Home> Facts and Trivia > Stars > James Stewart
James Stewart Facts
| Sign | Taurus |
| Born |
May 20, 1908 Indiana, PA |
| Died |
Jul 2, 1997 Los Angeles, CA |
| Age | Died at 89 |
| Total Facts | 112 |
His performance as George Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life (1946) is ranked #60 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.
His performance as George Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life (1946) is ranked #8 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006).
His performance as James "Scottie" Ferguson in Vertigo (1958) is ranked #30 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006).
His remains are interred at the Forest Lawn Cemetary, Glendale, California, in the Wee Kirk O'the Heathers Churchyard , on the left side, up the huge slope, to the left of the Taylor Monument, in space 2, lot 8.
His two natural children, twin daughters Judy Stewart and Kelly Stewart, were born on Monday, May 7th, 1951. His wife, Gloria Stewart (the former Gloria Hatrick McLean), a former model from Larchmount, New York, also brought two sons to the marriage: Ronald and Michael (aged 5 and 2 at the time of the wedding in 1949), whom he adopted. Ronald later died on active service, as a Marine officer on Sunday, June 8th, 1969 in Vietnam.
Hit #133 on the Billboard Singles Charts in 1965 with "The Legend of Shenandoah" (Decca 31795), a narration backed up with the Charles "Bud" Dant Orchestra
Hosted the Academy Awards in 1946 (alongside Bob Hope), 1958 (alongside David Niven, Jack Lemmon, Rosalind Russell, Bob Hope and "Donald Duck").
In 1980 he was hospitalized for five days with an irregular heartbeat. Three years later the condition resurfaced and doctors at St John's Hospital in Santa Monica installed a pacemaker.
In 1999 the American Film Institute named him the third greatest male star of all time.
In association with politicians and celebrities that included President Ronald Reagan, Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger, California Governor George Deukmejian, Bob Hope and Charlton Heston, Stewart worked from 1987 to 1993 on projects that enhanced the public appreciation and understanding of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.
In March 2008 a proposal was submitted to award Stewart the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of his services to the nation.
Inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1972.
Introduced the Cole Porter standard "Easy to Love" in 1936's Born to Dance (1936). His undubbed, reedy tenor voice was actually not so bad. He would later say of the experience, "the song had become such a big hit that they felt even my singing couldn't ruin it." He would later sing a few bars of "Over the Rainbow" as part of his Oscar-winning performance in The Philadelphia Story (1940).
James Stewart is caricaturized in a Merrie Melodies short cartoon called Hollywood Steps Out directed by Tex Avery (Warner Brothers 1941). The action takes place in the famed Ciro's nightclub where the Hollywood stars are having dinner. Dorothy Lamour and James Stewart are seated at the same table. She begs him to dance. Stewart starts stuttering and hesitating, but in the end agrees to follow her to the dance floor. When she moves her body to the beat he gets scared and runs away, leaving a sign that says "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington".
James was named Best Classic Actor of the 20th Century in an Entertainment Weekly on-line poll. [September 1999]
Jimmy Stewart was the first major American movie star to wear a military uniform in World War II.
Jimmy Stewart was the first major American movie star to wear a military uniform in World War II.
Joined the Army eight months before Pearl Harbor. Served overseas for 21 months, where, as a pilot with the 445th Bomb Group, 703rd squadron, he flew 20 combat missions.
Made London stage debut in 1975 with "Harvey".
Many of his works were donated to Brigham Young University in 1983, including his personal copy of It's a Wonderful Life (1946).
Medals awarded: the Distinguished Service Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf cluster, Air Medal with three Oak Leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal, American Defense Service Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three Service Stars, the World War II Victory Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the French Croix de Guerre with Palm,, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Never took an acting lesson, and felt that people could learn more when actually working rather than studying the craft.
Of all the films that he had done It's a Wonderful Life (1946) was his favorite one.
Often incorrectly noted as having achieved the highest rank in Boy Scouting, Eagle Scout, while in his youth in Indiana, Pennsylvania; he was a scout for four years, attaining Second Class. He appeared in a series of award-winning commercials promoting the Boy Scouts, and served as a volunteer with the Orange County and Los Angeles Area Councils. He was awarded the Silver Beaver, the highest adult award.
One of the first (if not the first) stars to receive a percentage of the gross of his movies.
Originally intended to make On Golden Pond (1981), but Jane Fonda bought the rights before he could.
Over 3,000 people, mostly Hollywood celebrities, attended his funeral to pay their respects.
Pictured on a 41¢ USA commemorative postage stamp in the Legends of Hollywood series, issued on Friday, August 17th, 2007.
President Harry S. Truman was an admirer of Stewart's work, and even commented that if he'd had a son, he'd have wanted him to be "just like Jimmy Stewart."
Principal speaker at Veterans Rights ceremony - Arlington, VA, November 1956.
Profiled in "Back in the Saddle: Essays on Western Film and Television Actors", Gary Yoggy, ed. (McFarland, 1998).
Ranked #10 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list. [October 1997]
Recipient of Kennedy Center Honors in 1983.
Replaced Cary Grant as Rupert Cadell in Rope (1948). Ironically, Grant replaced him as Roger Thornhill in North by Northwest (1959).
Some sources state that Stewart was considered to play James Bond in Dr. No (1962). However, it was in fact Stewart Granger, whose real name was James Stewart, who was considered - but ultimately rejected as being too old.
Stewart agreed to play a cameo role in The Shootist (1976) only after John Wayne specifically requested him. His short time on the film proved to be trying. The bad acoustics of the huge, hollow sound stages worsened his hearing difficulties, and he stayed by himself most of the time. He and Wayne muffed their lines so often in the main scene between them that director Don Siegel accused them of not trying hard enough. Wayne's reply was a variation on an old line by John Ford, advising the director that "if you'd like the scene done better, you'd better get a couple of better actors." Later on, the star told friends that Stewart had known his lines, but hadn't been able to hear his cues, and that in turn had caused his own fumbling.
Stewart and Richard Widmark both wore toupees and had hearing problems. On the set of Two Rode Together (1961) director John Ford became frustrated with the two stars being unable to hear his instructions and exclaimed, "Fifty years in this goddamn business, and what do I end up doing? Directing two deaf hairpieces!"
Stewart attended Princeton University from 1925 to 1929, graduating with a bachelor's degree in architecture.
Stewart had two grandsons, John and David Merritt.
Stewart nearly declined to support his friend Ronald Reagan's campaign for the governorship of California in 1966, since Reagan had been a Democrat until 1962. In 1976 Stewart campaigned extensively in California for Reagan in the presidential primaries, especially visiting shopping malls and airports.
Stewart never recovered from his wife's death on Wednesday, February 16th, 1994, and he vowed to make no further public appearances after her funeral service. Thereafter, he spent most of his time in his bedroom, coming out only at the insistence of his housekeeper for his meals. Newspaper reports suggested that Stewart had Alzheimer's disease. Over the Christmas holiday season in 1995m he failed to negotiate a rise leading to a dining area and he fell, cracking his head on the bill of a wooden duck that his daughter Judy had given him some years previously. In December 1996, when he was due to have his battery changed in his pacemaker, he told his children that he would rather not have that done. He wanted to let things take their natural course. However, on Friday, January 31, 1997, Stewart tripped over a potted plant in his bedroom, and he cut open his forehead. He was taken to St John's Hospital, in Santa Monica, Calif., where he was given twelve stitches. A few weeks later, he was hospitalized for a blood clot and an irregular heartbeat. He had a blood clot in his right knee, and the swelling soon spread through his entire leg. At 11:05 a.m. on Wednesday, July 2, 1997, James Stewart died of cardiac arrest at the age of eighty-nine.
Stewart played the accordion.
Stewart starred in the NBC Radio series "The Six Shooter" in 1953 - 54.
Stewart underwent surgery for skin cancer in 1983.
Stewart very much wanted the role of Roger Thornhill in North by Northwest (1959) and he was the original choice for it, but after the financial failure of Vertigo (1958), director Alfred Hitchcock, unfairly blamed the film's box office woes on Stewart, claiming Stewart now looked too old to still attract audiences and cast Cary Grant instead, even though Grant was actually four years older than Stewart. Previously one of the director's favorite collaborators, Stewart and Alfred Hitchcock never worked together again.
Stewart wanted to make Night Passage (1957) because he believed it would give him a chance to show off his accordion playing. However, all of his playing in the film was re-recorded by a professional accordion player.
Stewart was of Scottish and Irish heritage.
Stewart was sometimes amused when critics would always compare him with Henry Fonda, in particular his one marriage versus Fonda's five marriages. Stewart was dismayed that people forgot that he had been romantically linked with numerous actresses before finally marrying at the age of 41.
The James Stewart Museum was dedicated in Indiana, Pennsylvania on Saturday, May 20th, 1995.
The word "Philadelphia" on the Oscar that Jimmy received in 1941 for The Philadelphia Story (1940) is misspelled. The Oscar was kept in the window of Jimmy's father's hardware store located on Philadelphia Street in Indiana, Pennsylvania.