Henry Fonda - 100 Years of Movie Posters - 95

A Chronology of Henry Fonda Movie Posters 1936-1981.

Henry Fonda (1905-1982) was born in Grand Island, Nebraska.

He was married 5 times and had three children.

Two of his children became movie stars, Jane Fonda was born in 1937 and Peter Fonda in 1940.

Henry Fonda was Oscar nominated Best Actor for The Grapes of Wrath (1940) and won Best Actor for On Golden Pond (1981).

He received an Honorary Oscar in 1981 "in recognition of his brilliant accomplishments and enduring contribution to the art of motion pictures."

He was given a Life Achievement Award by the American Film Institute in 1978.

One of Hollywood's most respected actors Henry Fonda has appeared in 90 movies, this hub showcases poster art from 35 of those movies.

The Trail of the Lonesome Pine (1936) Directed by Henry Hathaway. 102mins.

Sylvia Sidney - June Tolliver
Fred MacMurray - Jack Hale
Henry Fonda - Dave Tolliver

Also starring Fred Stone, Nigel Bruce and Beulah Bondi.

Based on the novel by John Fox, first published in 1908.

The second feature film to be shot in three-strip Technicolor, the first was Becky Sharp (1935).

Oscar Nomination for Best Song.

IMDB rating 6.9

You Only Live Once (1937) Directed by Fritz Lang. 86mins.

Sylvia Sidney - Joan Graham
Henry Fonda - Eddie Taylor

Also starring Barton MacLane, Jean Dixon, William Gargan and Margaret Hamilton.

Crime drama considered an early film-noir classic.

Tagline - He robbed... kidnapped... he murdered... Because of the love of one woman!

IMDB rating 7.5

Blockade (1938) Directed by William Dieterle. 85mins.

Madeleine Carroll - Norma
Henry Fonda - Marco

Also starring Leo Carrillo, John Halliday, Robert Warwick and Reginald Denny.

Drama set during the Spanish Civil War in 1936.

Originally titled "The River is Blue".

Oscar nominations for Best Screenplay and Best Music score (Werner Janssen).

Tagline - Romance under Fire ! Love versus Bullets and a million souls

IMDB rating 5.8

Jezebel (1938) Directed by William Wyler. 104mins.

Bette Davis - Julie Marsden
Henry Fonda - Preston Dillard

Also starring George Brent, Margaret Lindsay, Donald Crisp and Fay Bainter.

Based on a play by Owen Davis.

Nominated for 5 Oscars including Best Picture, winning 2 - Best Actress (Bette Davis) and Best Supporting Actress (Fay Bainter).

Tagline - A Fearless Feminine Creature with a heart full of love !

IMDB rating 7.6

Jesse James (1939) Directed by Henry King. 106mins.

Tyrone Power - Jesse James
Henry Fonda - Frank James
Nancy Kelly - Zerelda 'Zee'
Randolph Scott - Will Wright

Also starring Brian Donlevy, Henry Hull, J. Edward Bromberg and John Carradine as Bob Ford.

A partly fictionalised life story of notorious outlaw Jesse James.

Two horses were killed during a chase scene where a wagon pulled by the horses went over a cliff into the sea. The scene was removed from prints of the film in Britain where cruelty to animals is strictly taboo. The scene is still missing from UK DVDs of the film.

Sequel - The Return of Frank James (1940).

Tagline - The tremendous dramatic thrills of the midwest's lawless era will burst from our screen...

IMDB rating 7.0

The Story of Alexander Graham Bell (1939) Directed by Irving Cummings. 98mins.

Don Ameche - Alexander Graham Bell
Loretta Young - Mabel Hubbard Bell
Henry Fonda - Thomas Watson

Also starring Charles Coburn, Gene Lockhart and Spring Byington.

Loosely based on the life of famous inventor Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922).

Tagline - Darryl F. Zanuck's Entertainment gem will take its place in the Hall of Fame!

IMDB rating 6.9

Young Mr. Lincoln (1939) Directed by John Ford. 100mins.

Henry Fonda - Abraham Lincoln
Alice Brady - Abigail Clay

Also starring Marjorie Weaver, Arleen Whelan, Eddie Collins, Pauline Moore and Ward Bond.

Partly fictionalised biopic of the early life of Abraham Lincoln.

A scene was removed showing Abe Lincoln meeting a young John Wilkes Booth, his future assassin.

Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay.

Tagline - The story of Abraham Lincoln that has NEVER been told!

IMDB rating 7.6

Drums Along the Mohawk (1939) Directed by John Ford. 104mins.

Claudette Colbert - Lana Martin
Henry Fonda - Gilbert Martin

Also starring Edna May Oliver, Eddie Collins, John Carradine and Ward Bond.

Based on the novel by Walter D. Edmonds, published in 1936.

Set during the American Revolution in 1776.

John Ford's first colour film.

Nominated for 2 Oscars - Best Supporting Actress (Edna May Oliver) and Best Cinematography.

IMDB rating 7.1

The Grapes of Wrath (1940) Directed by John Ford. 129mins.

Henry Fonda - Tom Joad

Also starring Jane Darwell, John Carradine, Charley Grapewin, Dorris Bowdon and Russell Simpson.

Classic movie based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by John Steinbeck, published in 1939.

Ranked #27 on the American Film Institute's 100 Greatest Films list.

Nominated for 7 Oscars including Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Actor (Henry Fonda), winning 2 - Best Director and Best Supporting Actress (Jane Darwell).

Selected for Preservation by the National Film Registry in 1989.

Tagline - The most discussed book in years - now comes to the screen to become the most discussed picture in ages

IMDB rating 8.2

The Return of Frank James (1940) Directed by Fritz Lang. 92mins.

Henry Fonda - Frank James
Gene Tierney - Eleanor Stone

Also starring Henry Hull, John Carradine, J. Edward Bromberg, Donald Meek and Jackie Cooper.

Sequel to Jesse James (1939) starts with the murder of Jesse by Bob Ford in a scene from the previous film. Frank James sets out to avenge his brother, finding Bob Ford and killing him, which never happened in real life but it's what movie audiences wanted to see.

IMDB rating 6.6

Chad Hanna (1940) Directed by Henry King. 88mins.

Henry Fonda - Chad Hanna
Dorothy Lamour - Albany Yates
Linda Darnell - Caroline Hanna

Also starring Guy Kibbee, Jane Darwell and John Carradine.

Based on the novel by Walter D. Edmonds, released the same year.

Ann Sheridan and Hedy lamarr were both considered for the Dorothy Lamour role.

Tagline - Right out of the pages of the Saturday Evening Post comes the best-seller acclaimed by Millions!

IMDB rating 6.2

The Lady Eve (1941) Directed by Preston Sturges. 94mins.

Barbara Stanwyck - Jean Harrington
Henry Fonda - Charles Pike

Also starring Charles Coburn, Eugene Pallette, William Demarest and Eric Blore.

Based on the story "Two Bad Hats" by Monckton Hoffe.

Ray Milland and Paulette Goddard were originally considered for the lead roles.

Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay.

Tagline - Eve sure knows her apples!

IMDB rating 8.0

The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) Directed by William A. Wellman. 75mins.

Henry Fonda - Gil Carter

Also starring Dana Andrews, Mary Beth Hughes, Anthony Quinn, Harry Morgan and Jane Darwell.

Bleak, depressing western based on the novel by Walter Van Tilburg Clark, published in 1940.

An angry lynch mob hang three men for cattle rustling only to discover when heading back to town that they were completely innocent and the real culprits had been arrested.

Oscar nomination for Best Picture.

Selected for Preservation by the National Film Registry in 1998.

Tagline - Lynch Law Rules the Mob!

IMDB rating 8.1

My Darling Clementine (1946) Directed by John Ford. 97mins (103mins)

Henry Fonda - Wyatt Earp
Linda Darnell - Chihuahua
Victor Mature - Doc Holliday
Cathy Downs - Clementine Carter
Walter Brennan - Old Man Clanton
Tim Holt - Virgil Earp
Ward Bond - Morgan Earp
John Ireland - Billy Clanton

One of the great westerns.

Based on the book "Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal" by Stuart N. Lake, published in 1931, which was also the basis for the Randolph Scott western Frontier Marshal (1939).

Vincent Price was on the shortlist to play Doc Holliday.

The DVD edition also includes the longer pre-release version of the film.

Selected for Preservation by the National Film Registry in 1991.

Tagline - The Roaring West At Its Reckless Best!

IMDB rating 7.8

Fort Apache (1948) Directed by John Ford. 125mins.

John Wayne - Capt. Kirby York
Henry Fonda - Lt. Col. Owen Thursday

Also starring Shirley Temple, Pedro Armendáriz, Ward Bond, George O'Brien and Victor McLaglen.

The first of John Ford's 'cavalry trilogy' the others are She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) and Rio Grande (1950).

Based on the story "Massacre" by James Warner Bellah.

WGA nomination for Best Written American Western.

Tagline - John Ford's Masterpiece of the Frontier!

IMDB rating 7.6

Mister Roberts (1955) Directed by John Ford and Mervyn LeRoy. 123mins.

Henry Fonda - Lt. Doug Roberts
James Cagney - Captain Morton
William Powell - Lt. 'Doc'
Jack Lemmon - Ens. Frank Pulver

Also starring Betsy Palmer, Ward Bond, Philip Carey and Nick Adams.

Based on a 1948 Broadway play which was based on a novel by Thomas Heggen.

Director John Ford and Henry Fonda did not get along during filming culminating in a heated arguement with Ford punching Fonda in the mouth, ending their long friendship.

The film was a big success and a sequel, Ensign Pulver, was released in 1964 with Robert Walker Jr playing the Jack Lemmon role.

Mister Roberts was nominated for 3 Oscars including Best Picture, winning 1 - Best Supporting Actor (Jack Lemmon).

DGA nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement.

WGA winner for Best Written American Comedy.

Tagline - All the Uproarious Fun of the Smash Broadway Play!

IMDB rating 7.7

War and Peace (1956) Directed by King Vidor. 208mins.

Audrey Hepburn - Natasha Rostova
Henry Fonda - Pierre Bezukhov
Mel Ferrer - Andrei Bolkonsky

Also starring Vittorio Gassman, Oskar Homolka, Anita Ekberg and Herbert Lom as Napoleon.

Based on Leo Tolstoy's doorstopper of a book, first published in 1869.

Henry Fonda knew he was miscast, he was 50 years old and the character he was playing was supposed to be in his early 20's.

Marlon Brando turned down the role of Pierre.

Nominated for 3 Oscars - Best Director, Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design.

Tagline - The Greatest Novel Ever Written Now Magnificently Alive On The Screen

IMDB rating 6.7

The Wrong Man (1956) Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. 105mins.

Henry Fonda - Manny Balestrero
Vera Miles - Rose Balestrero

Also starring Anthony Quayle, Harold J. Stone, Charles Cooper and Nehemiah Persoff.

Based on the book "The True Story of Christopher Emmanuel Balestrero" by Maxwell Anderson which was based on real events.

Hitchcock's cameo is at the very beginning of the film, he is in silhouette telling the audience that the story they're about to watch is true.

Tagline - The police were convinced... The witnesses were positive ...Yet he was... The Wrong Man.

IMDB rating 7.5

12 Angry Men (1957) Directed by Sidney Lumet. 96mins.

Henry Fonda - Juror #8

Also starring Lee J. Cobb, Martin Balsam, E.G. Marshall, Jack Klugman and Robert Webber.

The screenplay was originally produced for TV and broadcast live on CBS in 1954, Robert Cummings played Juror #8.

The movie version cost $350,000 and took just three weeks to film.

Nominated for 3 Oscars - Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay.

WGA winner for Best Written American Drama.

Selected for Preservation by the National Film Registry in 2007.

Tagline - Life Is In Their Hands -- Death Is On Their Minds!

IMDB rating 8.9

The Tin Star (1957) Directed by Anthony Mann. 93mins.

Henry Fonda - Morgan Hickman
Anthony Perkins - Sheriff Ben Owens

Also starring Betsy Palmer, Michel Ray, Neville Brand, John McIntire and Lee Van Cleef.

Classic low-budget western directed by one of the masters of the genre.

Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay.

IMDB rating 7.3

Warlock (1959) Directed by Edward Dmytryk. 122mins.

Richard Widmark - Johnny Gannon
Henry Fonda - Clay Blaisedell
Anthony Quinn - Tom Morgan

Also starring Dorothy Malone, Dolores Michaels, Wallace Ford, Tom Drake and DeForest Kelley.

Based on the novel by Oakley Hall, published in 1958.

Big budget western set in the small town of Warlock in Utah.

Gary Lockwood's film debut.

IMDB rating 7.2

Fail-Safe (1964) Directed by Sidney Lumet. 112mins.

Henry Fonda - The President

Also starring Walter Matthau, Dan O'Herlihy, Fritz Weaver and Larry Hagman.

Dr. Strangelove without the humour.

Classic Cold War drama based on the best-selling novel by Eugene Burdick and Harvey Wheeler, published in 1962.

The film has no music score or source music.

Fritz Weaver's film debut.

Nomination for a BAFTA UN Award (Sidney Lumet).

Tagline - It will have you sitting on the brink of eternity!

IMDB rating 8.0

Battle of the Bulge (1965) Directed by Ken Annakin. 167mins.

Henry Fonda - Lt. Col. Kiley
Robert Shaw - Col. Hessler
Robert Ryan - Gen. Grey
Dana Andrews - Col. Pritchard

Also starring James MacArthur, Charles Bronson, Ty Hardin, Pier Angeli and Telly Savalas.

Spectacular war movie which despite many inaccuracies was one of the biggest hits of the year.

Filmed in Spain.

Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actor (Telly Savalas) and Best Music Score (Benjamin Frankel).

Tagline - The last desperate fight that changed the course of history.

IMDB rating 6.8

The Rounders (1965) Directed by Burt Kennedy. 85mins.

Glenn Ford - Ben Jones
Henry Fonda - Marion Lewis

Also starring Sue Ane Langdon, Hope Holiday, Chill Wills, Edgar Buchanan and Kathleen Freeman.

Comedy western.

Based on the novel by Max Evans.

Tagline - Hats off to the wildest guys and gals in the whole wild west!

IMDB rating 6.0

Firecreek (1968) Directed by Vincent McEveety. 104mins.

James Stewart - Johnny Cobb
Henry Fonda - Bob Larkin

Also starring Inger Stevens, Gary Lockwood, Dean Jagger and Jack Elam.

Henry Fonda plays lead villain, a precursor to his far nastier role in Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in the West, also released in 1968.

Director Vincent McEveety also directed 6 classic Star Trek episodes in the late 60's.

Tagline - Two legendary stars headed for a showdown.

IMDB rating 6.7

Madigan (1968) Directed by Don Siegel. 101mins.

Richard Widmark - Detective Daniel Madigan
Henry Fonda - Commissioner Anthony Russell
Inger Stevens - Julia Madigan

Also starring Harry Guardino, James Whitmore, Susan Clark and Don Stroud.

Cop thriller based on the novel "The Commissioner" by Richard Dougherty, published in 1962.

Richard Widmark reprised his role in the short-lived TV series "Madigan" in 1972, despite his character dying in the movie version!

Tagline - ...the savage story of a city stripped naked!

IMDB rating 6.7

The Boston Strangler (1968) Directed by Richard Fleischer. 116mins.

Tony Curtis - Albert DeSalvo
Henry Fonda - John S. Bottomly

Also starring George Kennedy, Hurd Hatfield, Murray Hamilton and Sally Kellerman.

Based on real events - the hunt for the Boston Strangler, revealed to be Albert DeSalvo, who confessed to the murder of 13 women and a series of rapes.

It is almost an hour before Tony Curtis appears on screen.

Stuart Whitman and Horst Buchholst were considered for the lead role.

Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor (Tony Curtis).

Tagline - Why did 13 women willingly open their doors to the Boston Strangler?

IMDB rating 7.1

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) Directed by Sergio Leone. 165mins.

Claudia Cardinale - Jill McBain
Henry Fonda - Frank
Jason Robards - Cheyenne
Charles Bronson - Harmonica

Also starring Gabriele Ferzetti, Woody Strode and Jack Elam.

A masterwork from Italian director Sergio Leone (1929-1989) and one of the greatest westerns ever made.

Leone originally wanted Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef and Eli Wallach, the stars of The Good the Bad and the Ugly, to play the three gunmen waiting for Harmonica (Charles Bronson) during the opening credits of the film.

Music by the legendary Ennio Morricone.

Selected for preservation by the National Film Registry in 2009.

IMDB rating 8.7

The Cheyenne Social Club (1970) Directed by Gene Kelly. 103mins.

James Stewart - John O'Hanlan
Henry Fonda - Harley Sullivan

Also starring Shirley Jones, Sue Ane Langdon, Elaine Devry and Robert Middleton.

Western comedy filmed in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

WGA nomination for Best Comedy Written Directly for the Screen.

Tagline - They made their own laws at "The Cheyenne Social Club" ... no wonder everyone's dying to get in!

IMDB rating 6.7

My Name is Nobody (1973) Directed by Tonino Valerii. 117mins.

Terence Hill - Nobody
Henry Fonda - Jack Beauregard

Also starring Jean Martin, R.G. Armstrong, Steve Kanaly and Geoffrey Lewis.

One of the best Italian westerns, produced and co-directed by Sergio Leone (uncredited).

In a sequence set in a graveyard the name of Sam Peckinpah is written on one of the tombstones.

Terence Hill was a huge star in Italy thanks to a series of successful comedies, which usually co-starred his friend Bud Spencer.

Another excellent music score by Ennio Morricone.

Tagline - Nobody, but "Nobody," knows the trouble he's in!

IMDB rating 7.3

Midway (1976) UK title Battle of Midway. Directed by Jack Smight. 132mins.

Charlton Heston - Captain Matt Garth
Henry Fonda - Admiral Chester W. Nimitz

Also starring James Coburn, Glenn Ford, Hal Holbrook, Toshiro Mifune, Robert Mitchum, Cliff Robertson and Robert Wagner.

Based on real events - the U.S, versus Japan in the Battle of Midway, the most important naval battle of the Pacific War, June 1942.

The film utilised colour film footage from the actual battle.

Scenes from the films Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944) and Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970) were also used.

The 2nd film released in the Sensurround process (the first was Earthquake).

The film was successful grossing $43.2m at the U.S.box office.

Tagline - The glory, the suspense, the spectacular drama of the men who won the most decisive naval battle in U.S. history.

IMDB rating 6.6

Rollercoaster (1977) Directed by James Goldstone. 119mins.

George Segal - Harry Calder
Richard Widmark - Agent Hoyt
Henry Fonda - Simon Davenport

Also starring Timothy Bottoms, Harry Guardino, Susan Strasberg and Helen Hunt.

The third film released in the Sensurround process. Specially wired theater seats vibrated to the low frequency rumble on the soundtrack.

Several amusement parks were used in the film.

Steve Guttenberg's movie debut.

Tagline - Ride it...in Sensurround

IMDB rating 6.0

The Swarm (1978) Directed by Irwin Allen. 116mins (155mins)

Michael Caine - Dr. Bradford Crane
Katharine Ross - Helena Anderson
Richard Widmark - Gen. Thaddeus Slater

Also starring Richard Chamberlain, Olivia de Havilland, Lee Grant, José Ferrer, Bradford Dillman, Fred MacMurray and Henry Fonda as Dr. Krim.

Killer Bees invade Texas... stay indoors and close your windows!

Based on the novel by Arthur Herzog, published in 1974.

Generally considered to be one of the worst films ever made.

Fred MacMurray's final film.

800,000 bees were 'de-stung' for the film.

Oscar nomination for Best Costume Design (!).

Cost $21m - Box Office $10m (US)

IMDB rating 4.2

Meteor (1979) Directed by Ronald Neame.108mins.

Sean Connery - Paul Bradley
Natalie Wood - Tatiana Donskaya
Karl Malden - Harry Sherwood
Brian Keith - Dr. Dubov

Also starring Martin Landau, Trevor Howard and Henry Fonda as The President.

An asteroid 5 miles wide is on a collision course with Earth, head for the hills!

The predecessor to Armageddon and Deep Impact, in this story they don't send a team of experts to the asteroid to plant a nuclear bomb inside it, instead they simply fire a dozen American and Russian nukes from Earth orbit to obliterate it.

Henry Fonda plays an unnamed U.S. President, he also played an unnamed President in Fail-Safe.

An expensive flop which was critically mauled and signalled the end of a decade long series of big budget disaster films which started with Airport in 1970.

Cost $16m - Box Office $8.4m

Oscar nomination for Best Sound.

Tagline - There's No Place On Earth To Hide!

IMDB rating 4.8

On Golden Pond (1981) Directed by Mark Rydell. 109mins.

Katharine Hepburn - Ethel Thayer
Henry Fonda - Norman Thayer
Jane Fonda - Chelsea Thayer Wayne

Also starring Doug McKeon and Dabney Coleman.

Adapted from the 1979 play by Ernest Thompson.

Henry Fonda's last film.

At 76 years old Henry Fonda was and still is the oldest actor to win the Best Actor Oscar.

Ranked #45 on the AFI's 100 Most Inspiring American Films list.

Nominated for 10 Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actress (Jane Fonda), winning 3 - Best Actor (Henry Fonda), Best Actress (Katharine Hepburn) and Best Screenplay.

Tagline - When life is at its finest...when love is at its fullest..

IMDB rating 7.5