Henry Jaynes Fonda

At this time "Leland Hayward, who was on the brink of becoming the top talent agent in the country, signed him up and convinced a reluctant Fonda to go to Hollywood for $1,000 a week." (''My Life'', p 37).  By Aug 1934, Henry had "signed with Walter Wagner [sic], to play an important part in ''The President Vanishes''" (see [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=45596791&currentResult=7&src=search&firstvisit=true here]).  And [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=40782721&firstvisit=true&src=search&currentResult=0 here] they state that he signed with Walter Wagner [sic] to "make two pictures a year starting with the summer months of 1935."  But note that "Henry Fonda, Broadway actor who will be seen this season [Winter of 1934 ?] in 'Rome Haul'" (erroneously called Rome "Hall"), which probably means he was still then in New York.  Evidently this title was the title of the book by Walter Edmonds, and the play was re-named ''The Farmer Takes a Wife'' (see [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=49072003&currentResult=21&src=search&firstvisit=true here]).  The play appeared on Broadway, and tells the story of Molly Harkins, a pretty girl who works as a cook on a boat, moving from town to town.  She meets Dan Harrow, a rough, simple man who wants to settle down as a farmer.  He has to convince her to marry him and farm.  Henry Fonda plays the man, and June Walker the woman (see [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=23032494&currentResult=22&src=search&firstvisit=true here]).  Noel Thornton was a bit psychic when he stated,<blockquote>"Indeed young Fonda is so good in the early part of the show that he undoubtedly will be transferred to the movie colony in jig time to become the newest of the leading men for Norma Shearer, Constance Bennett or Miriam Hopkins."</blockquote>

At this time "Leland Hayward, who was on the brink of becoming the top talent agent in the country, signed him up and convinced a reluctant Fonda to go to Hollywood for $1,000 a week." (''My Life'', p 37).  By Aug 1934, Henry had "signed with Walter Wagner [sic], to play an important part in ''The President Vanishes''" (see [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=45596791&currentResult=7&src=search&firstvisit=true here]).  And [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=40782721&firstvisit=true&src=search&currentResult=0 here] they state that he signed with Walter Wagner [sic] to "make two pictures a year starting with the summer months of 1935."  But note that "Henry Fonda, Broadway actor who will be seen this season [Winter of 1934 ?] in 'Rome Haul'" (erroneously called Rome "Hall"), which probably means he was still then in New York.  Evidently this title was the title of the book by Walter Edmonds, and the play was re-named ''The Farmer Takes a Wife'' (see [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=49072003&currentResult=21&src=search&firstvisit=true here]).  The play appeared on Broadway, and tells the story of Molly Harkins, a pretty girl who works as a cook on a boat, moving from town to town.  She meets Dan Harrow, a rough, simple man who wants to settle down as a farmer.  He has to convince her to marry him and farm.  Henry Fonda plays the man, and June Walker the woman (see [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=23032494&currentResult=22&src=search&firstvisit=true here]).  Noel Thornton was a bit psychic when he stated,<blockquote>"Indeed young Fonda is so good in the early part of the show that he undoubtedly will be transferred to the movie colony in jig time to become the newest of the leading men for Norma Shearer, Constance Bennett or Miriam Hopkins."</blockquote>

Henry and Margaret had  remained on reasonable terms for some time.  They were seen out-together once-in-a-while, and there was some gossip that they might remarry.  Jane Fonda however states that just after Henry and Margaret separated, Margaret had taken up with producer Jed Harris. "Dad would stand outside her window, knowing Harris was inside with her."<blockquote>"That just destroyed me," he said a lifetime later to Howard Teichmann. "Never in my life have I felt so betrayed, so rejected, so alone."</blockquote> Margaret and Jed however didn't marry, even though the gossip was they might, her next marriage was to director William Wyler.  He was directing her in her currant film and there was '''no gossip''' that they were even romantically linked.  So the marriage was a complete surprise. Curiously, in the Nov 1936 article mentioning that Margaret had just re-married, they state that Fonda and she had divorced "two years ago".  That cannot be true, unless they remarried and divorced yet again.  We've already seen how in 1930, an article already calls them divorced.

Henry and Margaret had  remained on reasonable terms for some time.  They were seen out-together once-in-a-while, and there was some gossip that they might remarry.  Jane Fonda however states that just after Henry and Margaret separated, Margaret had taken up with producer Jed Harris. "Dad would stand outside her window, knowing Harris was inside with her."<blockquote>"That just destroyed me," he said a lifetime later to Howard Teichmann. "Never in my life have I felt so betrayed, so rejected, so alone."</blockquote> Margaret and Jed however didn't marry, even though the gossip was they might, her next marriage was to director William Wyler.  He was directing her in her currant film and there was '''no gossip''' that they were even romantically linked.  So the marriage was a complete surprise. Curiously, in the Nov 1936 article mentioning that Margaret had just re-married, they state that Fonda and she had divorced "two years ago".  That cannot be true, unless they remarried and divorced yet again.  We've already seen how in 1930, an article already calls them divorced.