Hi Everyone!

As many of you may know, I am a huge fan of actor James "Jimmy" Stewart. I have seen about 20 of his films and enjoying learning new facts about him. I feel that he was a wonderful actor and truly sweet person. With that being said, I'd like open up a thread for any and all questions about my favorite actor of all time--so please ask away.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1403/1212422358_c3aec971b7.jpg?v=0


(You knew this thread was coming!  ;) )

why have you only seen 20 of his films?


and how many times do you plan to watch It's a Wonderful Life this year?

Hi Snoz!

--Well, I've only seen 20 of Jimmys dozens of films is because Turner Classic Movies ( and AMC) only show a certain few of his movies every few weeks. And a lot of Jimmy later films were westerns as opposed to dramas and I don't really care for westers, but I have seen about 3 of his westerns, because it's Jimmy and I don't miss Jimmy when he's on! I usually tape EVERYTHING that shows on tv about him (or find it on dvd), and when I ran out of tapes, I stayed up to all wild hours to see his movies. (Most notably, staying up til 4 am to see him in "The Stratton Story" and crying my eyes out at 5 in the morning because it was so touching)    ;D

It doesn't bother me to stay up super late if it's for someone I enjoy. You should see how I turn into a sleepless being over Michael if he's on super late.

--I plan to see it as much as I can or until I run out of Kleenex--it makes me cry too. I should find it on DVD.  :-\\

Great questions, please ask more.  :)

Hi Snoz!

--Well, I've only seen 20 of Jimmys dozens of films is because Turner Classic Movies ( and AMC) only show a certain few of his movies every few weeks. And a lot of Jimmy later films were westerns as opposed to dramas and I don't really care for westers, but I have seen about 3 of his westerns, because it's Jimmy and I don't miss Jimmy when he's on! I usually tape EVERYTHING that shows on tv about him (or find it on dvd), and when I ran out of tapes, I stayed up to all wild hours to see his movies. (Most notably, staying up til 4 am to see him in "The Stratton Story" and crying my eyes out at 5 in the morning because it was so touching)    ;D

It doesn't bother me to stay up super late if it's for someone I enjoy. You should see how I turn into a sleepless being over Michael if he's on super late.

--I plan to see it as much as I can or until I run out of Kleenex--it makes me cry too. I should find it on DVD.  :-\\

Great questions, please ask more.  :)


I haven't seen stratton story. I can't watch movies on AMC or TNT because of the commercials. I prefer FMC or I just get them on DVD.

Hi Snoz!  ;)

I hate for the commercials to cut into the film too, but I can tolerate them for Jimmy. Most of his movies show up on TCM more than AMC, so I'm happy with that. I check thier schedule regularly to keep up with him and the other old actors I like. (Like Cary Grant  :-[ )

You'd love "The Stratton Story". It was so inspirational. It was the true story of baseball player Monty Stratton, who at the peak of his baseball pitching career lost one of his legs to a hunting accident. It was said that the real Monty Stratton exclusively reqwuested he be portrayed by Jimmy Stewart and it was one of the 3 movies Jimmy co-stared in with actress June Allyson. I adore it!  ;D

Please ask more questions!

Where is James Stewart buried?

Hi Phlip

Jimmy is buried at Forest Lawn in Glendale, California in the Wee Kirk O The Heathers Churchyard.

http://s3.amazonaws.com/findagrave/photos/2001/222/stewartjames.jpg
I'd like to one day go and pay my repects. He was truly a great man and I am inspired by his work.

I don't know why he isn't buried in the Hollywood cemetery. (Rudolph Valentino is buried there--don't ask me how I know this! LOL)

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Any favorite parodies or caricatures/impersonations?

Hiya Woops!  :)

I havent seen too many impersonations of Jimmy, but a few weeks ago, I was watching an epsode of the Simpsons that had a bunch of cartoons of dead celebrities and Jimmy was one of them. I liked the way they made him and the voice for him. The only thing I ddn't like was as the spirits were racing out of Heaven to harm the living, Jimmy jumped in fron tand was trying to reason with them. The ghost of John Wayne said, "Move the hell out the way Mushmouth!" and sqished him with his horse!  :(

I can kind of imitate Jimmy a little, but it's bad.  ;D

Great question, please ask more. This is fun!  :)

Jimmy Stewart was caricatured in the 1941 Merry Melodies cartoon "Hollywood Steps Out".

He appears in 3:33  to 4:16

Woops! Major Karma!

I remember watching this cartoon when I was little. I've seen the Jimmy stuttering character a hundred times and this is the FIRST time I figured out it was him! That is wonderful. It brings back so many memories for me. I remember sitting on the floor in my mom's room with my dolls and watching this on Nickelodeon and then Cartoon Network.

I don't think Jimmy''s head was THAT long! LOL!

But no one can touch the Clark Gable chracter. I didn't think his ears were so large when I was little, then I saw "Gone With The Wind!" LOL. I couldn't bleeive it!

That was so cute. Thank you so much!

Please ask more questions!

Hi Y'all!

I found some pics of Jimmy and thought they would inspire some questions from you guys. Enjoy!

http://www.meredy.com/jimmystewart/js69.jpg

A nice color press photo of Jimmy. (Most of his pics were black and white)

http://www.meredy.com/jimmystewart/js54.jpg

Jimmy in  costume as Monty Stratton for The Stratton Story.

http://www.meredy.com/jimmystewart/js35.jpg

Jimmy with Kim Novak in the movie Vertigo.

http://www.meredy.com/jimmystewart/js56.jpg

Jimmy with hsi twin daughters.

Please ask more questions!  ;)

What do considered to be James Stewart's best film?

Oh Gosh Philip!  :)

That's a very difficult decision to make. I've seen so many of his movies and love so many of his roles. (I've cried up so many of them) but if I had to choose, I'd have to pick two. One Black and White movie and one Color movie.

Now as far as Black and Whites go, I'd have to choose Jimmy's role in the 1950 release of Harvey. It was the movie that started me to liking Jimmy in the first place. I loved him in the role of sweet, and almost childlike Elwood P. Dowd, who's best friend was a 6'3 and half inch bunny that only he could see. The fillm is so iconic that when Jimmy died in 1997, one of his fans left a bunny on his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. ((and you see a little bunny on his grave marker in my previous post) It's just a warm, sweet, cute film. I always say that if I ever get the chance to meet Michael Jackson and watch a movie with him, I'll cling to his leg and scream for this film! LOL.

And for Color pictures, I've seen quite a few. But my favorite would probably be Vertigo. If I could be so bold as to say this, I found Jimmy's role as Scottie in the movie to be very...um, attractive. Whomever did his wardrobe kept him in a lot of blues in the movie and it played up his eyes wonderfully. It was a very great film. And it was the best male faint I've ever seen. I don't know if Jimmy ever fainted for real in real life, but in the movie, his faint had me on the floor laughing. I enjoyed it.

And before someone asks me what my least favorite Jimmy movie is, I'll tell you--I REALLY don't like Bandolero. I don't like Westerns to start with and then Jimmy (sixty at the time) had one scene that just threw me. He was in a little wooden tub, out in the open, bathing, and shirtless. At SIXTY! I still never understood that. In 1940 he didn't want to take his shirt off for The Philidelphia Story--a movie he got an Oscar for--but 20 years later he did it. (Grey fuzzy chest and all.)  :D

Please ask more questions! This was fun!

Oh Gosh Philip!  :)

That's a very difficult decision to make. I've seen so many of his movies and love so many of his roles. (I've cried up so many of them) but if I had to choose, I'd have to pick two. One Black and White movie and one Color movie.

Now as far as Black and Whites go, I'd have to choose Jimmy's role in the 1950 release of Harvey. It was the movie that started me to liking Jimmy in the first place. I loved him in the role of sweet, and almost childlike Elwood P. Dowd, who's best friend was a 6'3 and half inch bunny that only he could see. The fillm is so iconic that when Jimmy died in 1997, one of his fans left a bunny on his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. ((and you see a little bunny on his grave marker in my previous post) It's just a warm, sweet, cute film. I always say that if I ever get the chance to meet Michael Jackson and watch a movie with him, I'll cling to his leg and scream for this film! LOL.

And for Color pictures, I've seen quite a few. But my favorite would probably be Vertigo. If I could be so bold as to say this, I found Jimmy's role as Scottie in the movie to be very...um, attractive. Whomever did his wardrobe kept him in a lot of blues in the movie and it played up his eyes wonderfully. It was a very great film. And it was the best male faint I've ever seen. I don't know if Jimmy ever fainted for real in real life, but in the movie, his faint had me on the floor laughing. I enjoyed it.

And before someone asks me what my least favorite Jimmy movie is, I'll tell you--I REALLY don't like Bandolero. I don't like Westerns to start with and then Jimmy (sixty at the time) had one scene that just threw me. He was in a little wooden tub, out in the open, bathing, and shirtless. At SIXTY! I still never understood that. In 1940 he didn't want to take his shirt off for The Philidelphia Story--a movie he got an Oscar for--but 20 years later he did it. (Grey fuzzy chest and all.)  :D

Please ask more questions! This was fun!
For me it is always the last film I have seen of his, but Harvey, It's A Wonderful Life and the Hitchcock film that stand out for me.

Hey Philip!

Jimym made 3 or 4 Hitchcock films. The ones I've seen and like are Vertigo, Rope, Rear Window and The Man Who Knew Too Much.  ;D Rope is probably the strangest one. Jimmy plays a supporting cast role to these two other men. (It's never stated whether the two main male characters are lovers or best friends or what...they kind of behaved like a couple) but they killed a man was trying to place it as a perfect crime. It really is an interesting movie and I was interestedin seeing it before I even knew Jimmy was in it. (Jimmy was just an added bonus for me!) And it had once of the best man to man onscreen slaps that I've seen since Sidney Portier in In The Heat of the Night!

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Which actress do you think Jimmy had the best on screen chemistry with?

Hi Zeb!

That's a wonderful question. I loved the movies Jimmy did with an actress named June Allyson. They appeared in three films together--Stratgic Air Command, The Glen Miller Story and The Sratton Story. I loved the two of them together. They made a cute and beleivable couple. Jimmy was an all american man and she was like the girl next door. They were the perfect onscreen couple.

;D Please ask more questions!

What Alfred Hitchcock movie of his do you like the most? Mine would have to be Rope.

He had so many great films. Rear Window, It's a wonderful life  but my 2 favorites is "The Man who knew too much", with Doris day and "The shop around the corner." (beautiful love story)
Even seen those before?

Hello!  :)

@Zeb: Gosh, I love Rope too, it's such a unique film and I actually watched it again yesterday. But my favorite would have to be Vertigo. I just love Jimmy as Scottie in this movie. His portrayal was wonderful. I loved when he got scared and fainted in his friend's apartment and just how suspenseful the movie is and how he falls for Kim Novak's character. And what made the movie for me was when near the end he gets angry and starts yelling at Kim Novak. It really surrprised me because he seemed like a human version of Ned Flanders--even temepered and sweet and for him to be like a maniac was a total departure and I liked it.  I love the movies that mess with your head. LOL.

@ Frank: I've seen all of those. LOL. It's A Wonderful Life makes me cry because it's so touching and sweet and wonderful. I just love Jimmy. He really was a truly great actor and I feel that he deserved more than the one Oscar he won. He played many different types of characters and his range was just phenomenal. He must be doing something right. I didn't know who he was until  10 years after his death and I am truly respectful and happy about his work. I like people who are versatile. I like people who multiask. Like Michael Jackson can sing and dance, Prince is a walking orchestra, Jimmy can make you laugh, make you cry, play sports, fly planes. And somehow in the middle of it all, he found time to serve his country! He was a truly amazing man and I only wish I could have met him.  :-Bandolero, I don't like Bandolero LOL.)

Wonderful questions, please ask more.

Yes, he was a great actor. I think I've seen about 15 of his movies. One day I will list them.
He was a really tall man tho. How tall was he?

Hello Frank.

Jimmy was a pretty tall indivudual. He was 6'3'' tall.

A cute little tidbit--in the film Harvey, even though the Bunny that Elwood P. Dowd (here's my card...) was friends with was said to be 6'3'' but Jimmy said he imagined the bunny to be 6'8'' so that he could look UP at it.

Also Jimmy never really considered himself as a sex symbol  though some put him in the ranks of Clark Gable, Cary Grant and George Brent. He was just a tall, gangly, sweet tempered man. To me he seemed like the best friend every man wanted, the guy every girl wanted to marry and as he aged, the grandpa people loved.  :)

Please ask more questions!  ;D

Have you ever seen this Jimmy Stewart retrospective called "Jimmy Stewart: a Wonderful Life."?  Johnny Carson and Jimmy reminisce together about his career and life in 1987. Many stars ( K-Hep being the only one that matters  8))  from his era and the modern day ( well modern for 1987 at lest) are interviewed...Even then first Lady Nancy Reagan.  It is an hour long and I saw it yesterday on my Iowa Public TV station. Maybe you can find it on YouTube.

Hi Zeb!

No... :( I haven't seen the retrospective, but I'll see if I can hunt it down. I just adore Jimmy so much. He really was a wonderful man. And absolutely gorgeous. I have to see that special. I'll try to hunt it down on youtube. Thanks fo rthe heads up! Well his birthday is right around the corner, maybe TCM or AMC will show it.

Please ask more questions!

Didn't Jimmy get up to the rank of General in the U.S. Army?  He was quite a role model for patriotism so was Ronald Reagan and a few others.

Didn't Jimmy get up to the rank of General in the U.S. Army?  He was quite a role model for patriotism so was Ronald Reagan and a few others.


After serving in the Army Air Corps, he transfered to the new Air Force, and served in the reserves until 1968.  He retired as a Brigadier General.

I am also a big fan of his.  I think some of his best work was from the radio drama The Six Shooter, which ran from 1953-1954.  There were only 41 made (39 episodes, 2 pilots), and they run 30 minutes each.  If you have Sirius or XM they are run all the time.

And because they are in the public domain, you can get them for free at archive.org.  I have the entire collection on my Zune.  :)

After serving in the Army Air Corps, he transfered to the new Air Force, and served in the reserves until 1968.  He retired as a Brigadier General.

I am also a big fan of his.  I think some of his best work was from the radio drama The Six Shooter, which ran from 1953-1954.  There were only 41 made (39 episodes, 2 pilots), and they run 30 minutes each.  If you have Sirius or XM they are run all the time.

And because they are in the public domain, you can get them for free at archive.org.  I have the entire collection on my Zune.  :)


Thanks Mushroom.  I thought he was a General. :)

Mushroom! You answered my question!  >:(

But I think I'll let it slide since you answered it so well.

Just don't start answering my Michael Jackson questions! LOL!  ;D

Please ask more questions!

Mushroom! You answered my question!  >:(


Sorry, I blame it on the time difference.

I am a day ahead of you all, so I thought the question was older then it was. 

Hey Mushroom!

That's okay! I'm always happy to see another Jimmy enthusiast.  :)

Hi Y'all!

I was digging around the Cary Grant site and found some pictures from when he and Jimmy starred in The Philidelphia Story.

http://www.carygrant.net/fotogallery/philadelphiastory/tps13.jpg

(l-r: Jimmy, Rosalind Russell, Sone guy I Don't Know, Katherine Hepburn, and Cary Grant)


http://www.carygrant.net/fotogallery/philadelphiastory/tps4.jpg

A caricature of the stars. (I dunno what the hell they did to Jimmy's eyes!)

http://www.carygrant.net/fotogallery/philadelphiastory/tps-lobby3.jpg

The promo poster for the film.

http://www.carygrant.net/fotogallery/philadelphiastory/tps2.jpg

That really should be me...shame I wasn't born for like 40 years after that! Spencer Tracy had NOTHING on Jimmy and Cary!  ;D

Please ask more questions!



Little know fact: When Jimmy won his Academy Award in 1940 as Best Supporting Actor for this movie "Philidelphia" was misspelled!   ;D