Henry Jaynes Fonda

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(1931-1933)
(1931-1933)
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Kevin Sweeney states that during 1931, Henry appeared in ''The Straw Hat'' in Aug in West Falmouth, so what was Henry doing from Dec 1930 to Aug 1931? And Sweeney goes on to say that then the Players went to Baltimore where they performed ''Death Takes a Holiday'' next, and then in December ''The Ghost Train''.  These last two, Sweeney says were "with Margaret Sullavan."  This off-season extension was supposedly a financial disaster, which led to the break-up of the troupe, at least for that season.
 
Kevin Sweeney states that during 1931, Henry appeared in ''The Straw Hat'' in Aug in West Falmouth, so what was Henry doing from Dec 1930 to Aug 1931? And Sweeney goes on to say that then the Players went to Baltimore where they performed ''Death Takes a Holiday'' next, and then in December ''The Ghost Train''.  These last two, Sweeney says were "with Margaret Sullavan."  This off-season extension was supposedly a financial disaster, which led to the break-up of the troupe, at least for that season.
  
<table><tr><td>The Wikipedia biography of Jimmy Stewart [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Stewart_(actor) here] citing Houghton (1951) and also Eliot (2006) states that Henry Fonda and Margaret Sullavan married on Christmas Day 1931 in Baltimore where the University Players were for an 18-week Winter season, but by the following Summer of 1932 their marriage had ended.  I've now found a contemporary newspaper announcement that they did marry on Christmas Day, 1931, but the place is not specified. Sweeney [http://books.google.com/books?id=cXscbDlSt0cC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0#PPA8,M1 states on page 8] that they married "in the dining room of the Kernan Hotel in Baltimore.  He was 26, she was 20"  Henry's daughter Jane says, "After a year and a half of courting her, he proposed and they married. They lived in Greenwich Village, New York City, but the marriage only lasted about four months." Sweeney says "as lovers they fought ceaselessly...as husband and wife they fought even more" (page 8)  By Feb or Mar, they had separated according to Sweeney, and Henry Fonda moved into a "flea-bitten hotel below 42nd Street".</td><td>http://s3.amazonaws.com/findagrave/photos/2001/222/fondahenry.jpg</td></tr></table>
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<table><tr><td>The Wikipedia biography of Jimmy Stewart [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Stewart_(actor) here] citing Houghton (1951) and also Eliot (2006) states that Henry Fonda and Margaret Sullavan married on Christmas Day 1931 in Baltimore where the University Players were for an 18-week Winter season, but by the following Summer of 1932 their marriage had ended.  I've now found a contemporary newspaper announcement that they did marry on Christmas Day, 1931, but the place is not specified. Sweeney [http://books.google.com/books?id=cXscbDlSt0cC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0#PPA8,M1 states on page 8] that they married "in the dining room of the Kernan Hotel in Baltimore.  He was 26, she was 20"  Henry's daughter Jane says, "After a year and a half of courting her, he proposed and they married. They lived in Greenwich Village, New York City, but the marriage only lasted about four months." Sweeney says "as lovers they fought ceaselessly...as husband and wife they fought even more" (page 8)  By Feb or Mar, they had separated according to Sweeney, Henry announced he would not be returning to the Players and moved into a "flea-bitten hotel below 42nd Street".</td><td>http://s3.amazonaws.com/findagrave/photos/2001/222/fondahenry.jpg</td></tr></table>
  
 
Margaret's career was climbing higher.  On 14 Mar 1932, the ''New York Times'' states that Margaret Sullavan "has been engaged" as a member of the cast of ''Happy Landing'' which will open 28 Mar.  On 4 May the ''New York Times'' states that Margaret Sullavan "who recently closed" in ''Happy Landing'' has been engaged for the leading role in ''Coast-to-Coast'' at Broad Street Theatre, Newark. On 24 May 1932 the NYT announced that ''The Boy Friend'' was set to open 6 Jun on Broadway and the cast was to include Margaret Sullavan.  Meanwhile the New York Times still took no notice of Henry Fonda.
 
Margaret's career was climbing higher.  On 14 Mar 1932, the ''New York Times'' states that Margaret Sullavan "has been engaged" as a member of the cast of ''Happy Landing'' which will open 28 Mar.  On 4 May the ''New York Times'' states that Margaret Sullavan "who recently closed" in ''Happy Landing'' has been engaged for the leading role in ''Coast-to-Coast'' at Broad Street Theatre, Newark. On 24 May 1932 the NYT announced that ''The Boy Friend'' was set to open 6 Jun on Broadway and the cast was to include Margaret Sullavan.  Meanwhile the New York Times still took no notice of Henry Fonda.
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Jane Fonda 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> Could "Jed Harris" and Elmer Harris be the same person?
 
Jane Fonda 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> Could "Jed Harris" and Elmer Harris be the same person?
  
Meanwhile for Henry Fonda, work was non-existent.  He tried to go back to the University Players, but Joshua Logan had already replaced him with a Princeton architectural graduate named [[Jimmy Stewart]].  Fonda was forced to take a menial summer job in Surrey, Maine.  So what did Fonda do for money between say Feb and June of 1932 ?  I haven't found anything yet.
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Meanwhile for Henry Fonda, work was non-existent.  Even though he had said he wouldn't, he tried to go back to the University Players, but Joshua Logan had already replaced him with a Princeton architectural graduate named [[Jimmy Stewart]].  Fonda was forced to take a menial summer job in Surrey, Maine.  So what did Fonda do for money between say Feb and June of 1932 ?  I haven't found anything yet.
  
 
At this same time, Henry's future wife, socialite Frances (Seymour) Brokaw who had married George Brokaw Jan 1931 was "...living in splendor as Mrs Brokaw, in a mansion with a moat on Fifth Avenue..." (''My Life'', p 36).
 
At this same time, Henry's future wife, socialite Frances (Seymour) Brokaw who had married George Brokaw Jan 1931 was "...living in splendor as Mrs Brokaw, in a mansion with a moat on Fifth Avenue..." (''My Life'', p 36).

Revision as of 00:47, 16 August 2008

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