Editing Peter Fonda (section)

=== Early years and film work ===
[[File:1962 Peter Fonda Patty McCormack New Breed.jpg|thumb|left|190px|Fonda guest starring with [[Patty McCormack]] in ''[[The New Breed (TV series)|The New Breed]]'' television series, 1962]]
Upon his return to New York, Fonda joined the Cecilwood Theatre in 1960.<ref>{{cite news |title=Biltmore is Sold; Plays to Return: $850,000 Paid for Theatre Used for TV&nbsp;— Director of Fetti Drama Quits |first=Sam |last=Zolotow |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=August 10, 1960 |page=26}}</ref> Afterwards, he found work on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] and gained notice in ''[[Blood, Sweat and Stanley Poole]]'', written by [[James Goldman|James]] and [[William Goldman]], which ran for 84 performances in 1961. Fonda began guest starring on television shows like ''[[Naked City (TV series)|Naked City]]'', ''[[The New Breed (TV series)|The New Breed]]'', ''[[Wagon Train]]'', and ''[[The Defenders (1961 TV series)|The Defenders]]''.

Fonda's first film came when producer [[Ross Hunter]] was looking for a new male actor to romance [[Sandra Dee]] in ''[[Tammy and the Doctor]]'' (1963). He was cast in the role, in what was a minor hit.<ref>{{cite news |title=Looking at Hollywood: Ross Hunter Gives New Actors Chance |first=Hedda |last=Hopper |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune|Chicago Daily Tribune]] |date=June 26, 1962 |page=A1}}</ref> He followed this with a support part in ''[[The Victors (1963 film)|The Victors]]'' (1963), a bleak look at American soldiers in World War II, directed by [[Carl Foreman]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Foreman View Of War: Writer-Producer Turns To Directing In European-Made 'The Victors' In Retrospect Appraisal |first=Stephen |last=Watts |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=October 14, 1962 |page=131}}</ref> Fonda's performance won him a Golden Globe Award for most promising newcomer.

Fonda continued to work in television, guest starring in ''[[Channing (TV series)|Channing]]'', ''[[Arrest and Trial]]'', ''[[List of Alfred Hitchcock Presents episodes|The Alfred Hitchcock Hour]]'', and ''[[Twelve O'Clock High (TV series)|12 O'Clock High]]''. He also tested for the role of [[John F. Kennedy]] in ''PT-109''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Cliff Robertson Gropes for JFK Image: Hollywood Letter Paving the Way Research Made |first=John C. |last=Waugh |work=[[The Christian Science Monitor]] |date=January 9, 1963 |page=14}}</ref> Fonda impressed [[Robert Rossen]] who cast him in what would be Rossen's last movie, ''[[Lilith (film)|Lilith]]'' (1964), alongside [[Warren Beatty]], [[Jean Seberg]] and [[Gene Hackman]]. Fonda's performance was well reviewed. Shortly before dying, Rossen signed him to a seven-film contract which was to start with an adaptation of ''[[Bang the Drum Slowly]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Filmland Events: Peter Fonda Signs for 7 Films |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=August 17, 1963 |page=B6}}</ref> Fonda graduated to a starring role in ''[[The Young Lovers (1964 film)|The Young Lovers]]'' (1964), about out-of-wedlock pregnancy, the sole directorial effort of [[Samuel Goldwyn Jr.]]