Profile of the Day: Henry Fonda

Remember watching Henry Fonda on the big screen? On this day in 1905, the Hollywood legend was born in Grand Island, Nebraska.

Image: Henry Fonda / Wikimedia Commons

Henry Jaynes Fonda was the son of William Brace Fonda and Elma Jaynes. His Fonda ancestors were among the first Dutch people to settle in what is now upstate New York. The small village of Fonda was named after Douw Fonda, a prominent settler who was killed in 1780 during a raid in the American Revolutionary War.

In 1935, Fonda got his big break in Hollywood when he was cast opposite Janet Gaynor in The Farmer Takes a Wife, which he had also starred in on Broadway. The film would mark the beginning of his nearly 50-year career in movies. Regarded as one of the greatest actors in history, Fonda starred in many classic films, including 12 Angry Men, The Grapes of Wrath, and his final film role, On Golden Pond. For his last film, Fonda starred alongside his daughter, actress Jane Fonda, and won an Academy Award for Best Actor.

How are you related to Henry Fonda? Explore his family tree and discover your connection to the actor!

View Henry Fonda’s Geni Profile