Wins Oscar

Fonda wins the Best Actor Academy Award for his role of Norman Thayer, Jr. in Mark Rydell’s On Golden Pond. Fonda plays a retired university professor, who, while staying at his Summer cottage in New Hampshire with his wife (Katharine Hepburn) reconnects with his daughter (Jane Fonda) whom he has not seen after many years. Fonda is not present, but his daughter Jane Fonda accepts the award in his absence:

I know that he feels that he would never have won this if it hadn’t been for Katharine Hepburn. And if “On Golden Pond” is one of the highlights of his life, one of the main reasons is because of her, having the chance to work with her and to become her friend.