James Stewart

 

James Stewart + Grace Kelly in Rear windowJmaes Stewart in The man who shot Liberty ValanceDonna Reed + Jimmy Stewart in It's a wonderful life

Biography

James Stewart

James Stewart

There ought to be a law against any man who doesn't want to marry Myrna Loy.

Remarkable:

Stewart was very interested in starring in North by Northwest, begging director Alfred Hitchcock to let him play Thornhill. Hitchcock claimed that Vertigo’s (1958) lack of financial success was because Stewart looked too old.

Born:

May 20, 1908

Born as:

James Maitland Stewart

Died:

July 2, 1997

James was born and grew up in Indiana, Pennsylvania, USA. He made his acting debut in a boy scout play.

After graduating from Princeton in 1932 with a degree in architecture, he joined the University Players whose members included such future stars as Henry Fonda and Margaret Sullavan.

His first motion-picture appearance was in 1935 in The Murder Man. Stewart's career gained momentum after his well-received Frank Capra films, including his Academy Award nominated role in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) and It's a Wonderful Life (1946).

James served in the US Army Air Forces in World War II and was heavily decorated.

After the war, Stewart returned to the theater in Harvey (1947) (he later re-created the role in the 1950 film version of the play).

During the 1950s, he took on more challenging roles and expanded into the western and suspense genres, thanks largely to collaborations with directors Anthony Mann and Alfred Hitchcock (Rear window (1954), The man who knew too much (1956), Vertigo (1958)).

In the early sixties there were roles in three John Ford films, including the classic The man who shot Liberty Valance.

James undertook some television projects in the 1970s, but with little success. Late in life Stewart made a series of popular appearances on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show, reading his own poetry.

Selected Movies:

Academy awards:

1985 Honorary Award 1960 Nominated Best Actor for: Anatomy of a Murder
1951 Nominated Best Actor for: Harvey
1947 Nominated Best Actor for: It's a wonderful Life
1941 Won Oscar Best Actor for: The Philadelphia Story (1940)
1940 Nominated Best Actor for: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

Books:

Michael Munn -> Jimmy Stewart : The Truth Behind the Legend
Donald Dewey -> James Stewart: A Biography (1996)
Jonathan Coe -> Jimmy Stewart : A Wonderful Life (1994)

 

Kim Novak + James Stewart in Vertigo

Trivia

Stewart was very interested in starring in North by Northwest, begging director Alfred Hitchcock to let him play Thornhill. Hitchcock claimed that Vertigo’s (1958) lack of financial success was because Stewart looked too old.

James has a star on Hollywood Boulevard (Vine street).
It’s located one north of Hollywood Boulevard.

James has his handprints set in cement on Hollywood Boulevard (Hollywood, USA, in the forecourt of Grauman’s Chinese Theater).Source / More (Web)

When Stewart won the Best Actor Oscar in 1941, (The Philadelphia story) he sent it to his father in Indiana (USA), who set it in his hardware shop. The trophy remained there for 25 years.

For years James acted as J. Edgar Hoover’s (director of the FBI, 1924 - 1972) informant, filing reports on the criminals and communists he saw infesting Hollywood. When Henry Fonda discovered Stewart had been a Hoover informer, Fonda refused to talk to him for years.Source / More (Book)

James was wary and suspicious of black Americans.The black actor Woody Strode, who appeared with him in the western The man who shot Liberty Valance, accused him of racism.Source / More (Book)

In his youth, Stewart shared a Mexican-style farmhouse with actor Henry Fonda. They unwittingly fuelled the gossip about a homosexual liaison in Hollywood.Source / More (Book)

Actress Marlene Dietrich once became pregnant by Stewart and underwent an abortion at his insistence. Had details of the abortion ever become public at the time, both stars’ careers would have been irreparably damaged.Source / More (Book)

Jimmy joined the airforce in 1941. After flying over 20 combat missions, he became a colonel and chief of staff of the second combat wing. He was awarded the distinquished flying cross and the French Croix de Guerre. Remaining in the reserves, he was promoted to brigadier general, the highest rank ever achieved by a moviestar.Source / More (Book)

James was very interested in starring in North by northwest, begging director Alfred Hitchcock to let him play Thornhill. Hitchcock claimed that Vertigo (1958)’s lack of financial success was because Stewart looked too old.Source / More (Book)

Bibliography