Actor (archive footage)
MovieThe Making of Midway
2001
as Self
MovieHidden Hollywood II: More Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Vaults
1999
as (archive footage)
MovieBarbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line
1997
as Self (archive footage)
MovieHenry Fonda: Hollywood's Quiet Hero
1997
as Self (archive footage)
MovieLa Classe américaine
1993
as Hugues (archive footage)
MovieFonda on Fonda
1992
as Self (archive footage)
MoviePreminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker
1991
MovieBarbara Stanwyck: Fire and Desire
1991
as Self (archive footage)
MovieMyrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To
1990
as (archive footage)
MovieThe Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
1988
as Self (archive footage)
MovieGoing Hollywood: The '30s
1984
as (archive footage)
MovieLet Poland Be Poland
1982
as Self
MovieSummer Solstice
1981
as Joshua
MovieOn Golden Pond
1981
as Norman Thayer Jr.
MovieThe Greatest Man in the World
1981
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
MovieGideon's Trumpet
1980
as Clarence Earl Gideon
MovieThe Oldest Living Graduate
1980
as Col. J.C. Kincaid
MovieThe Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg
1980
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
MovieBarn Burning
1980
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
MovieThe Jilting of Granny Weatherall
1980
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
MoviePaul's Case
1980
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
MovieThe Golden Honeymoon
1980
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
MovieThe Sensational Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70's
1980
as Self (archive footage)
MovieRappaccini's Daughter
1980
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
MovieThe Sky Is Gray
1980
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
MovieMeteor
1979
as The President
MovieCity on Fire
1979
as Fire Chief Risley
The Man Who Loved Bears
1979
as Self
MovieWanda Nevada
1979
as Old Prospector
TVRoots: The Next Generations
1979
as Colonel Frederick Warner
TVThe Kennedy Center Honors
1978
as Self
MovieA Special Sesame Street Christmas
1978
as Self
MovieFedora
1978
as President of the Academy
MovieThe Swarm
1978
as Dr. Walter Krim
MovieThe Great Smokey Roadblock
1978
as Elegant John
MovieHome to Stay
1978
as Grandpa George
MovieThe Biggest Battle
1978
as Generale Foster
MovieInside 'the Swarm'
1978
as Self
Laugh-In
1977
as Guest Performer
MovieRollercoaster
1977
as Simon Davenport
MovieSoldier's Home
1977
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
MovieThe Blue Hotel
1977
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
MovieThe Displaced Person
1977
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
MovieI'm a Fool
1977
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
MovieTentacles
1977
as Mr. Whitehead
MovieUnderground Doctors
1977
as Self - Host
MovieBernice Bobs Her Hair
1976
as Self - Series Host (uncredited)
TVCaptains and the Kings
1976
as Sen. Enfield Bassett
MovieMidway
1976
as Adm. Chester W. Nimitz
TVFamily
1976
as James Lawrence
MovieCollision Course: Truman vs. MacArthur
1976
as Gen. Douglas MacArthur
MovieParkinson: Meet Henry Fonda
1975
as Self
TVPeople's Choice Awards
1975
as Self
MovieHenry James' The Jolly Corner
1975
as Narrator
TVDinah!
1974
as Self
TVSpécial cinéma
1974
as Self (archive footage)
MovieClarence Darrow
1974
as Clarence Darrow
MovieLetter to Jane: An Investigation About a Still
1974
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
MovieThe Last Four Days
1974
as Kardinal Schuster
Parker Adderson, Philosopher
1974
as Narrator (Voice)
MovieThe Music School
1974
as Narrator (voice)
MovieMy Name Is Nobody
1973
as Jack Beauregard
MovieAsh Wednesday
1973
as Mark Sawyer
MovieThe Alpha Caper
1973
as Mark Forbes
TVThe Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
1973
as Self
MovieThe Serpent
1973
as Alan Davies
TVThe American Film Institute Salute to ...
1973
as Self
MovieThe Red Pony
1973
as Carl Tiflin
MovieSometimes a Great Notion
1971
as Henry Stamper
MovieThe American West of John Ford
1971
as Self - Narrator
Film '72
1971
as Self
TVCadet Rousselle
1971
as Self
MovieDirected by John Ford
1971
V.I.P. Schaukel
1971
as Self
TVThe Smith Family
1971
as Chad Smith
TVAll in the Family
1971
as Self
MovieThere Was a Crooked Man...
1970
as Woodward W. Lopeman
MovieThe Cheyenne Social Club
1970
as Harley Sullivan
MovieToo Late the Hero
1970
as Capt. John G Nolan
TVThe Bill Cosby Show
1969
as Joshua Richards
MovieAn Impression of John Steinbeck: Writer
1969
as John Steinbeck (voice)
MovieOnce Upon a Time in the West
1968
as Frank
MoviePat Paulsen for President
1968
as Narrator (voice)
MovieThe Boston Strangler
1968
as John S. Bottomly
TVThe Doris Day Show
1968
as Henry Fonda (uncredited)
TVThe Dick Cavett Show
1968
as Self - Guest
MovieYours, Mine and Ours
1968
as Frank Beardsley
MovieMadigan
1968
as Commissioner Anthony X. Russell
MovieFirecreek
1968
as Bob Larkin
MovieA Space to Grow
1968
as Narrator
TVThe World About Us
1967
as Narrator
MovieStranger on the Run
1967
as Ben Chamberlain
MovieWelcome to Hard Times
1967
as Mayor Will Blue
To Save a Soldier
1966
as Narrator (voice)
Born to Buck
1966
as Narrator
MovieA Big Hand for the Little Lady
1966
as Meredith
MovieThe Really Big Family
1966
as Self - Narrator
MovieBattle of the Bulge
1965
as Lt Col Kiley
MovieThe Dirty Game
1965
as Dimitri Koulov
MovieIn Harm's Way
1965
as CINCPAC II
MovieThe Rounders
1965
as Marion 'Howdy' Lewis
MovieSex and the Single Girl
1964
as Frank Broderick
MovieFail Safe
1964
as The President
MovieThe Best Man
1964
as William Russell
MovieSpencer's Mountain
1963
as Clay Spencer
MovieHollywood: The Great Stars
1963
as Self - Host
MovieHollywood: The Fabulous Era
1962
as Narrator / Host
MovieHow the West Was Won
1962
as Jethro Stuart
TVThe Merv Griffin Show
1962
as Self
TVThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
as Self
MovieThe Longest Day
1962
as Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt Jr.
MovieAdvise & Consent
1962
as Robert Leffingwell
MoviePresident Kennedy's Birthday Salute
1962
as Self
MovieHollywood: The Selznick Years
1961
as Self - Narrator
TVThe Mike Douglas Show
1961
as Self
MovieThe Fabulous Fifties
1960
as Narrator (segment "Fifties Dead Sequence") (voice)
MovieThe Man Who Understood Women
1959
as Willie Bauche
TVThe Deputy
1959
as Marshal Simon Fry
MovieWarlock
1959
as Clay Blaisedell
TVThe Bell Telephone Hour
1959
as Self - Host
MovieStage Struck
1958
as Lewis Easton
MovieThe Tin Star
1957
as Morgan Hickman
Movie12 Angry Men
1957
as Juror 8
MovieThe Wrong Man
1956
as Manny Balestrero
MovieWar and Peace
1956
as Pierre Bezukhov
TVThe Steve Allen Show
1956
as Self
TVTony Awards
1956
as Self - Host / Presenter
MovieMister Roberts
1955
as Lieutenant Roberts
MovieThe Petrified Forest
1955
as Alan Squier
TVThe Star and the Story
1955
as Self - Host
TVGeneral Electric Theater
1953
as Emmett Kelly
The Real Miss America
1952
as Narrator (voice)
TVHallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Clarence Earl Gideon
MoviePictura
1951
as Narrator (segment "Grant Wood") (voice)
MovieBenjy
1951
as Narrator (voice)
TVWhat's My Line?
1950
as Self - Mystery Guest
MovieJigsaw
1949
as Nightclub Waiter (uncredited)
TVThe Ed Sullivan Show
1948
as Self
MovieFort Apache
1948
as Lt. Col. Owen Thursday
MovieOn Our Merry Way
1948
as Lank Solsky
MovieDaisy Kenyon
1947
as Peter Lapham
MovieThe Fugitive
1947
as A Fugitive
MovieThe Long Night
1947
as Joe Adams
MovieMy Darling Clementine
1946
as Wyatt Earp
TVGolden Globe Awards
1944
as Self - Cecil B. DeMille Award Recipient
MovieImmortal Sergeant
1943
as Corporal Colin Spence
MovieThe Ox-Bow Incident
1943
as Gil Carter
MovieThe Battle of Midway
1942
as Narrator (voice)
MovieIt's Everybody's War
1942
as Narrator
MovieThe Big Street
1942
as Little Pinks
MovieTales of Manhattan
1942
as George
MovieThe Magnificent Dope
1942
as Thadeus Winship 'Tad' Page
MovieRings on Her Fingers
1942
as John Wheeler
MovieThe Male Animal
1942
as Tommy Turner
MovieYou Belong to Me
1941
as Peter Kirk
MovieWild Geese Calling
1941
as John Murdock
MovieThe Lady Eve
1941
as Charles Pike
MovieChad Hanna
1940
as Chad Hanna
MovieThe Return of Frank James
1940
as Frank James
MovieLillian Russell
1940
as Alexander Moore
MovieThe Grapes of Wrath
1940
as Tom Joad
MovieDrums Along the Mohawk
1939
as Gilbert Martin
MovieYoung Mr. Lincoln
1939
as Abraham Lincoln
MovieThe Story of Alexander Graham Bell
1939
as Thomas Watson
MovieLet Us Live
1939
as "Brick" Tennant
MovieJesse James
1939
as Frank James
MovieBreakdowns of 1938
1938
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe Mad Miss Manton
1938
as Peter Ames
MovieSpawn of the North
1938
as Jim Kimmerlee
MovieBlockade
1938
as Marco
MovieJezebel
1938
as Preston Dillard
MovieI Met My Love Again
1938
as Ives Towner
MovieThat Certain Woman
1937
as Jack V. Merrick, Jr.
MovieSlim
1937
as Slim Kincaid
MovieWings of the Morning
1937
as Kerry Gilfallen
MovieYou Only Live Once
1937
as Eddie Taylor
MovieSpendthrift
1936
as Townsend Middleton
MovieThe Moon's Our Home
1936
as Anthony Amberton / John Smith
MovieThe Trail of the Lonesome Pine
1936
as Dave Tolliver
MovieI Dream Too Much
1935
as Johnny Street
MovieWay Down East
1935
as David Bartlett
MovieThe Farmer Takes a Wife
1935
as Dan Harrow
Loving Against Time: the Making of On Golden Pond
as archive footage
