The Life of Old Hollywood Everyman Henry Fonda

Henry Jaynes Fonda was born on May 16, 1905, in Grand Island, Nebraska, a small Midwestern city far removed from Hollywood. His father, William Brace Fonda, ran a printing business, while his mother, Herberta Jaynes Fonda, was a devoted Christian Scientist who played a strong role in shaping the family’s values.

Fonda spent his early years in a quiet, structured household in Nebraska alongside his younger sister. Life in Grand Island revolved around school, church, and community events. At the time, there was little indication that the boy growing up in this modest town would eventually become one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors.