Picture this: It's the dead of night, around 3:30 a.m. in New York City. Henry Fonda and Jimmy Stewart, two of Hollywood's most iconic actors, stumble out of a closing night party for their play. They're not exactly sober, and Jimmy recalls the moment vividly. “We were walking back to the Madison Square Hotel when Fonda suddenly stops and says, ‘If you started playing your accordion right here in Times Square, do you think anyone would come?’” Jimmy laughs, “Within five minutes, there were ten people gathered around. I looked over, and there was Fonda, passing the hat. We made twelve cents that night!”
Two Legends, One Incredible Bond
But some things are more valuable than money, and for over five decades, these two legendary actors shared a friendship that transcended the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. Robert Matzen, the author of Jimmy Stewart and the Fight for Europe, shared insights with Closer, saying, “They were very much alike in so many ways. Both were quiet introverts, tall guys who were a little uncomfortable in their own skin. They understood each other on a deep, personal level.”
It wasn't just their shared quirks that brought them together; it was their mutual respect and admiration for one another. Their bond was forged in the fires of early struggles and sustained through the highs and lows of life. They were there for each other during the best of times and the worst of times, a true testament to the power of friendship.
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From Cape Cod to Hollywood: The Early Days
Their friendship blossomed in 1932, when both were budding actors performing in summer stock in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Henry once joked about those days, saying, “We were so skinny, the two of us only cast one shadow.” It was a humble beginning, but it laid the foundation for a friendship that would last a lifetime.
Henry Fonda and Jimmy Stewart.
Shared Passions and Late-Night Adventures
Henry and Jimmy shared a love for acting and airplanes. In 1934, they splurged on the largest model airplane kit Macy’s had to offer, gifting it to each other for Christmas. Jimmy reminisced about those nights, saying, “We were both working in shows, and every night we’d rush home and start putting the plane together. Before we knew it, it was 6 in the morning! We were completely absorbed in it.”
Despite their many similarities, they were also opposites in several ways. Henry was agnostic, while Jimmy was a devout Presbyterian. Henry had a complicated personal life, with five marriages and strained relationships with his children, Peter and Jane, while Jimmy enjoyed a stable marriage to Gloria McLean and was beloved by his own kids.
Politics and Personalities: Navigating Differences
They also disagreed on politics—Henry was a Democrat, while Jimmy leaned Republican. But after one heated argument early in their friendship, they made a pact to steer clear of political debates. “There were certain subjects we just didn’t talk about,” Jimmy explained. Even when Jimmy won the Best Actor Oscar in 1941 for The Philadelphia Story, beating out Henry, who was nominated for The Grapes of Wrath, their friendship remained unshaken. They were brothers in every sense of the word.
When Jimmy returned home from World War II, battling PTSD from his combat missions as an Army pilot, he found solace with Henry, who had earned a Bronze Star in the Navy. For a while, Jimmy lived in the “playhouse” Henry had built for his children behind his Hollywood Hills home. “What each needed from the other was quiet and space,” Matzen explains. They unwound by flying kites and listening to music, finding peace in each other’s company.
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A Lifelong Bond
Jimmy returned the favor when Henry fell ill with cancer in the early '80s. “He was there for him,” Matzen says. “The two of them would sit there, not talking. They spent hours just being friends.” When Henry passed away in 1982, Jimmy paid tribute to his dear friend, saying, “Henry was my oldest and dearest friend. The world has lost a great talent, and I have lost a very dear friend.”
