Hank and Jim: The Fifty-Year Friendship of Henry Fonda and James Stewart
by Scott Eyman
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Henry Fonda and James Stewart were two of the biggest stars in Hollywood for forty years. They became friends and then roommates as stage actors in New York, and when they began making films in Hollywood, they roomed together again. Between them they made such memorable films as The Grapes of Wrath, Mister Roberts, Twelve Angry Men, and On Golden Pond; and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Destry Rides Again, The Philadelphia Story, It's a Wonderful Life, Vertigo, and Rear Window. They got along show more famously, with a shared interest in elaborate practical jokes and model airplanes, among other things. Fonda was a liberal Democrat, Stewart a conservative Republican, but after one memorable blow-up over politics, they agreed never to discuss that subject again. Fonda was a ladies' man who was married five times; Stewart remained married to the same woman for forty-five years. Both men volunteered during World War II and were decorated for their service. When Stewart returned home, still unmarried, he once again moved in with Fonda, his wife, and his two children, Jane and Peter, who knew him as Uncle Jimmy. For Hank and Jim, biographer and film historian Scott Eyman spoke with Fonda's widow and children as well as three of Stewart's children, plus actors and directors who had worked with the men--in addition to doing extensive archival research to get the full details of their time together. This is not another Hollywood story, but a fascinating portrait of an extraordinary friendship that lasted through war, marriages, children, careers, and everything else. Fonda and Stewart became friends and then roommates as stage actors in New York. When they began making films in Hollywood, they roomed together again, with shared interests in elaborate practical jokes and model airplaness. Eyman spoke with Fonda's widow and children as well as three of Stewart's children, plus actors and directors who had worked with the men to create a fascinating portrait of an extraordinary friendship that lasted through war, marriages, children, careers, and everything else. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
I'm not much for celebrity biographies as a general rule. But Henry Fonda and Jimmy Stewart could make me break almost any rule. And this is no "everything you didn't know about..." kind of book, although I certainly learned things I didn't know. The subtitle, "the Fifty-Year Friendship of Henry Fonda and James Stewart" is fairly descriptive, but even it doesn't quite do justice to the contents. The exploration of Hank and Jim's long-standing friendship is fascinating stuff; imagine two tall, elegant young fellows scrounging for acting roles early in their careers, sharing apartments, hobo steaks and beers, and a love of flying. Their politics didn't jibe, but they just didn't talk about that when they were together; one remained devout show more all his life and the other thought religion was a crock; they both loved the same woman and apparently neither of them ever got her out of his system, but one of them married and divorced her while the other never got close and none of that seemed to matter to their friendship; one married five times before getting it "right" and the other hit the jackpot the first time; both made movies, but one loved the studio system and the other lived for stage work; neither was ever happy with his own performances, but each considered the other's talent bordered on genius; both had a hard time dealing with personal feelings, but could render the subtlest of emotional scenes in such a way that audiences took them to their hearts. It's worth picking up a copy of this book from the library just to read the section on "The War". Stewart joined the Army Air Corps, trained bomber pilots, flew 19 missions himself, and eventually retired (under protest) from the Air Force Reserve as a Brigadier General in 1968; Fonda joined the Navy, serving as an intelligence officer in the South Pacific, and at one point dived to the wreckage of a kamikaze plane that had been shot down, retrieving valuable charts and flight plans which helped locate the base island from which the Japanese were launching their attacks. These men were not servicemen in name only, nor strictly for PR. They both contributed to the winning of the war, and like so many other veterans, they simply did not talk about their experiences to friends and family afterward. A solidly good read. I recommend it.
Review written in 2018 show less
Review written in 2018 show less
Scott Eyman is an excellent biographer. His focus is generally on film personalities of the so-called Golden Age, and here he tackles two at once. That two of Hollywood's biggest stars were life-long pals presents Eyman with a unique opportunity to examine not only their lives but the nature of friendship in the context of enormous talent and enormous success. Henry Fonda and James Stewart, in many ways near-polar opposites, became good friends as very young men, and remained so for the rest of their lives. Stewart, the image of gregarious warmth, and Fonda, a publicly reserved and seemingly cold man, found a refuge in each other that not only gave them immense comfort and happiness, but resounds as a testament to the ability of people show more to remain close even in the face of great differences. Eyman doesn't give much attention to the details of the pair's films, probably due to the exigencies of having to cover two lives in a single book. But his insights and revelations about their relationship, their family lives, and their individual personalities are both welcome and extremely well expressed. This is a superb book. show less
If anyone knows classic films at all, then these two actors' names will be right up there with John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, Spencer Tracy and Cary Grant. While their films, for the most part, of all these actors were very different, their onscreen presence was palpable. There was no mistaking that you were in the presence of a great actor when you sat down to watch.
I have always known that Fonda and Stewart were best friends - anyone who claims to be a classic film buff would know this. And, I must say, I knew quite a bit about their professional lives, and their personal, as far as marriages. I also knew that they both served in World War II, Fonda in the Navy and Stewart in the Army Air Corps. However, Mr. Eyman has gone far deeper show more into their pasts.
He begins right where they do - from birth; and tells us of their very different upbringing in life. He goes on from there to their early life on the stage, and their eventual move to Hollywood. But their lives take very different turns. Hank was married five times - he was wound too tightly most times to make a marriage stick; his emotions stayed beneath the surface and were rarely exposed; Jimmy was married once, when he was 41 - Gloria was the love of his life and the marriage was a happy one.
Their careers took different turns, also: Hank preferred stage to screen; Jimmy stayed in Hollywood and made many memorable films (and a few he probably wished he hadn't). But the films Hank made were, for the most part, memorable also, and I am sure everyone has that particular film of both of them that stays with you and you will watch over and over. I love Hank's films The Mad Miss Manton, Mister Roberts, and The Rounders (not a spectacular film, but very funny). For Jimmy's films, I love The Shop Around the Corner, Rear Window, and The Rare Breed.
It is obvious that Mr. Eyman has done extensive research on his subjects. The book is neither cloying nor filled with Hollywood gossip; it gives us an honest and well-written biography about two remarkable men, the like of which will never be seen again.
While I've read other biographies of Fonda and Stewart, I believe that Mr. Eyman's is the best by far. While I am sure there are those who like only one or the other, I consider myself a true classic fan, and while I may not like an actor personally, I can watch their body of work and appreciate it for what it is.
While this book points out that Hank wasn't the best father in the world, he also changed as he got older, and his loyalty to his friends was always unwavering. Perhaps because they never expected anything from him, knowing he didn't offer up as much of himself. Jimmy, on the other hand, seems more open and giving to both family and friends.
They were there for each other through triumphs and tragedies; through good times and bad; and never allowed their personal politics or personal demons stand in the way of their enduring friendship. One can only hope for a friendship in their life as strong as the one between these two.
I am grateful for this book, for giving us the insight into two remarkable men who became extraordinary actors and had an exceptional friendship. Highly recommended. show less
I have always known that Fonda and Stewart were best friends - anyone who claims to be a classic film buff would know this. And, I must say, I knew quite a bit about their professional lives, and their personal, as far as marriages. I also knew that they both served in World War II, Fonda in the Navy and Stewart in the Army Air Corps. However, Mr. Eyman has gone far deeper show more into their pasts.
He begins right where they do - from birth; and tells us of their very different upbringing in life. He goes on from there to their early life on the stage, and their eventual move to Hollywood. But their lives take very different turns. Hank was married five times - he was wound too tightly most times to make a marriage stick; his emotions stayed beneath the surface and were rarely exposed; Jimmy was married once, when he was 41 - Gloria was the love of his life and the marriage was a happy one.
Their careers took different turns, also: Hank preferred stage to screen; Jimmy stayed in Hollywood and made many memorable films (and a few he probably wished he hadn't). But the films Hank made were, for the most part, memorable also, and I am sure everyone has that particular film of both of them that stays with you and you will watch over and over. I love Hank's films The Mad Miss Manton, Mister Roberts, and The Rounders (not a spectacular film, but very funny). For Jimmy's films, I love The Shop Around the Corner, Rear Window, and The Rare Breed.
It is obvious that Mr. Eyman has done extensive research on his subjects. The book is neither cloying nor filled with Hollywood gossip; it gives us an honest and well-written biography about two remarkable men, the like of which will never be seen again.
While I've read other biographies of Fonda and Stewart, I believe that Mr. Eyman's is the best by far. While I am sure there are those who like only one or the other, I consider myself a true classic fan, and while I may not like an actor personally, I can watch their body of work and appreciate it for what it is.
While this book points out that Hank wasn't the best father in the world, he also changed as he got older, and his loyalty to his friends was always unwavering. Perhaps because they never expected anything from him, knowing he didn't offer up as much of himself. Jimmy, on the other hand, seems more open and giving to both family and friends.
They were there for each other through triumphs and tragedies; through good times and bad; and never allowed their personal politics or personal demons stand in the way of their enduring friendship. One can only hope for a friendship in their life as strong as the one between these two.
I am grateful for this book, for giving us the insight into two remarkable men who became extraordinary actors and had an exceptional friendship. Highly recommended. show less
Author Scott Eyman has done it again with a fantastic book about the friendship between liberal Democrat Henry Fonda and conservative Republic James Stewart. Eyman's previous books on film personalities like John Wayne, Mary Pickford, John Ford, Louis B. Mayer, Cecil B. DeMille, and Ernst Lubitsch have been well-researched and this new tome on Fonda and Stewart does not disappoint. The book has plenty of interviews with Peter and Jane Fonda as well as Stewart's daughter Kelly among others. The two men became lifelong friends in their early 20's and agreed never to discuss politics which was probably why the friendship was so strong. The summer stock company "University Players" where Fonda and Stewart met along included lifelong friends show more John Swope, and Joshua Logan among others. The two were there for each other their entire lives and it is so touching to see this kind of friendship which rarely exists today. My only criticism was describing Stewart as a man with mid-western values - he was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania which is far from the mid-west so I found this a bit confusing. It is a great book for anyone who is a fan of these two great actors. show less
As a BIG fan of Henry Fonda was I eager to read this book. I liked the idea of the book that it's a book about Hank and Jim, two very different men who became friends when they were young actors and stayed friends throughout their lives.
It was fascinating reading about how they started out in the theater, their lives before they become famous, dating women, marriages (Jim one time while Hank 5), WW2 and how they were decorated for their services, the high and low of their careers. And, of course, the twilight of their lives, when they started to lose good friends who passed away, and when they both got older and finally when Hank passed away and Jim had to go one without his best friend.
It's a fabulous book, and I loved how the show more friendship between the men lasted all through their lives, despite the difference for instance when it came to politics. Their shared loved for model airplanes was charming to read about. I also found the chapter about WW2 absolutely fascinating to read. So many Hollywood stars that fought during the war and it was interesting to learn that they both were more than figureheads that they actually did fight. And, that they didn't talk much about it later in life. Jim's children, for instance, had no idea what their father had done in the war, more than that he had been a soldier.
Then we have their personal life. Hanks marriages all failed until the very last one (Shirlee, who he was married to until his death) while Jim found the right woman, Gloria, who he was married to until her death. Hank's first marriage ended when his wife committed suicide and after that came a string of marriages that didn't work out at all while Jim was in his 40s when he finally found the right woman to marry. It's interesting btw how Margaret Sullavan came to play a big part in both their lives, Hank marrying her, then divorcing since they could not live together, while Jim had a crush on her that lasted several years.
I want to thank G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review! show less
It was fascinating reading about how they started out in the theater, their lives before they become famous, dating women, marriages (Jim one time while Hank 5), WW2 and how they were decorated for their services, the high and low of their careers. And, of course, the twilight of their lives, when they started to lose good friends who passed away, and when they both got older and finally when Hank passed away and Jim had to go one without his best friend.
It's a fabulous book, and I loved how the show more friendship between the men lasted all through their lives, despite the difference for instance when it came to politics. Their shared loved for model airplanes was charming to read about. I also found the chapter about WW2 absolutely fascinating to read. So many Hollywood stars that fought during the war and it was interesting to learn that they both were more than figureheads that they actually did fight. And, that they didn't talk much about it later in life. Jim's children, for instance, had no idea what their father had done in the war, more than that he had been a soldier.
Then we have their personal life. Hanks marriages all failed until the very last one (Shirlee, who he was married to until his death) while Jim found the right woman, Gloria, who he was married to until her death. Hank's first marriage ended when his wife committed suicide and after that came a string of marriages that didn't work out at all while Jim was in his 40s when he finally found the right woman to marry. It's interesting btw how Margaret Sullavan came to play a big part in both their lives, Hank marrying her, then divorcing since they could not live together, while Jim had a crush on her that lasted several years.
It was a difficult birth, and Gloria stayed in the hospital for several weeks. Her release from the hospital provided her with one of her favorite stories about her dreamy husband. Jim went to get the car to pick her up, but sometime between leaving the hospital and getting in the car, he forgot that he was supposed to pick her up. Instead, he started driving home. Gloria knew her man. After twenty minutes of waiting, she told the nurse that he had forgotten about her. The nurse didn’t think such a thing was possible, but Gloria knew better. She told the nurse to take her and the babies upstairs. She would wait for the absentminded actor to remember what he had forgotten. On the way back home, Jim stopped at a photography studio to pick up some pictures. When the photographer asked after Gloria, Jim suddenly realized what he had done and ran for a phone. He’d be right there, he told her.
I want to thank G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review! show less
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Scott Eyman is the literary critic of the Palm Beach Post and has written for numerous publications including the New York Times, the Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. He is the author of numerous books including Lion of Hollywood: The Life of Louis B. Mayer, Print the Legend: The Life and Times of John Ford, Ernst Lubitsch: Laughter show more in Paradise, John Wayne: The Life and Legend, and Pieces of My Heart with Robert Wagner. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Common Knowledge
- People/Characters
- Henry Fonda; James Stewart
- First words
- In the end, as in the beginning, they didn't need words.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"I think it will always be like that..."
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- Nonfiction, Biography & Memoir, General Nonfiction, History
- DDC/MDS
- 791.4302 — Arts & recreation Recreation, sports, and performing arts Movies, TV, Video Motion pictures, radio, television, podcasting Motion pictures Standard subdivisions
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- PN2287 .F558 .E95 — Language and Literature Literature (General) Literature (General) Drama Dramatic representation. The theater Special regions or countries
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