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Fonda's Acting Secret: Simplicity & Truth
4 Aug
Summary
- Matheson recalls Fonda's emphasis on truth in acting.
- Yours, Mine & Ours preceded blended family comedies.
- Jane Fonda credits her father's values for activism.
Tim Matheson recently shared fond memories of his time working with the late Henry Fonda on the 1968 film Yours, Mine & Ours. Matheson, who played Frank Beardsley's son Mike, described Fonda and co-star Lucille Ball as "polar opposites" in their acting approaches.
Matheson recalled Fonda's understated acting philosophy, characterized by "simplicity and truth." He contrasted this with Ball's broader comedic style, noting that Fonda "wasn't trying to do broad comedy." Fonda's approach, Matheson stated, was "so centered and so real."
Yours, Mine & Ours, a Desilu production, starred Fonda and Ball as widowers who fall in love and conceal their large families, ultimately paving the way for blended family sitcoms like The Brady Bunch.
Jane Fonda, Henry's daughter, recently spoke about her father's lasting influence. She believes his values, reflected in his classic films like The Grapes of Wrath and 12 Angry Men, contributed to her own dedication to activism, stating his principles "came into my DNA as a child."
