Henry Jaynes Fonda
From RoyalWeb
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Margaret Sullavan's career now took off while Henry's was still on the slow burner. Margaret Sullavan appeared at the Booth Theatre beginning 20 May 1931 in the title role in ''A Modern Virgin''. 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 Sullavan appeared at the Booth Theatre beginning 20 May 1931 in the title role in ''A Modern Virgin''. 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. | ||
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| − | Kevin Sweeney states that during 1931, Henry appeared in ''The Straw Hat'' in Aug in West Falmouth, and 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, | + | Kevin Sweeney states that during 1931, Henry appeared in ''The Straw Hat'' in Aug in West Falmouth, and 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." |
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. "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." (so says his daughter Jane)</td><td>http://s3.amazonaws.com/findagrave/photos/2001/222/fondahenry.jpg</td></tr></table> | 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. "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." (so says his daughter Jane)</td><td>http://s3.amazonaws.com/findagrave/photos/2001/222/fondahenry.jpg</td></tr></table> | ||
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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? | ||
| − | It was reportedly in this Summer of 1932 that Henry met and was the roommate of fellow-actor [[Jimmy Stewart]], at the Madison Square Hotel "while both worked on Broadway" ([http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=114970741&firstvisit=true&src=search¤tResult=3 Seguin Gazette Enterprise (Seguin, Texas), 13 Aug 1982, page 3]). Some sources state that Stewart was also a member of the University Players, starting that Summer. Whether or not Stewart worked on Broadway at that time, needs more research. | + | It was reportedly in this Summer of 1932 that Henry met and was the roommate of fellow-actor [[Jimmy Stewart]], at the Madison Square Hotel "while both worked on Broadway" ([http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=114970741&firstvisit=true&src=search¤tResult=3 Seguin Gazette Enterprise (Seguin, Texas), 13 Aug 1982, page 3]). Some sources state that Stewart was also a member of the University Players, starting that Summer. Whether or not Stewart worked on Broadway at that time, and whether or not he was ever in the University Players needs more research. So far I've not found confirmation for either claim. |
| − | Meanwhile, 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). In Sep 1932 | + | Meanwhile, 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). What was Henry Fonda doing between Mar 1932 and Sep 1932 ? I haven't found anything yet. |
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| + | In Sep 1932, in another play that Sweeney missed, Henry Fonda played the part of Inspector Enderby in ''Michael and Mary'' (see [http://www.newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=55696065¤tResult=5&src=search&firstvisit=true here]), which must have had a short run as the following month he was appearing on Broadway in ''I Love You Wednesday'' which opened 11 Oct 1932. He then had a role in the 1933 Broadway play ''Forsaking All Others'', and reportedly also this year in ''All Good Americans''. 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. | ||
===1934=== | ===1934=== | ||
