BIOGRAPHY OF STARS

Chronicle (Levin), 24 May 1947, Page 7

BIOGRAPHY OF STARS

FONDA WANTED TO BE A JOURNALIST Henry Fonda was boin in Tebraska on May 16, 1908, and as a schoolboy his ambition was to ccoxne a journalist. The life of an •actor was farthest from his iioughts. At school- he made a plendid record in scholarship and athletics, and later enrolled in the 'Jniversity of Mihnesota, concen,rating on journalism with the idea of becoming a reporter as joon as he received his degree. He bined down sevefal opportunities ,o take part in' college theatricals, leclaring he would save whatever iramatic ability he had for his 'act" when he began looking for a J newspaper job. However, he had 10 success, and having worked his way through univefsity by teach.ng physical traming for a time flirted with the idea . of opening i. gymnasium for business and jrofossional men. A chance visit to a new Omaha mterprise, the Community Playhoiise, changed the whole course if his life. He was persuaded to join the movement and acted m Little Theatre productions of well known plays. Now thoroughly ander the spell of the theatrej he packed his trunk for Broadway. Fonda's first attack on the cita-4 dels of Broadway" .failed to make much of an impression. He struck a lean period during wliich he coulan't get any kind of a job. Then he was signed for the role of tutor in a stock presentation -if "The Swan." Geoffrey Kerr' Aras ihe star, and on ihe opening night, his wife, June. Walker was in the audience. Miss Walker; who had been engaged for he lcad in Marc Connolly's play "The Farmer Takes a. Wife," saw in Fonda the ideal actor for the rough and ready character cast opposite her. Connolly met Fonda, agreed with Miss Walker, ahd vecommended him to the producer— and the rest- is stage history. An overnight hit, the play "made" Fonda, and Hollywood sfcarted bidding for his services.