Henry Jaynes Fonda

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(1949-1954)
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===1949-1954===
 
===1949-1954===
<table><tr><td> Jane Fonda states that Henry was a man of dark moods and that they "...lived in constant awareness of the minefield we had to tread so as not to trigger his rage." (''My Life'', p 35).  On 14 Oct 1950 his then-wife Frances Seymour killed herself by slitting her throat while in a mental hospital.  Decades later Jane Fonda enlisted lawyers and finally pried her medical records from the Austen Riggs Center.  These included eight typed pages that Frances had composed herself on her admission, with her own hand-written corrections. (''My Life'', p 25) Jane describes her mother Frances as a "beautiful but damaged butterfly, unable to give me what I needed...because she could not give it to herself." (''My Life'', p30)
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Jane Fonda states that Henry was a man of dark moods and that they "...lived in constant awareness of the minefield we had to tread so as not to trigger his rage." (''My Life'', p 35).  In late Fall of 1949, Henry told Frances that he wanted a divorce, just four months after she had had an operation related to her kidneys.  Frances stated in a letter to Watson Webb that, "...he has told me he hasn't been happy during our thirteen years of marriage....I wish him great happiness in this '''new''' marriage." (''Don't Tell Dad'', p 43).
  
Three months after Frances' suicide, in Dec 1950, Henry married the much-younger Susan Blanchard.  They honeymooned in the Caribbean, returning Jan 1951.  Henry and Susan adopted a baby named Amy, possibly this occurred in 1951.  Henry Fonda and Susan Blanchard divorced in 1956.  Peter Fonda refers to Susan Blanchard, in his book as "Mom2".
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On 14 Oct 1950 his then-wife Frances Seymour killed herself by slitting her throat while in a mental hospital.  Decades later Jane Fonda enlisted lawyers and finally pried her medical records from the Austen Riggs Center.  These included eight typed pages that Frances had composed herself on her admission, with her own hand-written corrections. (''My Life'', p 25)  Jane describes her mother Frances as a "beautiful but damaged butterfly, unable to give me what I needed...because she could not give it to herself." (''My Life'', p30)  Neither Jane not Peter were allowed to attend their mother's funeral. (''Don't Tell Dad'', p 46)
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<table><tr><td>At this point in his book, Peter Fonda, in discussing his father, mentions Henry's role as "Colonel Thursday" in the 1947 movie ''Fort Apache''.  Peter says, that when he is asked what it was like to grow up as Henry Fonda's son, he says, "Have you ever seen Fort Apache?"
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Near the end of Summer 1950 was when Peter first met Susan Blanchard and shortly afterward discovered that his father was going to marry her.  But apparently, per Frances' letter quoted above, Henry and Susan must have already met by Fall of 1949 or perhaps Henry had met someone else whom he didn't marry.
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Three months after Frances' suicide, in Dec 1950, Henry married the much-younger Susan Blanchard.  They honeymooned in the Caribbean, returning Jan 1951 when Peter had had a shotgun accident that he states almost killed him.  Henry and Susan adopted a baby named Amy, possibly this occurred in 1951.  Henry Fonda and Susan Blanchard divorced in 1956.  Peter Fonda refers to Susan Blanchard, in his book as "Mom2".
  
 
On Broadway, Henry played businessman Charles Gray in 1951's ''Point of No Return'', which ran into 1952.  He was the prosecuting attorney Lt. Greenwald in 1954's ''The Caine Mutiny Court‐Martial''.
 
On Broadway, Henry played businessman Charles Gray in 1951's ''Point of No Return'', which ran into 1952.  He was the prosecuting attorney Lt. Greenwald in 1954's ''The Caine Mutiny Court‐Martial''.

Revision as of 16:28, 24 September 2008

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