Stewart, James (1908-1997)

Stewart, James (1908-1997), American actor, born in Indiana, Pennsylvania, known for his distinctive drawl and endearing sincerity. After graduating from college with an architecture degree in 1932, Stewart made his professional theatre debut in Goodbye Again at a summer theatre in Falmouth, Massachusetts. From there he moved to Broadway. His first notable film appearance was in 1935 in The Murder Man. His performances in Frank Capra films such as You Can’t Take It with You (1938), Mr Smith Goes to Washington (1939), and It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) remain popular on television. His role as the tabloid newspaper reporter in The Philadelphia Story (1940) earned him an Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Actor.

A bomber pilot during World War II, Stewart later attained the rank of brigadier general in the Air Force Reserve. After the war, Stewart played an affable alcoholic who is followed about by a huge white rabbit, invisible to everyone but himself, in Harvey (stage, 1947; film, 1950). He also became known for his roles in Westerns such as Destry Rides Again (1939), Broken Arrow (1950), The Naked Spur (1953), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), and Cheyenne Autumn (1964). Stewart’s association with Alfred Hitchcock resulted in some of his most memorable performances, for example, in the classics Rope (1948), Rear Window (1954), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), and Vertigo (1958). In 1989 his book Jimmy Stewart and His Poems was a best-seller. Stewart died on July 2, 1997.