Clarence Darrow, Henry Fonda, Made for TV 1974 

What this man does with so little - he makes barely any gestures, never plays for laughs or tears, just him on that stage and he creates an entire world, an entire life and breaks your heart. A fine fine fine actor. What a treasure this is.

Henry Fonda. Need we say anymore? This performance here, as in Grapes of Wrath, Clementime, Twelve Angry Men, all else...remarkable, simply remarkable.

Quite simply a Master Class on Acting. Thank you Mr. Fonda.

WTF, did the guy learn the ENTIRE text by HEART???😲 Amazing

Magnificent. A joy to watch. Thank you very much for uploading this wonderful gem of a performance.

A one-man, two act play by one of the finest actors of the twentieth century.

Brilliant actor loved him in On Golden Pond and 12 Angry men.

One of the finest actors and finest performances. I love Mr. Fonda and miss his exceptional talent !

This is just terrific. A privilege to see HF on stage, playing a great man. They mess around with the order of his 3 most famous cases though: the Leopold/Lobe trial actually came first, in 1924; then the Scopes 'Monkey' trial was in 1925 and the Ossian Sweet trial was 1926. Doesn't matter though - it's still a great piece of theatre history.

Reminds me of his master performance in Twelve Angry Men. A man who has an obsession with justice speaks with a golden voice.

"Clarence Darrow Starring Henry Fonda" was one of the last specials to conclude PBS' Festival '75 Membership Pledge Drive on PBS stations across the country including my local PBS station: KPBS San Diego, Circa Monday March 17th, 1975!! 11 Great Nights on Public TV!!

I watched this in the 1970s, when I was in my twenties. I recall how deeply I was affected and captivated by Henry Fonda’s masterful presentation of Darrow. This show made some important and positive impressions on my psyche during my formative years of youth. I learned quite a bit about ethics and morality from productions such as this one. So far, I’ve managed to stay on the narrow path in my elder years. My youthful stage of unfolding was way the hell and gone from the narrow path! I’m thrilled to revisit this magnificent play after a fifty-year span of Jerk-nom. Bless Bless! 33:18 Personally, I think this presentation is timely, as well as timeless. Lots to be learned from Mr. Fonda’s portrayal of Clarence Darrow.

I had searched for this for years. Saw it on its original PBS airing when I was in high school. Thanks so much for uploading.

I had the pleasure of seeing George C Scott perform this same script in the 80's, I think. It was interesting to see the difference in interpretation, but both actors were incredible in the role. I remember that Leslie Neilsen also toured with this work--I wish I had seen it as well.

Thank you for posting this gem.

Wow! Such an amazing performance.

What an incredible performance….

Wow, just wow.

OMG thanks so much! I saw Fonda live at the Pantages .. I was sooo young and it was still a highlight!!

A great actor. No question about it.

Fine show . Hank was one of the best.

What a treat. And Peter Thomas' voice too💫

great ==but the voice is off synched --and sometime watch YOung mr Lincoln --many of the same mannerisms and facial expressions

Hank was The Best.

I preferred Orson's version.

Todays technology. Couldnt even get the lip sync right. Lets go back to undigitilised vhs.

Fonda is wonderful but Welles' version is magnificent

the truth endures ...

Sub-LIME !

That was a very long speech Did he have all of that memorized?

Clarence Darrow could have been a Great man FOR GOD. What a shame to die having fought against the Bible.

Fonda was a fine actor but as Darrow I never felt the essence of the old lawyer, just Fonda.

The sync is horrible, picture does not match sound, a major flaw in a play consisting of speeches delivered by the foremost orator in American law. Can it be fixed?

Clarence Darrow was a great lawyer. He was, but a lousy dresser.

people in America are free by way of the old constitution that don't mean they will have wealth and glory. it means they have the choice to go this way or that work for this man or start his own business or not work at all and beg. that is freedom . when men sound out against this freedom I see them as stupid how do you see them?

Thank you ...Bravo!

is not Hollywood grand

😢 The ideas of Clarence Darrow were concocted by him out of thin air. Bit as he liked to go on hearing himself propound such thin air proposals, he simply ends up being full of hot air.

"ACTORS", PRETENDING TO BE WHO THEY ARE NOT, IS IT A "PROFESSION " ?????

Fonda treated his wife like shit.

One of the most overrated actors of all-time. He's no Jimmy Stewart!!