Hank and Jim

July 24, 2017
Henry Fonda (The Grapes of Wrath) and James Stewart (It’s a Wonderful Life), from their days as starving stage actors to their primes as Hollywood stars and into their twilight years, maintained a steady, unwavering friendship that sustained both men. In this breezy, entertaining dual biography, Eyman (John Wayne: The Life and Legend) avoids hagiography, though he clearly admires his subjects. Fonda was liberal and Stewart conservative, but both came from small-town stock, were decidedly professional, often insecure, and, together, boyishly fun loving, bringing out the best in each other. They first became friends as roommates in New York City after spending time with the University Players, a summer theater troupe. Eyman highlights WWII’s importance in both men’s lives—Fonda served in naval intelligence and Stewart in the Army Air Corps, and Stewart remained in the Air Force Reserves after the war, rising to the rank of brigadier general. Fonda’s fraught relationship with his children also comes to the fore, especially through quotations from the extensive interviews Eyman conducted with family and friends of both Fonda and Stewart. Balanced analyses of their film and stage performances pepper the study, as Eyman perceptively charts the courses of two legendary Hollywood careers. Agent: Mort Janklow, Janklow & Nesbit.

May 15, 2017

To write this dual biography of close friends Henry Fonda and James Stewart, New York Times best-selling biographer and film historian Eyman complemented his archival research by chatting with Fonda's widow and children, three of Stewart's children, and the actors and directors who had worked with them both.

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from August 15, 2017
A dual biography tracing the careers and 50-year friendship of two iconic American actors.In his engrossing new book, biographer and film historian Eyman (John Wayne: The Life and Legend, 2014, etc.) vividly portrays the lives and work of two Hollywood legends: Henry Fonda (1905-1982) and James Stewart (1908-1997). As young actors, they worked together in regional theater with the University Players and eventually became roommates in New York. Upon moving to Hollywood, their individual careers took off, and their friendship continued to endure over the next several decades. Aside from political differences--Fonda was a Democrat, Stewart a Republican--they shared interests, core values, and personality traits that would distinguish them from many actors, including a highly disciplined approach to their work and an aversion to the superficial trappings of celebrity. "They were two loners who went off to see the world and remade component parts of it into their own images," writes the author, "two fiercely private men who were quite capable of confounding their own families....In their friendship they created a safe place for themselves, away from the fears and frustrations of their careers, their domestic problems, the responsibilities of their legendary status." While their long-standing friendship is notable, in tracing their personal lives and accomplishments, Eyman's narrative is even more compelling. He provides a fascinating overview of the industry and the ebbs and flows of his subjects' careers in film, on stage, and eventually TV (Fonda ultimately felt more at home on stage, while Stewart preferred working on film. Additionally, the author offers in-depth portrayals of key industry players who would remain their close associates, including writer/director Josh Logan, agent/producer Leland Hayward, and Fonda's first wife, Margaret Sullavan, the talented, somewhat troubled actress for whom both actors shared a lasting, deep affection until her death. Of further note were their individual military achievements in World War II, experiences that greatly influenced their lives and values throughout their remaining years. An entertaining, richly documented biography that will be appreciated by film and theater scholars as well as fans of these memorable actors.

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September 1, 2017

Renowned for their roles as Abraham Lincoln, Tom Joad, Mr. Smith, and Charles Lindbergh, Henry Fonda and James Stewart met almost by chance, forming a 50-year friendship despite differing personalities, religious and political convictions, and career goals. Here, Eyman (film history, Univ. of Miami; John Wayne: The Life and Legend) crafts a comprehensive dual biography of the two men. Comfortable in his skin, Stewart was mostly content with film acting; Fonda was emotionally shut down (except with Stewart), didn't like himself much, and returned to the stage whenever possible. Fonda was embarrassed by his five marriages; Stewart married Gloria Hatrick McLean later in life and they were together for more than 40 years. Eyman covers Fonda's early life on the Nebraska plains, Stewart's upbringing in small-town Pennsylvania, and the circumstances that brought them together with director Josh Logan and actress Margaret Sullavan. Also covered are Stewart's stints as a B-24 flier and combat leader, and Fonda's service in the navy, which informed his postwar stage smash Mister Roberts. Fonda ultimately found happiness in his final marriage to Shirlee Mae Adams, while Stewart's later years were marked by hearing loss, depression, and isolation. VERDICT This recommended title includes extensive interviews with family, friends, and coworkers of both men, fleshing out a fully rounded portrait of two complex, contradictory artists. [See Prepub Alert, 4/24/17.]--Stephen Rees, formerly with Levittown Lib., PA

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.