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01
Upon accepting his Honorary Oscar in 1985, Stewart stated, this was the greatest award he received, to know that, after all these years, he hadn’t been forgotten. The audience gave him a ten-minute standing ovation, making the show run long. Steven Spielberg, who was in attendance, said that he was humbled to even be in the same room as Stewart.
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02
Of all his films, Stewart has said that It’s a Wonderful Life 1946 was his favorite.
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03
Burt Reynolds was a neighbor and life-long devoted fan. In an interview for the TC Palm in 2010, Reynolds said how much he admired Stewart and that he was always gracious and kind. So modest, so wonderful, Reynolds said. He was more than an actor. He was every man you wish you could be.
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04
When Stewart left to serve in World War II, his father gave him a letter that he kept in his pocket every day until the war ended.
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05
While always gracious with his fans, Stewart was protective of his privacy. A notable example occurred when a family set up a picnic on his front lawn; he came out and turned on the sprinklers without saying a word.
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06
During the 1980s Stewart was one of the most prominent critics of film colorization, even testifying before Congress about the denaturing of It’s a Wonderful Life 1946. He urged the creative community to discourage the process.
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07
Despite being a decorated war hero in World War II, Stewart declined to talk about it, partly due to trauma. He made an exception for the documentary series The World at War, where he insisted on being credited as Squadron Commander.
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08
When Stewart won the Best Actor Oscar in 1940, he sent it to his father in Indiana, PA, who displayed it in his hardware store for 25 years.
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09
The army initially wanted Stewart to make propaganda films, but he insisted on front-line combat duty.
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10
Over 3,000 people, mostly Hollywood celebrities, attended Stewart’s funeral.
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11
Stewart accepted his friend Gary Cooper’s honorary Oscar for Lifetime Achievement in 1961 because Cooper was dying of cancer.
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12
Stewart never took an acting lesson; he felt that people could learn more working than studying the craft.
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13
The James Stewart Museum was dedicated in Indiana, PA, on May 20, 1995.
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14
Gary Cooper considered Stewart his closest friend.
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15
Stewart was the first movie star to enter service in World War II, joining a year before Pearl Harbor. He was initially refused by the Air Force for being underweight but talked his way in. He rose to colonel and later brigadier general in the Reserve, earning the Air Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, Croix de Guerre, and seven battle stars.
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16
Stewart never had cosmetic surgery, unlike his friends Gary Cooper, Henry Fonda, and John Wayne.
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17
Stewart agreed to a cameo in The Shootist 1976 only after John Wayne specifically requested him. On set, he struggled with hearing difficulties, and director Don Siegel accused him and Wayne of not trying. Wayne retorted, if you’d like the scene done better, you’d better get a couple of better actors.
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18
Stewart was one of the first stars to receive a percentage of his movies’ gross.
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19
After graduating in architecture, Stewart announced to his parents that he was giving up on being an architect to go to Broadway. His parents gave their blessing.
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20
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.
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21
Stewart disliked Hollywood glamour, avoiding expensive clothes and fancy cars.
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22
After World War II, Stewart deliberately exaggerated his accent because directors told him he needed a persona to sell his films with television’s rise.
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23
Stewart’s best friend was Henry Fonda, though they once fought over politics Stewart conservative, Fonda liberal. After Fonda moved to Hollywood, they lived together and were known as big playboys. Their children noted that their favorite activity was silently painting model airplanes.
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24
As of the fifth edition of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, Stewart is runner-up for most represented leading actor with 13 films, behind Robert De Niro.
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25
Stewart allegedly hated the nickname Jimmy.
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26
He remained faithful to his wife throughout their marriage, rare in Hollywood where many colleagues had infidelities.
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27
Along with Robert De Niro and Harrison Ford, Stewart has eight films in IMDb’s Top 250 list.
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28
Stewart received his Bachelor of Science in architecture from Princeton University in 1932.
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29
He was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1708 Vine St. on February 8, 1960.
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30
His twin daughters Judy and Kelly were born on May 7, 1951. He adopted his wife’s two sons, Ronald and Michael. Ronald died as a Marine officer in Vietnam on June 8, 1969.
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31
Stewart’s medals include the Distinguished Service Medal, 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, World War II Victory Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, French Croix de Guerre with Palm, and Presidential Medal of Freedom.
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32
Stewart was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by his friend President Ronald Reagan in 1985.
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33
While serving as an officer in the US Army Air Forces, one of his sergeants was Walter Matthau.
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34
Daniel Day-Lewis and Gary Oldman have both cited Stewart as a major influence.
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35
Stewart played the accordion.
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36
After Boris Yeltsin seized power in Russia in 1991, Stewart helped arrange a screening of It’s a Wonderful Life on Russian television.
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37
Stewart never recovered from his wife’s death in 1994. He made no further public appearances and spent most of his time in his bedroom. He died of cardiac arrest at age 89 on July 2, 1997.
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38
African-American actor Woody Strode praised Stewart as one of the nicest men you’ll ever meet anywhere in the world.
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39
Stewart wore the same hat in all his westerns. John Ford complained on the set of Two Rode Together 1961: Great, now I have actors with hat approval!
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40
Stewart wanted the role of Roger Thornhill in North by Northwest 1959. After Vertigo underperformed, Hitchcock blamed Stewart’s age and cast Cary Grant instead, ending their collaboration.
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41
Stewart joined the Army eight months before Pearl Harbor. He served overseas for 21 months, flying 20 combat missions with the 445th Bomb Group.
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42
Stewart scaled back playing romantic leads after turning 50.
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43
Stewart was amused when critics compared his one marriage to Henry Fonda’s five, noting that people forgot his romances with actresses before marrying at 41.
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44
In Scott Eyman’s dual biography Hank & Jim, a story is told that John Ford said: You don’t get to know Jimmy Stewart. Jimmy Stewart gets to know you.
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45
MGM actively tried to stop Stewart from enlisting for war service.
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46
President Harry S. Truman was an admirer and said if he had a son, he would want him to be just like Jimmy Stewart.
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47
Stewart’s hair began receding during World War II; by the 1950s he wore a toupee for movies but often went without it in public.
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48
Stewart suffered from PTSD.
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49
From 1987 to 1993, Stewart worked with politicians and celebrities including Ronald Reagan to enhance appreciation of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.
