Celebrity Extra: Henry Fonda
By Dana Jackson
Q: My son is reading the play "12 Angry Men" in his English class. I recall seeing the movie, starring Henry Fonda, years ago. Did it win any Oscars? -J.K.
A: "12 Angry Men" was originally written as a one-hour live play to be broadcasted for television by Reginald Rose, the son of a lawyer who grew up in New York City. Henry Fonda saw the legal drama and offered to co-produce it as a motion picture in 1957. It wasn't a box-office hit, but it was critically acclaimed and nominated for several Oscars, including Best Picture.
In 1997, it was once again created as a television event, this time starring Jack Lemmon in Fonda's role of Juror No. 8 and George C. Scott, the latter of whom won an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor.
In some recent exciting news, the original film is being released on a special 4K Blu-ray with a brand-new HDR/Dolby Vision Master and an audio commentary by film historians Gary Gerani and Drew Casper. The package will also include a making-of documentary, the film's theatrical trailer and a featurette titled "Inside the Jury Room."
Don't worry, just because it's in 4K doesn't mean they're colorizing the original. According to Collider.com, "This legal drama, which already has some really rich shadow work and black levels, has a lot of potential to look stunning in 4K. '12 Angry Men' now joins the ever-growing list of classic black-and-white films in the format that includes 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and 'Psycho.'"
Henry Fonda in "12 Angry Men" (1957). Photo Credit: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
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Q: Is Sally Field going to be starring in anymore movies soon? I saw that she was in "80 for Brady," so I hope that means she's back. -U.J.
A: The two-time Academy-Award-winning actress Sally Field was recently honored by the Screen Actors Guild with a Lifetime Achievement Award. She's had a long, storied career in Hollywood since she was a teen and has maintained a reputation as one of the nicest people in the business. Her early TV roles in "Gidget" and "The Flying Nun" showcased her charm, but once she graduated to film with more meaty, dramatic roles, she was honored by her peers and critics alike.
She's swung back and forth between comedy and drama during her six-decade-long career, including "Smokey and the Bandit," "Steel Magnolias" and "Forrest Gump." She's even tried her hand at superhero movies, having played Peter Parker's Aunt May in the two "Amazing Spider-Man" films. The 76-year-old actress signed with a new agency in 2021, so it doesn't look like she plans to retire anytime soon.
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Q: I was thrilled to see that "The Blacklist" is back on TV. Is it true that this is the final season, though? -P.J.
A: Yes, the 10th and final season of NBC's "The Blacklist" premiered on Feb. 26, but it'll have plenty of content to be enjoyed for months to come. Even though it didn't start up last fall, the network granted it a full-season order of 22 episodes. James Spader and the rest of the cast will bid us farewell after this season.
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