The Untold Story of the Fonda Family

Acting found Henry Fonda almost by chance. He wasn’t a theatrical dreamer or a natural performer; he was recruited into a local play by the mother of a friend who thought his cheekbones suited the stage. It was the 1920s, and Henry had been working mundane jobs—painting signs, handling machinery, building a quiet life in Nebraska.

But something about performing clicked. He joined the University Players, where he met people like Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan, who would shape his path. That accidental start led to a career defined not by charisma, but by conviction, subtlety, and relentless craft.