Barefoot in the Park virtually walks away with the show as her bemused mother." Barefoot in the Park Barefoot in the Park is a romantic comedy by Neil Simon. The play premiered on Broadway in 1963, and starred Robert Redford and Elizabeth Ashley. The play was made into a film in 1967, also starring Redford (and Jane Fonda). The play opened on Broadway at the Biltmore Theatre on October 23, 1963 and closed on June 25, 1967 after 1,530 performances. This was Neil Simon's longest-running hit, and the tenth longest-running non-musical play in Broadway history. Directed by Mike Nichols, the cast starred Elizabeth Ashley
Henry Fonda John Wayne and James Stewart. Their relationship became extremely strained as Jane Fonda became a left-wing activist. Jane Fonda reported feeling detached from her father, especially during her early acting days. In 1958, she met Lee Strasberg while visiting her father at Malibu. The Fonda and Strasberg families were neighbors, and she had developed a friendship with Strasberg's daughter, Susan. Jane Fonda began studying acting with Strasberg, learning the techniques of "The Method" of which Strasberg was a renowned proponent. This proved to be a pivotal point in her career. As Jane Fonda developed her skill as an actress, she