James Stewart

Perhaps best remembered as George Bailey in the perennial Christmas classic It's A Wonderful Life, James (Jimmy) Stewart had an acting career that spanned several decades. In the midst of it, he also had a military career, rising to the rank of Brigadier General in the United States Air Force Reserve during WWII.

Over the course of his lengthy career, Stewart would often play everyday men in films such as Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) and It’s a Wonderful Life (1946). But he was more versatile than that. He also played roles in Mysteries, Rom-Coms, and Westerns. His broad range of films include Vertigo (1958), The Philadelphia Story (1940), and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962).

Most importantly, though, he was a genuinely kind man in real life with a very relatable personality. His legacy includes his involvement in many charities and his military service as well as his many memorable films.

Core Films

*= my personal favorites

You Can’t Take it With You (1938)*
Destry Rides Again (1939)*
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)*
The Philadelphia Story (1940)*
The Shop Around the Corner (1940)*
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)*
Harvey (1950)*
Winchester ‘73 (1950)
Bend of the River (1952)
The Naked Spur (1953)
Rear Window (1954)*
The Glenn Miller Story (1954)
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) *
Vertigo (1958)
Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)*

For More

Books

Joint Biography; Hank and Jim: The Fifty-Year Friendship of Henry Fonda and James Stewart by Scott Eyman: https://www.amazon.com/Hank-Jim-Fifty-Year-Friendship-Stewart/dp/1501102184/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Stewart and Ginger Rogers celebrating both of their Oscar Wins (1941)

With Grace Kelly in Rear Window (1954) — With Grace Kelly in *Rear Window* (1954)

Broken Arrow (1950) — *Broken Arrow* (1950)

You Can’t Take It with You (1938) — *You Can’t Take It with You* (1938)

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) — *It’s a Wonderful Life* (1946)

In the film Bell Book and Candle (1958) — In the film *Bell Book and Candle* (1958)

Made for Each Other (1939) — *Made for Each Other* (1939)

Stewart and Jean Arthur behind the scenes of You Can’t Take It with You (1938) with director Frank Capra — Stewart and Jean Arthur behind the scenes of *You Can’t Take It with You* (1938) with director Frank Capra

With Margaret Sullivan in Mortal Storm (1940) — With Margaret Sullivan in *Mortal Storm* (1940)

With Lee J. Cobb in Northside 777 (1948) — With Lee J. Cobb in *Northside 777* (1948)

With Margaret Sullavan in The Shop Around the Corner (1940) — With Margaret Sullavan in *The Shop Around the Corner* (1940)

With Margaret Sullavan in The Shopworn Angel (1938) — With Margaret Sullavan in *The Shopworn Angel* (1938)

Vivacious Lady (1938) — *Vivacious Lady* (1938)

With Ruth Roman in The Far Country (1954) — With Ruth Roman in *The Far Country* (1954)

With Marlene Dietrich in Destry Rides Again (1939)

Behind the scenes of Born to Dance (1936)

The Man from Laramie (1955) — *The Man from Laramie* (1955)

With Janet Leigh in The Naked Spur (1953) — With Janet Leigh in *The Naked Spur* (1953)

Rear Window (1954) — *Rear Window* (1954)

In The Man From Laramie (1955) — In *The Man From Laramie* (1955)

With Cary Grant in The Philadelphia Story (1940) — With Cary Grant in *The Philadelphia Story* (1940)

Socking John Wayne in the film The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) — Socking John Wayne in the film *The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance* (1962)

The Philadelphia Story (1940) — *The Philadelphia Story* (1940)

With Lee Remick and Ben Gazzara in Anatomy of a Murder (1959) — With Lee Remick and Ben Gazzara in *Anatomy of a Murder* (1959)

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) — *The Man Who Knew Too Much* (1956)

Vivacious Lady (1938), co-starring Ginger Rogers — *Vivacious Lady* (1938), co-starring Ginger Rogers

Stewart faces an embarrassing situation in The Philadelphia Story (1940) — Stewart faces an embarrassing situation in *The Philadelphia Story* (1940)

Made for Each Other (1939) co-starring Carole Lombard — *Made for Each Other* (1939) co-starring Carole Lombard

With long time friend June Allyson in The Glenn Miller Story (1954) — With long time friend June Allyson in *The Glenn Miller Story* (1954)

With Kim Novak in Vertigo (1958) — With Kim Novak in *Vertigo* (1958)

With Carole Lombard in Made For Each Other (1939) — With Carole Lombard in *Made For Each Other* (1939)

The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) — *The Greatest Show on Earth* (1952)

With Jean Harlow in Wife Versus Secretary (1936) — With Jean Harlow in *Wife Versus Secretary* (1936)

The iconic scene in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) — The iconic scene in *Mr. Smith Goes to Washington* (1939)

With Margaret Sullavan and Ray Milland in Next Time We Love (1936) — With Margaret Sullavan and Ray Milland in *Next Time We Love* (1936)

With Rosalind Russell in No Time For Comedy (1940) — With Rosalind Russell in *No Time For Comedy* (1940)

As Glenn Miller in the film The Glenn Miller Story (1954) — As Glenn Miller in the film *The Glenn Miller Story* (1954)

In How the West Was Won (1962) with Carroll Baker — In *How the West Was Won* (1962) with Carroll Baker

Fooling around with Eleanor Powell in Born to Dance (1936) — Fooling around with Eleanor Powell in *Born to Dance* (1936)

Stewart (at the far left) while at Princeton

With Ginger Rogers in Vivacious Lady (1938) — With Ginger Rogers in *Vivacious Lady* (1938)

Stewart receiving a decoration for his services in the liberation of France

With an all-star cast in Born to Dance (1936)

As Jefferson Smith in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) — As Jefferson Smith in *Mr. Smith Goes to Washington* (1939)

With Joan Fontaine in You Gotta Stay Happy (1948) — With Joan Fontaine in *You Gotta Stay Happy* (1948)

Behind the scenes of the one-shot film Rope (1948) with director Alfred Hitchcock — Behind the scenes of the one-shot film *Rope* (1948) with director Alfred Hitchcock

Star Profile, Star of the MonthOliviaDecember 3, 2018James Stewart, Star Profile, Star of the MonthComment