Jimmy Stewart: America's Everyman

Jimmy Srewart is my second favorite actor from Hollywood's Golden Age. (Cary Grant still holds the first spot)

2025 is the year of Jimmy Stewart and I thought it would be fun to do a profile on him. (Last year was the year of Cary Grant. You can read more of my top favorite films of his here.)

Born James Maitland Stewart on May 20th, 1908, in Indiana, PA. As the eldest and only son, the small-town values he was raised with carried him throughout his life. 

His career in Hollywood spanned five decades. Stewart gave us many memorable early screwball comedies and later serious post-war Westerns proving his range as an actor.

He married Gloria at age forty-one and remained married (a rarity in Hollywood to be only married once) till her death in 1994. She had two boys from a previous marriage and Jimmy adopted the boys. They went on to have twin girls. 

Jimmy Stewart made AFI's 50 Greatest screen legends list ranking top three in the male leads behind Humphrey Bogart and Cary Grant. 

If you've ever watched an interview with Stewart, I appreciate the humility and humanity that came across. Here's one of my favorite moments:

My Top Five Favorite Jimmy Stewart movies:

5.)  Harvey (1950)

Jimmy Stewart plays Elwood P. Dowd whose family is trying to get him committed to a mental institution when he claims he's friends with an imaginary 6-foot rabbit.

4.) Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

Jimmy collaborated with director Frank Capra on three films (You Can't Take It with You, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and It's a Wonderful Life.) Stewart plays Jefferson Smith, a young man appointed as a United States senator. It has the right amount of comedy, wit and drama. 

3.) Rear Window (1954)

Jimmy teamed up with director Alfred Hitchcock for four films (Rope, Rear Window, Vertigo, and The Man Who Knew Too Much). Rear Window is his best Hitchcock film. 

2.) The Philadelphia Story (1940)

Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart in the same movie? Of course it's going to make my list. Jimmy won best supporting Oscar for his role as Macaulay "Mike" Connor.  

1.) It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

For many, my family included Stewart's first post-war film It's a Wonderful Life is a Christmas staple. You can read more about my review of the film here. 

My hope after reading about Jimmy Stewart you'll be inspired to learn more about him and watch some of his films.