A Hollywood Legend
During his wild Hollywood days, Fonda went from being a new guy to a big shot in the movie business. He scored some major roles, like playing Frank James in 1939 and Abraham Lincoln in the same year. He even beat out Tyrone Power for a part in John Ford’s 1940 movie and got nominated for an Oscar! But just when things were going great, big changes were coming.
Even the famous folks in Hollywood couldn’t ignore what was happening in Europe during World War II. Jimmy Stewart, the superstar of the silver screen, was the first to trade his fancy clothes for a military uniform and join the US Army. He became a brave pilot fighting against the Nazis. Inspired by Stewart’s courage, Fonda said goodbye to his family and got ready to join the fight too.