Henry Fonda Birth Year and Age at Death
Henry Fonda was born on May 16, 1905, in Grand Island, Nebraska. His birth year places him among the pre-World War II generation of Hollywood actors who defined the golden age of American cinema. When he died on August 12, 1982, he was 77 years old, having lived a full life that spanned silent films, talkies, and the rise of television drama Henry Fonda Biography on Biography.com.
The question how old was Henry Fonda often appears alongside searches for his net worth, filmography, and cause of death. His final age at death, 77, is a direct result of his birth year and the date he passed. This fact remains stable in public records and is cited by biographical databases, obituaries, and entertainment history sources.
Key Ages During Henry Fonda Career Milestones
Henry Fonda made his Broadway debut in 1928 at age 23, which marked the start of his professional acting career. By the time he won the Academy Award for Best Actor for 1981's On Golden Pond, he was 76 years old, making him one of the oldest winners in that category at the time Henry Fonda on IMDb.
His age during major films is easy to calculate from his birth year. For example, in 1940's The Grapes of Wrath he was 35, in 1964's Fail Safe he was 59, and in 1973's The Sting he was 68. These ages help explain the evolution of his screen persona from young idealist to composed, authoritative elder statesman of film.
Age During Iconic Roles
In 12 Angry Men (1957), Henry Fonda was 52 years old, playing the deliberating juror who anchored the courtroom drama. In Warlock (1959), he was 54, and in The Longest Day (1962), he was 57, portraying real-life military figures with a calm authority that matched his mature screen presence.
Later Career and Final Decades
By the 1970s and early 1980s, Henry Fonda was in his late 60s and 70s, yet he remained a leading man in films such as Once Is Not Enough (1975) and The Boston Strangler (1968). His ability to play older authority figures well into his 70s reinforced his reputation as a dependable dramatic lead across three decades of Hollywood production New York Times obituary for Henry Fonda.
Comparing Henry Fonda Age to Other Hollywood Legends
Henry Fonda's final age of 77 places him in the same longevity bracket as contemporaries such as Spencer Tracy, who died at 67, and John Wayne, who died at 72. Compared to later stars like Jack Nicholson and Clint Eastwood, Fonda's life was shorter, but his peak acting years stretched from his mid-20s into his mid-70s.
Public interest in how old was Henry Fonda often ties into broader comparisons of Hollywood lifespans and career spans. His age at death, combined with his active