Jimmy Stewart
Author: Trudy Stroup
While contemplating the subject of my next article, a bounty of names, both for modern and classic actors, came to mind. However, one stuck out above the rest: Jimmy Stewart. But what is left to say about Jimmy Stewart? There have been articles and books written and museums built in his honor. Everyone has seen at least one Jimmy Stewart movie whether they realize it or not. What Hitchcock fan hasn't seen "Rear Window" or "Vertigo"? What about the classic Christmas movie "It's a Wonderful Life"? And "Winchester 73" is one of the best westerns, in my humble opinion. So I decided to focus on the man he was instead of the actor. And of course, I will mention some of his movies as well. ;)
Jimmy Stewart was born James Maitland Stewart, named after his grandfather on May 20, 1908 in the little town of Indiana, Pennsylvania. His father, Alexander Stewart, ran the family hardware store, J.M. Stewart & Co. His mother, Elizabeth Jackson Stewart, was a pianist. God and Church were paramount to the Stewart family. They raised their three children, James "Jimmy", Mary "Doodie", and Virginia "Ginny" with high moral standards, respect of others, and kindness to everyone. These lessons stayed with Jimmy his entire life. The Stewart children lead a happy life. While they were taught proper etiquette, they were also afforded the leniency to be creative. They often performed magic shows and improved plays for their parents and friends. They also pushed the boundaries by using the Oriental rug to slide down the stairway. But in public they were the model children of the pillars of the community. Popular in school, Jimmy had an outgoing personality and was well liked by his classmates and teachers alike. He was extremely active while attending the all boys school Mercersburg Academy playing football, running track, singing in the choir and glee club, playing his accordion in the band, and being editor of the yearbook, and a member of The John Marshall Literary Club as well as The Stony Batter Drama Club.
As a child, Jimmy was fascinated with two things: performing his impromptu skits and airplanes. While his dad was away in World War I, Jimmy wrote plays to perform for the kids in the neighborhood. One play he wrote was titled "To Hell with the Kaiser". After high school his dream was to attend the Naval Academy and become a pilot, but his dad wanted him to attend Princeton University, so in 1928 he enrolled as a student at Princeton. It was his life at Princeton that set him on the path to Hollywood. He studied architecture and continued his extracurricular activities adding acting to his line-up. He took a job at the local theatre and tea shop; playing his accordion in the tea shop and doing walk on roles in the theatre. Although he graduated in 1932 with a degree in architecture, Jimmy had been bitten hard by that tiny little acting bug.
He then joined the University Players in Falmouth, Massachusetts, where he met fellow thespian Henry Fonda and they became fast friends. They did several plays together that garnered attention for both of them. It didn't take long for Metro Goldwyn Meyer to come knocking on their door and the duo headed west. Once there, they shared an apartment. Jimmy took a job building scenery for the theatre and playing his accordion in the orchestra pit. Jimmy quickly found his way on stage and by 1935, he signed a contract with MGM making $350 a week, working six days a week, 52 weeks a year, and he still found time to date starlets Ginger Rogers, Rita Hayworth and Marlene Dietrich. Hollywood folklore says that Marlene Dietrich came on so strong she scared away the All American hometown boy. Securing the contract gave him the ability to pursue his childhood love of flying and he enrolled in flying lessons. Having already had his first flying lesson from barnstormers back home, he was more than ready to take to the air once again. In 1936, he starred in his first movie "Born to Dance" with Eleanor Powell, and in 1938, he won his first Academy Award for Best Picture in "You Can't Take It With You". His career took off like wild fire! 1939's "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" brought his first Oscar nomination and the movie offers continued to pour in.
In spite of his success in movies, he maintained the standards espoused by his parents and grandparents. So when World War II broke out, Jimmy did his duty and enthusiastically answered the draft in February 1941. He was turned down because of his weight. At 6' 3" he only weighed 138 pounds. Military requirements stated that you had to weigh at least 143 pounds to serve. But he didn't let this stop him. He had just a few months to fatten up and join the Air Corp before he was too old to get into flight school. He ate everything fattening he could find and went back to join the United States Army Air Corp with just a few ounces to spare. Because of his college degree and the 400 plus hours of civilian flight time, he was allowed to take basic flight training at Moffett Air Base where he earned his pilots wings. He served his country with the same devotion he applied in school and work, though he had to beg for active duty while others begged to stay out of the line of fire. His service was stellar. So from 1941 to 1946, the Air Corp was his life. In 1943, he was sent to England as the Commanding Officer of the 703d Bombing Squadron. He moved swiftly up through the ranks and garnered respect and admiration along the way, as well as the rank of Colonel. After his WWII service, he remained a part of the reserve and was promoted to Brigadier General on July 23, 1959 and he retired on May 31, 1968. He had been awarded 12 civilian and military medals including the distinguished Flying Cross.
A confirmed bachelor, Jimmy had been quoted saying, "I could never marry just one and be disloyal to all the others." All of that ended when, in 1948, Jimmy was invited to a party being thrown by fellow actor Gary Cooper. There he met Gloria Hatrick McLean, a model and part time actress. Married at the time to Edward Beale McLean Jr, her divorce was already under way. Later, when asked how she landed the confirmed bachelor, she said, "It wasn't difficult. He told funny stories and I laughed. That's how it all started." Jimmy proposed on his 41st birthday, 1949. Gloria was a mother of two boys when she met Jimmy and Jimmy adopted those boys and they became his own. In the fall of 1950 they found out they were going to be parents to twins. Ronald and Michael became big brothers to Judy and Kelly on May 7th, 1951.
I would like to take a look at what was happening to Jimmy after the war. We all know that war changes a person. For some, it is a drastic change that alters not only your perspective of the world as a whole, but also your perspective of your own life and the role you play in the lives of others. For some, that also means looking at your career and weighing its importance, or looking at what you can do to make changes on a local level. For Jimmy it was doubt. Doubt in his ability to act and doubt about where he fit in the scheme of Hollywood. Movie parts for an All American Boy were still in demand, but Jimmy had changed. He no longer fit the bill. He was older and even though he still had the youthful attitude, he no longer looked the part. Jimmy took a few acting parts on radio drama and radio reenactments of Hollywood hits. Fellow war veteran, Frank Capra, offered a solution: the role of father George Baily in "It's a Wonderful Life". In my opinion, this role was the closest to his actual personality. He played the outgoing, over achiever with big dreams and a close knit family. Where the film takes a departure from real life is the tragedy of the death of the patriarch, which reroutes George’s life to take over as the caretaker and bread winner for the family, thus derailing his dreams. This role allowed Jimmy to reach deep within himself and show what he could do with a role outside his comfort zone. It also reestablished his faith in himself as an actor. Unfortunately, the movie was a box office flop. But Jimmy held on to that new found confidence and took on more roles that made him stretch his acting limits.
And it seems to me, that his marriage to Gloria gave him confidence in the man he was away from the spot light. Their son Michael said once that even though they grew up in Hollywood they were raised with the same standards that Jimmy's parents raised him with. No two people were more equally yoked as Jimmy and Gloria; she held the same morals and beliefs that he did. The family attended the Presbyterian Church and taught their children that if life knocks you down, then you get back up and find another way. You don't look for others to give you a hand out and you always repay a kindness. You also look out for others and do what you can to help out. It is this last life lesson that Jimmy and Gloria espoused in the '50's and made a life's journey. They became very active in community and charity doing whatever they could to help others.
Also in the '50's, Jimmy was asked to return to the radio with his own program, "The Six Shooter". This was to be an "adult western". At the time, the westerns on radio were geared toward children in the form of "Hopalong Cassidy" and "The Cisco Kid". By far, "The Six Shooter" is my favorite radio program! And not just in the genre of westerns, but in the realm of radio! It was a great hit at the time and Jimmy was set to sign a continuing contract when he found out that the sponsor, Coleman Home Heaters, was not going to continue backing the show and another sponsor wanted to step up. However, Jimmy was not about to be sponsored by a cigarette company. He didn't smoke and thought that being sponsored by a cigarette company would tarnish his image. Rumor has it that that cigarette company was Chesterfield Cigarettes. This decision didn't detour his career at all. He stayed active in radio, television, and movies well into the '70's and filming his last movie in 1991, providing the voice of Wylie in "An AmericanTail: Fievel Goes West". Jimmy saw the culmination of his career in the 1980's as actors, directors, and writers alike began to honor his achievements and lifelong accomplishments.
Through all of the highs, there were a few lows as well. The Stewart's lost son Ronald to an ambush in the Vietnam War. Marine 1st Lt. Ron McLean didn't have to go on the mission, but like his father, he had a strong sense of duty. Even though he had a bad feeling about the mission, he went anyway. It would be years before the details were released, but 1st Lt. McLean was a hero. The loss was quite devastating for both Jimmy and Gloria, but life went on. They continued their charity work and appearances. Sadly, Jimmy lost Gloria in 1994 and followed her himself in 1997.
Throughout their lives, Jimmy and Gloria stayed true to themselves and never wavered. They touched lives and entertained people for many decades and left a lasting imprint on Hollywood. There will never be another Jimmy or Gloria Stewart.
Jimmy.org
biography.com
historynet.com
imdb.com
military.com
© 2015-2016 Trudy Stroup. All rights reserved.
Author: Trudy Stroup
While contemplating the subject of my next article, a bounty of names, both for modern and classic actors, came to mind. However, one stuck out above the rest: Jimmy Stewart. But what is left to say about Jimmy Stewart? There have been articles and books written and museums built in his honor. Everyone has seen at least one Jimmy Stewart movie whether they realize it or not. What Hitchcock fan hasn't seen "Rear Window" or "Vertigo"? What about the classic Christmas movie "It's a Wonderful Life"? And "Winchester 73" is one of the best westerns, in my humble opinion. So I decided to focus on the man he was instead of the actor. And of course, I will mention some of his movies as well. ;)
Jimmy Stewart was born James Maitland Stewart, named after his grandfather on May 20, 1908 in the little town of Indiana, Pennsylvania. His father, Alexander Stewart, ran the family hardware store, J.M. Stewart & Co. His mother, Elizabeth Jackson Stewart, was a pianist. God and Church were paramount to the Stewart family. They raised their three children, James "Jimmy", Mary "Doodie", and Virginia "Ginny" with high moral standards, respect of others, and kindness to everyone. These lessons stayed with Jimmy his entire life. The Stewart children lead a happy life. While they were taught proper etiquette, they were also afforded the leniency to be creative. They often performed magic shows and improved plays for their parents and friends. They also pushed the boundaries by using the Oriental rug to slide down the stairway. But in public they were the model children of the pillars of the community. Popular in school, Jimmy had an outgoing personality and was well liked by his classmates and teachers alike. He was extremely active while attending the all boys school Mercersburg Academy playing football, running track, singing in the choir and glee club, playing his accordion in the band, and being editor of the yearbook, and a member of The John Marshall Literary Club as well as The Stony Batter Drama Club.
As a child, Jimmy was fascinated with two things: performing his impromptu skits and airplanes. While his dad was away in World War I, Jimmy wrote plays to perform for the kids in the neighborhood. One play he wrote was titled "To Hell with the Kaiser". After high school his dream was to attend the Naval Academy and become a pilot, but his dad wanted him to attend Princeton University, so in 1928 he enrolled as a student at Princeton. It was his life at Princeton that set him on the path to Hollywood. He studied architecture and continued his extracurricular activities adding acting to his line-up. He took a job at the local theatre and tea shop; playing his accordion in the tea shop and doing walk on roles in the theatre. Although he graduated in 1932 with a degree in architecture, Jimmy had been bitten hard by that tiny little acting bug.
He then joined the University Players in Falmouth, Massachusetts, where he met fellow thespian Henry Fonda and they became fast friends. They did several plays together that garnered attention for both of them. It didn't take long for Metro Goldwyn Meyer to come knocking on their door and the duo headed west. Once there, they shared an apartment. Jimmy took a job building scenery for the theatre and playing his accordion in the orchestra pit. Jimmy quickly found his way on stage and by 1935, he signed a contract with MGM making $350 a week, working six days a week, 52 weeks a year, and he still found time to date starlets Ginger Rogers, Rita Hayworth and Marlene Dietrich. Hollywood folklore says that Marlene Dietrich came on so strong she scared away the All American hometown boy. Securing the contract gave him the ability to pursue his childhood love of flying and he enrolled in flying lessons. Having already had his first flying lesson from barnstormers back home, he was more than ready to take to the air once again. In 1936, he starred in his first movie "Born to Dance" with Eleanor Powell, and in 1938, he won his first Academy Award for Best Picture in "You Can't Take It With You". His career took off like wild fire! 1939's "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" brought his first Oscar nomination and the movie offers continued to pour in.
In spite of his success in movies, he maintained the standards espoused by his parents and grandparents. So when World War II broke out, Jimmy did his duty and enthusiastically answered the draft in February 1941. He was turned down because of his weight. At 6' 3" he only weighed 138 pounds. Military requirements stated that you had to weigh at least 143 pounds to serve. But he didn't let this stop him. He had just a few months to fatten up and join the Air Corp before he was too old to get into flight school. He ate everything fattening he could find and went back to join the United States Army Air Corp with just a few ounces to spare. Because of his college degree and the 400 plus hours of civilian flight time, he was allowed to take basic flight training at Moffett Air Base where he earned his pilots wings. He served his country with the same devotion he applied in school and work, though he had to beg for active duty while others begged to stay out of the line of fire. His service was stellar. So from 1941 to 1946, the Air Corp was his life. In 1943, he was sent to England as the Commanding Officer of the 703d Bombing Squadron. He moved swiftly up through the ranks and garnered respect and admiration along the way, as well as the rank of Colonel. After his WWII service, he remained a part of the reserve and was promoted to Brigadier General on July 23, 1959 and he retired on May 31, 1968. He had been awarded 12 civilian and military medals including the distinguished Flying Cross.
A confirmed bachelor, Jimmy had been quoted saying, "I could never marry just one and be disloyal to all the others." All of that ended when, in 1948, Jimmy was invited to a party being thrown by fellow actor Gary Cooper. There he met Gloria Hatrick McLean, a model and part time actress. Married at the time to Edward Beale McLean Jr, her divorce was already under way. Later, when asked how she landed the confirmed bachelor, she said, "It wasn't difficult. He told funny stories and I laughed. That's how it all started." Jimmy proposed on his 41st birthday, 1949. Gloria was a mother of two boys when she met Jimmy and Jimmy adopted those boys and they became his own. In the fall of 1950 they found out they were going to be parents to twins. Ronald and Michael became big brothers to Judy and Kelly on May 7th, 1951.
I would like to take a look at what was happening to Jimmy after the war. We all know that war changes a person. For some, it is a drastic change that alters not only your perspective of the world as a whole, but also your perspective of your own life and the role you play in the lives of others. For some, that also means looking at your career and weighing its importance, or looking at what you can do to make changes on a local level. For Jimmy it was doubt. Doubt in his ability to act and doubt about where he fit in the scheme of Hollywood. Movie parts for an All American Boy were still in demand, but Jimmy had changed. He no longer fit the bill. He was older and even though he still had the youthful attitude, he no longer looked the part. Jimmy took a few acting parts on radio drama and radio reenactments of Hollywood hits. Fellow war veteran, Frank Capra, offered a solution: the role of father George Baily in "It's a Wonderful Life". In my opinion, this role was the closest to his actual personality. He played the outgoing, over achiever with big dreams and a close knit family. Where the film takes a departure from real life is the tragedy of the death of the patriarch, which reroutes George’s life to take over as the caretaker and bread winner for the family, thus derailing his dreams. This role allowed Jimmy to reach deep within himself and show what he could do with a role outside his comfort zone. It also reestablished his faith in himself as an actor. Unfortunately, the movie was a box office flop. But Jimmy held on to that new found confidence and took on more roles that made him stretch his acting limits.
And it seems to me, that his marriage to Gloria gave him confidence in the man he was away from the spot light. Their son Michael said once that even though they grew up in Hollywood they were raised with the same standards that Jimmy's parents raised him with. No two people were more equally yoked as Jimmy and Gloria; she held the same morals and beliefs that he did. The family attended the Presbyterian Church and taught their children that if life knocks you down, then you get back up and find another way. You don't look for others to give you a hand out and you always repay a kindness. You also look out for others and do what you can to help out. It is this last life lesson that Jimmy and Gloria espoused in the '50's and made a life's journey. They became very active in community and charity doing whatever they could to help others.
Also in the '50's, Jimmy was asked to return to the radio with his own program, "The Six Shooter". This was to be an "adult western". At the time, the westerns on radio were geared toward children in the form of "Hopalong Cassidy" and "The Cisco Kid". By far, "The Six Shooter" is my favorite radio program! And not just in the genre of westerns, but in the realm of radio! It was a great hit at the time and Jimmy was set to sign a continuing contract when he found out that the sponsor, Coleman Home Heaters, was not going to continue backing the show and another sponsor wanted to step up. However, Jimmy was not about to be sponsored by a cigarette company. He didn't smoke and thought that being sponsored by a cigarette company would tarnish his image. Rumor has it that that cigarette company was Chesterfield Cigarettes. This decision didn't detour his career at all. He stayed active in radio, television, and movies well into the '70's and filming his last movie in 1991, providing the voice of Wylie in "An AmericanTail: Fievel Goes West". Jimmy saw the culmination of his career in the 1980's as actors, directors, and writers alike began to honor his achievements and lifelong accomplishments.
Through all of the highs, there were a few lows as well. The Stewart's lost son Ronald to an ambush in the Vietnam War. Marine 1st Lt. Ron McLean didn't have to go on the mission, but like his father, he had a strong sense of duty. Even though he had a bad feeling about the mission, he went anyway. It would be years before the details were released, but 1st Lt. McLean was a hero. The loss was quite devastating for both Jimmy and Gloria, but life went on. They continued their charity work and appearances. Sadly, Jimmy lost Gloria in 1994 and followed her himself in 1997.
Throughout their lives, Jimmy and Gloria stayed true to themselves and never wavered. They touched lives and entertained people for many decades and left a lasting imprint on Hollywood. There will never be another Jimmy or Gloria Stewart.
Jimmy.org
biography.com
historynet.com
imdb.com
military.com
© 2015-2016 Trudy Stroup. All rights reserved.