Trivia

Upon accepting his Honorary Oscar in 1985, he stated, "This was the greatest award I received, to know that, after all these years, I haven'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, because he respected him so much.

Of all his films, he has said that It's a Wonderful Life (1946) was his favorite.

The army stated that he was too valuable to be put on active service and wanted him to do propaganda films. However, he wanted none of it and insisted on being on the front line.

Burt Reynolds was a neighbor a 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 towards him and others. "So modest, so wonderful", Reynolds said. "He was more than an actor. He was every man you wish you could be".

When he 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.

When he won the Best Actor Oscar in 1940, he sent it to his father in Indiana, PA, who set it in his hardware shop. The trophy remained there for 25 years.

While always gracious with his fans, he was always very protective of his privacy. A notable example of this occurred when a nervy family of tourists set up a picnic on his front lawn. Stewart came out of his house and, without uttering a word, turned on the sprinklers.

Despite having been a decorated war hero in World War II, he declined to talk about this, in part because of the traumatic experiences he had in killing others and watching friends die. The roles he chose after returning from the war were generally darker, some say because he was hardened by combat.

During the 1980s he was one of the most prominent critics of the colorization of old movies, even testifying before a Congressional committee about what he called the "denaturing" of It's a Wonderful Life (1946). "If these color-happy folks are so concerned about the audience," he said, "let them put their millions of dollars into new films, or let them remake old stories if they see fit, but let our great film artists and films live in peace. I urge everyone in the creative community to join in our efforts to discourage this terrible process.".

Accepted his friend Gary Cooper's honorary Oscar for Lifetime Achievement in 1961, because Cooper was dying of cancer.

He was the first movie star to enter the service in World War II, joining a year before Pearl Harbor was bombed. He was initially refused entry into the Air Force because he weighed five pounds less than the required 148 pounds, but he talked the recruitment officer into ignoring the test. He eventually became a colonel (active duty) and then brigadier general in the US Air Force Reserve, and earned the Air Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Croix de Guerre (from France) and seven battle stars. In 1959 he served in the Air Force Reserve, before retiring as a brigadier general (Walter Matthau was a sergeant in his unit).

Over 3,000 people, mostly Hollywood celebrities, attended his funeral to pay their respects.

A true "regular guy", he genuinely disliked the glamour often basked in by Hollywood stars, avoiding expensive clothes and fancy cars.

Never had any cosmetic surgery, unlike his friends Gary Cooper, Henry Fonda and John Wayne.

Never took an acting lesson, and felt that people could learn more when actually working rather than studying the craft.

Allegedly hated the nickname "Jimmy".

Received his Bachelor of Science degree in architecture from Princeton University in Princeton, NJ, in 1932.

The James Stewart Museum was dedicated in Indiana, PA, on 5/20/95.

Gary Cooper considered Stewart to be his closest friend.

One of the first (if not the first) stars to receive a percentage of the gross of his movies.

Agreed to a cameo role in The Shootist (1976) only after John Wayne specifically requested him. His short time on the film proved to be trying. The bad acoustics of the huge, hollow sound stages worsened his hearing difficulties, and he stayed by himself most of the time. He and Wayne muffed their lines so often in the main scene between them that director Don Siegel accused them of not trying hard enough. Wayne's reply was a variation on an old line by John Ford, advising the director that "if you'd like the scene done better, you'd better get a couple of better actors." Later on, the star told friends that Stewart had known his lines, but hadn't been able to hear his cues, and that in turn had caused his own fumbling.

While he served as an officer and a pilot in the US Army Air Forces in World War II, one of the sergeants in his unit was Walter Matthau.

His best friend was probably Henry Fonda, whom he met while at acting camp. Early on they got into a fistfight over politics (Stewart was a very conservative Republican, Fonda a very liberal Democrat) that was won by Fonda, but they apparently never discussed politics again. When Fonda moved to Hollywood he lived with Stewart and the two gained a reputation as Hollywood's biggest playboys. However, after each married and settled down, their children noted that their favorite activity when not working seemed to be silently painting model airplanes together.

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).

African-American actor Woody Strode, (Stewart's co-star in Two Rode Together (1961) and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)) praised Stewart as "one of the nicest men you'll ever meet anywhere in the world".

He remained faithful to his wife Gloria Stewart throughout their marriage. While this may seem ordinary, it was rare in Hollywood for male stars to stay devoted to their wives, with many of his colleagues, such as Gary Cooper, John Wayne, and his friend Henry Fonda, having had a series of infidelities.

After Boris Yeltsin seized power in Russia in December 1991, Stewart was involved in arranging for It's a Wonderful Life (1946) to be screened on Russian television.

Joined the Army eight months before Pearl Harbor. Served overseas for 21 months, where, as a pilot with the 445th Bomb Group, 703rd squadron, he flew 20 combat missions.

Having graduated in architecture he announced to his parents that he was giving up on being an architect and was going to Broadway where he had a small part in a play. His parents gave him their blessing.

Played the accordion.

Deliberately exaggerated his accent in films after he returned from World War II, because several directors told him he needed to create a persona in order to sell his films to the public, particularly with the rising popularity of television.

Along with Robert De Niro and Harrison Ford, has eight films in IMDb's Top 250 movie list.

As of the fifth edition of "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die" (edited by Steven Schneider), Stewart is runner-up as the most represented leading actor, by 13 films, behind Robert De Niro. Included are the Stewart films Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), Destry Rides Again (1939), The Mortal Storm (1940), The Philadelphia Story (1940), It's a Wonderful Life (1946), Rope (1948), Winchester '73 (1950), The Naked Spur (1953), Rear Window (1954), The Man from Laramie (1955), Vertigo (1958), Anatomy of a Murder (1959) and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962).

Awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1708 Vine St. on 2/8/60.

President Harry S. Truman was an admirer of his work, and even commented that if he had a son, he would have wanted him to be "just like Jimmy Stewart".

Medals awarded: the Distinguished Service Medal, the 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, the World War II Victory Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the French Croix de Guerre with Palm, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Never recovered from his wife's death on 2/16/94, and vowed to make no further public appearances after her funeral service. Thereafter, he spent most of his time in his bedroom, coming out only at the insistence of his housekeeper for his meals. Newspaper reports suggested that he had Alzheimer's disease. Over the Christmas holiday season in 1995, he failed to negotiate a rise leading to a dining area and he fell, cracking his head on the bill of a wooden duck that his daughter Judy had given him some years previously. In December 1996, when he was due to have his battery changed in his pacemaker, he told his children that he would rather not have that done. He wanted to let things take their natural course. However, on 1/31/97 he tripped over a potted plant in his bedroom and cut open his forehead. He was taken to St John's Hospital, in Santa Monica, CA, where he was given 12 stitches. A few weeks later he was hospitalized for a blood clot and an irregular heartbeat. He had a blood clot in his right knee, and the swelling soon spread through his entire leg. At 11:05 a.m. on 7/2/97 he died of cardiac arrest at age 89.

Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian award, by his friend President Ronald Reagan at the White House in 1985.

His two natural children, twin daughters Judy Stewart and Kelly Stewart, were born on 5/7/51. His wife, Gloria Stewart (the former Gloria Hatrick McLean), a former model from Larchmont, NY, also brought two sons to the marriage: Ronald and Michael (aged 5 and 2 at the time of the wedding in 1949), whom he adopted. Ronald later died on active service, as a Marine Corps officer on 6/8/69 in Vietnam.

Wore the same hat in all of his westerns. John Ford complained on the set of Two Rode Together (1961): "Great, now I have actors with hat approval!".

Daniel Day-Lewis and Gary Oldman, two English actors each with very different styles and personas from Stewart, have both cited him as a major influence.

The citation for one of two Distinguished Service Crosses awarded to Lt. Col. James Stewart: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant Colonel (Air Corps) James M. "Jimmy" Stewart (ASN: 0-433210), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary achievement, while serving as Air Commander of heavy bombardment formations on many missions to enemy occupied territory during World War II. Lieutenant Colonel Stewart's skillful leadership and sound judgment in guiding his formations to heavily defended targets requiring deep penetrations have been major factors in the successful destruction of these vital enemy installations. The outstanding tactical ability displayed by Lieutenant Colonel Stewart reflects the highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.

Suffered from PTSD.

Very much wanted the role of Roger Thornhill in North by Northwest (1959) and he was the original choice for it, but after the financial failure of Vertigo (1958), director Alfred Hitchcock blamed the film's box office woes on Stewart, claiming Stewart looked too old to still attract audiences and cast Cary Grant instead, even though Grant was actually four years older than Stewart. Previously one of the director's favorite collaborators, he and Stewart never worked together again.

His hair began receding during World War II. By the early 1950s he was wearing a toupee for all his movie roles, though he often went without it in public. His baldness was made less obvious by his wearing a gray toupee for many of his movie roles.

In association with politicians and celebrities that included President Ronald Reagan, Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger, California Gov. George Deukmejian, Bob Hope and Charlton Heston, Stewart worked from 1987-93 on projects that enhanced the public appreciation and understanding of the US Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Scaled back playing the romantic lead after he turned 50.

Replaced Cary Grant as Rupert Cadell in Rope (1948). Ironically, Grant replaced him as Roger Thornhill in North by Northwest (1959).

Was sometimes amused when critics would always compare him with Henry Fonda, in particular his one marriage versus Fonda's five. Stewart was dismayed that people forgot that he had been romantically linked with numerous actresses before finally marrying at age 41.

Wearing his Army Air Forces uniform, he presented Gary Cooper with his Best Actor Oscar for Sergeant York (1941).