James Stewart was born on 20th May 1908 in Indiana. He was truly one of the most beloved actors in films. James acted in more than 80 films in his lifetime. His everyman quality made him look more appealing than his other contemporaries.
His initial acting endeavors started in Princeton University where he acted in shows as a part of Triangle Club. In 1932, he earned a degree in architecture but he never worked as an architect officially. Instead after graduation, he joined the university players in Falmouth, Massachusetts, where he met another acting legend Henry Fonda, who became his lifelong friend.
After doing many stage roles, it happened in 1935, when James Stewart got a movie contract with MGM and he headed out west.
In his early Hollywood days, James Stewart and Henry Fonda shared apartments. Stewart acted in many films, but his big career breakthrough came with the 1938 comedy “You can’t take it with you” which was directed by Frank Capra. This film won the Academy Award for Best Picture and made Stewart a star.
In 1939, he received his first Academy Award nomination for portraying a young idealistic politician in another Frank Capra’s film “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” But in the following year, he won the Academy Award for the Best Actor in a leading role for his role in “The Philadelphia Story.”
He took a break from movies to serve in the 2nd world war during 1941 to 1946. He joined the US Air Force and became a colonel by the end of the war. In 1946, he returned to acting with another Frank Capra’s film “It’s a wonderful life.” This film didn’t do too well on the box office, but developed cult status over the years.
Later, he also became one of Alfred Hitchcock’s most favorite actors, who cast him in several thrillers. They worked together for the first time in “Rope” in 1948. Later they worked together in “Rear Window” (1954), “The Man Who Knew Too Much” (1956) and “Vertigo” (1958). Vertigo is known as one of the best performances by James Stewart.
He appeared in many notable roles in the 1960s and 1970s. James Stewart died on July 2, 1997, in Beverly Hills, California.
3 total views, 3 views today
