Henry Jaynes Fonda

Henry Fonda loved this part evidently, playing yet again the Prince in ''A Kiss for Cinderella'' in Nov 1930 opposite Suzanne Pollard (stage name "Shirley Horton"), daughter of the Governor of Virginia ([http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=50005553&currentResult=3&src=search&firstvisit=true Kingsport Times (Kingsport, Tennessee), 30 Nov 1930, page 8]).  Note that Kevin Sweeney ignores this appearance.

Henry Fonda loved this part evidently, playing yet again the Prince in ''A Kiss for Cinderella'' in Nov 1930 opposite Suzanne Pollard (stage name "Shirley Horton"), daughter of the Governor of Virginia ([http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=50005553&currentResult=3&src=search&firstvisit=true Kingsport Times (Kingsport, Tennessee), 30 Nov 1930, page 8]).  Note that Kevin Sweeney ignores this appearance.

Margaret Sullavan's career now took off while Henry's was still on the slow burner.  Margaret had "gone on the road as an understudy in a play called ''Strictly Dishonorable''" ([http://books.google.com/books?id=cXscbDlSt0cC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0#PPA8,M1 Sweeney p8]). Margaret Sullavan then appeared at the Booth Theatre beginning 20 May 1931 in the title role in ''A Modern Virgin'', which ran for 45 performances.  On 17 Jul 1931 a ''New York Times'' article states that she "will appear" next week in the leading role of Coquette "in a production by the University Players of West Falmouth, Massachusetts".  But shortly afterward on 29 Jul 1931 they were announcing that ''A Modern Virgin'' would now tour to Brighton Beach, Asbury Park, and then Chicago on 17 Aug.  On 29 Oct it was announced that in the week of 9 Nov she would appear at the Booth Theater, in a play called ''If Love Were All''.  Meanwhile the New York Times took absolutely no notice of Henry Fonda.

Margaret Sullavan's career now took off while Henry's was still on the slow burner.  Margaret had "gone on the road as an understudy in a play called ''Strictly Dishonorable''" ([http://books.google.com/books?id=cXscbDlSt0cC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0#PPA8,M1 Sweeney p8]). Margaret Sullavan then appeared at the Booth Theatre beginning 20 May 1931 in the title role in ''A Modern Virgin'', which ran for 45 performances.  On 17 Jul 1931 a ''New York Times'' article states that she "will appear" next week in the leading role of Coquette "in a production by the University Players of West Falmouth, Massachusetts".  But shortly afterward on 29 Jul 1931 they were announcing that ''A Modern Virgin'' would now tour to Brighton Beach, Asbury Park, and then Chicago on 17 Aug.  On 29 Oct it was announced that in the week of 9 Nov she would appear at the Booth Theater, in a play called ''If Love Were All''.  Meanwhile the New York Times took absolutely no notice of Henry Fonda.

<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>

<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.

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?

At this same time, Henry's future wife, socialite Frances (Seymour) Brokaw who had married George Tuttle Brokaw on 10 Jan 1931 as her first husband ([http://scplweb.santacruzpl.org:2249/pqdweb?index=8&did=98311048&SrchMode=1&sid=4&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1219103463&clientId=54310 ''New York Times'', 11 Jan 1931]) was "...living in splendor as Mrs Brokaw, in a mansion with a moat on Fifth Avenue..." (''My Life'', p 36).  The exact address being 1 East 79th Street. A photo of George appears [http://scplweb.santacruzpl.org:2249/pqdweb?index=15&did=94616463&SrchMode=1&sid=4&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1219103463&clientId=54310 here].

At this same time, Henry's future wife, socialite Frances (Seymour) Brokaw who had married George Tuttle Brokaw on 10 Jan 1931 as her first husband ([http://scplweb.santacruzpl.org:2249/pqdweb?index=8&did=98311048&SrchMode=1&sid=4&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1219103463&clientId=54310 ''New York Times'', 11 Jan 1931]) was "...living in splendor as Mrs Brokaw, in a mansion with a moat on Fifth Avenue..." (''My Life'', p 36).  The exact address being 1 East 79th Street. A photo of George appears [http://scplweb.santacruzpl.org:2249/pqdweb?index=15&did=94616463&SrchMode=1&sid=4&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1219103463&clientId=54310 here].

Jane says of this general period, but which I will place exactly here, "For a while he shared a two-room apartment on the West side with Josh Logan, Jimmy Stewart and radio actor Myron McCormick." (''My Life'', p 36) So what I think is that he ''may'' have been roommates with Stewart starting in the Fall or Winter of 1932, not the just-ended Summer.  Fall was when all the summer stock actors moved back into New York City looking for the big score and living on rice and water.  The University Players, now called the "Theatre Unit" however were perhaps doing a tad better, moving Carry Nation to Broadway for 30 performances.

Jane says of this general period, but which I will place exactly here, "For a while he shared a two-room apartment on the West side with Josh Logan, Jimmy Stewart and radio actor Myron McCormick." (''My Life'', p 36) So what I think is that he ''may'' have been roommates with Stewart starting in the Fall or Winter of 1932, not the just-ended Summer.  Fall was when all the summer stock actors moved back into New York City looking for the big score and living on rice and water.  The University Players, now called the "Theatre Unit" however were perhaps doing a tad better, moving Carry Nation to Broadway for 30 performances.

Henry Fonda next played Winter stock in East Orange, New Jersey ([http://www.amazon.com/gp/sitbv3/reader?asin=0313265712&pageID=S00N&checkSum=vg5jWBA/lHeslFozQmNTPcSX9IzEXv%20YoWKPvAKepqw= Sweeney, page 9]).  He then had a role in the Broadway play ''Forsaking All Others'' which opened 1 Mar 1933.  Some sources report that Fonda was also this year in ''All Good Americans'', but the cast list [http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=11804 here at the Internet Broadway Database] does not show that.  Desperate for work he took a job as a florist's assistant ([http://www.amazon.com/gp/sitbv3/reader?asin=0313265712&pageID=S00N&checkSum=vg5jWBA/lHeslFozQmNTPcSX9IzEXv%20YoWKPvAKepqw= Sweeney, p9]).  "His mood wasn't helped by the news that his ex-wife had just been cast in a Hollywood film ''Just Yesterday'' (1933) ([http://www.amazon.com/gp/sitbv3/reader?asin=0313265712&pageID=S00N&checkSum=vg5jWBA/lHeslFozQmNTPcSX9IzEXv%20YoWKPvAKepqw= Sweeney, p9])  Finally, a 5 Dec 1933 article in the ''New York Times'' mentions that he is rehearsing in the play ''Love Story'', but it's not clear that he actually appeared.

Henry Fonda next played Winter stock in East Orange, New Jersey ([http://www.amazon.com/gp/sitbv3/reader?asin=0313265712&pageID=S00N&checkSum=vg5jWBA/lHeslFozQmNTPcSX9IzEXv%20YoWKPvAKepqw= Sweeney, page 9]).  He then had a role in the Broadway play ''Forsaking All Others'' which opened 1 Mar 1933.  Some sources report that Fonda was also this year in ''All Good Americans'', but the cast list [http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=11804 here at the Internet Broadway Database] does not show that.  Desperate for work he took a job as a florist's assistant ([http://www.amazon.com/gp/sitbv3/reader?asin=0313265712&pageID=S00N&checkSum=vg5jWBA/lHeslFozQmNTPcSX9IzEXv%20YoWKPvAKepqw= Sweeney, p9]).  "His mood wasn't helped by the news that his ex-wife had just been cast in a Hollywood film ''Just Yesterday'' (1933) ([http://www.amazon.com/gp/sitbv3/reader?asin=0313265712&pageID=S00N&checkSum=vg5jWBA/lHeslFozQmNTPcSX9IzEXv%20YoWKPvAKepqw= Sweeney, p9])  Finally, a 5 Dec 1933 article in the ''New York Times'' mentions that he is rehearsing in the play ''Love Story'', but it's not clear that he actually appeared.