Jimmy Stewart
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74. THE CHEYENNE SOCIAL CLUB (1970). National General. Directed by Gene Kelly. Produced by Gene Kelly. Screenplay by James Lee Barrett (who also executive produced). Principal cast: James Stewart, Henry Fonda, Shirley Jones, Sue Ann Langdon, Elaine Devry, Robert Middleton, Arch Johnson, Dabbs Greer, Jackie Russell, Jackie Joseph, Sharon DeBord, Richard Collier, Charles Tyner, Jean Willes, Robert Wilke, Carl Reindel, J. Pat O’Malley, Jason Wingreen, John Dehner.
75. FOOLS’ PARADE (1971). Released in Great Britain as Dynamite Man from Glory Jail. Columbia. Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen. Produced by Andrew V. McLaglen. Screenplay by James Lee Barrett (from the novel by Davis Grubb). Principal cast: James Stewart, George Kennedy, Anne Baxter, Strother Martin, Kurt Russell, William Windom, Mike Kellin, Katherine Cannon, Morgan Paull, Robert Donner, David Huddleston, Dort Clark, James Lee Barrett, Kitty Jefferson Doepken, Dwight McConnell.
76. THE SHOOTIST (1976). Paramount. Director: Don Siegel. Produced by M. J. Frankovich, William Self (Dino De Laurentiis Productions). Screenplay by Miles Hood Swarthout, Scott Hale (from the novel by Glendon Swarthout). Principal cast: John Wayne, Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard, James Stewart, Richard Boone, Hugh O’Brian, Bill McKinney, Harry Morgan, John Carradine, Sheree North, Richard Lenz, Scatman Crothers, Gregg Palmer, Alfred Dennis, Dick Winslow, Melody Thomas, Kathleen O’Malley.
77. AIRPORT ’77 (1977). Universal. Directed by Jerry Jameson. Produced by William Frye (Jennings Lang Productions). Screenplay by Michael Scheff, David Spector (from a screen story by H. A. L. Craig and Charles Kuenstle, inspired by the film Airport [1970] based on the novel by Arthur Hailey). Principal cast: Jack Lemmon, Lee Grant, Brenda Vaccaro, Joseph Cotten, Olivia de Havilland, Darren McGavin, Christopher Lee, George Kennedy, James Stewart, Robert Foxworth, Robert Hooks, Monte Markham, Kathleen Quinlan, Gil Gerard, James Booth, Monica Lewis, Maidie Norman, Pamela Bellwood.
78. THE BIG SLEEP (1978). ITC. Directed by Michael Winner. Produced by Elliott Kastner. Screenplay by Michael Winner (from the novel by Raymond Chandler). Principal cast: Robert Mitchum, Sarah Miles, Richard Boone, Candy Clark, Joan Collins, Edward Fox, John Mills, James Stewart, Oliver Reed, Harry Andrews, Colin Blakely, Richard Todd, Diana Quick, James Donald, John Justin, Simon Turner, Martin Potter, David Savile.
79. THE MAGIC OF LASSIE (1978). International Picture Show. Directed by Don Chaffey. Produced by Bonita Granville Wrather, William Beaudine Jr. (Lassie Productions). Screenplay by Jean Holloway, Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman (from a story by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman). Principal cast: James Stewart, Mickey Rooney, Pernell Roberts, Stephanie Zimbalist, Michael Sharrett, Alice Faye, Gene Evans, Mike Mazurki, Robert Lussier, Lane Davies, William Flatley, James V. Reynolds.
80. AN AMERICAN TAIL: FIEVEL GOES WEST (1991). Universal. Directed by Phil Nibbelink and Simon Wells. Produced by Steven Spielberg and Robert Watts. Screenplay by Flint Dille (from a story by Charles Swenson). Principal cast (cartoon voices; audio only): Dom DeLuise, James Stewart, John Cleese, Amy Irving, Phillip Glasser, Cathy Cavadini, Nehemiah Persoff.
ADDITIONAL FILM APPEARANCES
1. FELLOW AMERICANS (1942). Direced by Garson Kanin for the Office of Emergency Management. Documentary dramatizing the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, 10 minutes.
2. WINNING YOUR WINGS (1942). Produced by the Office of War Information. Short film about the Army Air Corps.
3. AMERICAN CREED (1946). Released in Great Britain as American Brotherhood Week. Directed by Robert Stevenson. Produced by David O. Selznick.
4. THUNDERBOLT (1947). Directed by John Sturges and William Wyler. Introduction by James Stewart. Short documentary about fighter plane support of ground troops.
5. 10,000 KIDS AND A COP (1948). Directed by Charles Barton. Documentary. Introductory narration.
6. HOW MUCH DO YOU OWE? (1949). Columbia. Short documentary for the Disabled American Veterans.
7. AND THEN THERE WERE FOUR (1958). Socony-Vacuum Oil Company. Directed by Frank Strayer. Short documentary about road safety.
8. AMBASSADORS WITH WINGS (1958). Ex-Cello Corp. Short documentary.
9. X-15. (1961). United Artists. Directed by Richard Donner. Narrated by James Stewart. Full-length documentary.
10. DIRECTED BY JOHN FORD (1971). The American Film Institute. Directed by Peter Bogdanovich. Interview with James Stewart included.
11. PAT NIXON: A TRIBUTE TO THE FIRST LADY (1972). David Wolper short film for the Republican Party, narrated by James Stewart.
12. THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT! (1974). MGM. Directed by Jack Haley Jr. Produced by Jack Haley Jr. Screenplay by Jack Haley Jr. Documentary musical compilation that includes a clip of James Stewart from Born to Dance.
13. SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY (1976). Directed by Ferde Grofé. Produced by Ferde Grofé. Commemoration of the fortieth anniversary of the DC-3.
14. MR. KRUEGER’S CHRISTMAS (1980). Sponsored by the Mormons. Directed by Kieth Merrill. Short documentary featuring James Stewart and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
TELEVISION APPEARANCES
This list does not include the numerous apperances on The Jack Benny Show, The Dean Martin Show, My Three Sons, and the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, all of which he played himself. The following are dramatic roles in which Stewart played a character, either once or in a series, or was interviewed for documentary purposes, only for television.
1. “THE WINDMILL,” GENERAL ELECTRIC THEATER (1955). 22-minute episode. First airdate: April 24, 1955.
2. “THE TOWN WITH A PAST,” GENERAL ELECTRIC THEATER (1957). 22-minute episode. First airdate: February 10, 1957.
3. “THE TRAIL TO CHRISTMAS,” GENERAL ELECTRIC THEATER (1957). 22-minute episode. First airdate: December 15, 1957.
4. “CINDY’S FELLA,” LINCOLN-MERCURY STARTIME (1959). Director: Gower Champion. Screenplay by Jameson Brewer (from a radio script by Frank Burt). First airdate: December 15, 1959.
5. “FLASHING SPIKES,” ALCOA PREMIERE (1962). Directed by John Ford. Produced by Frank Baur and Avista. First airdate: October 4, 1962.
6. THE JIMMY STEWART SHOW (1971). Directed by Hal Kanter. Produced by Hal Kanter (for Warner Bros. Television). Screenplay by Hal Kanter. 22-minute episode. First airdate: September 19, 1971.
7. “HARVEY” (1972). THE HALLMARK HALL OF FAME. Directed by Fielder Cook. Produced by David Susskind. Adapted for TV by Jacqueline Babbin, Audrey Gellen Maas (from the play by Mary Chase). 66 minutes. First airdate: March 22, 1972.
8. HAWKINS ON MURDER (1973). Subsequently retitled Death and the Maiden. Directed by Jud Taylor. Produced by David Karp (Arena/Leda). 66 minutes. First airdate: March 13, 1973.
9. HAWKINS—“MURDER IN MOVIELAND” (1973). Also known as “Murder in Hollywood.” Director: Jud Taylor. Screenplay by David Karp. 66 minutes. First airdate: October 2, 1973.
10. HAWKINS—“DIE, DIE, DARLING” (1973). Directed by Paul Wendkos. Screenplay by Gene L. Coon. 66 minutes. First airdate: October 23, 1973.
11. HAWKINS—“A LIFE FOR A LIFE” (1973). Directed by Jud Taylor. Screenplay by David Karp. 66 minutes. First airdate: November 13, 1973.
12. HAWKINS—“BLOOD FEUD” (1973). Directed by Paul Wendkos. Screenplay by David Karp. 66 minutes. First airdate: December 4, 1973.
13. HAWKINS—“MURDER IN THE SLAVE TRADE” (1974). Directed by Paul Wendkos. Screenplay by Robert Hamner. 66 minutes. First airdate: January 22, 1974.
14. HAWKINS—“MURDER ON THE THIRTEENTH FLOOR” (1974). Directed by Jud Taylor. Screenplay by David Karp. 66 minutes. First airdate: February 5, 1974.
15. HAWKINS—“CANDIDATE FOR MURDER” (1974). Directed by Robert Scheerer. Screenplay by Robert Hamner. 66 minutes. First airdate: March 5, 1974.
16. THE AMERICAN WEST OF JOHN FORD (1971). Directed by Denis Sanders. Interview with James Stewart. Shown on CBS television.
17. THE GREEN HORIZON (1981). Japanese title: Afurika Monogatari. Directed by Susumu Hani. Produced by Terry Ogisu, Yoichi Matsue. Executive in charge of English production: Ken Kawarai. R
eleased overseas in theaters, seen in the United States on Showtime (premium cable), first in November 1981. Released on videocassette in Great Britain by Skyline Video, through CBS/Fox Video.
18. RIGHT OF WAY (1983). Home Box Office. Directed by George Schaefer. Screenplay by Richard Lees (adapted from his original play). 106 minutes. First showing: August 23, 1983, at the Montreal Film Festival. First HBO cablecast: November 1983. Principal cast: James Stewart, Bette Davis, Melinda Dillon, Priscilla Morrill, John Harkins, Louis Schaefer, Jacque Lynn Colton, Charles Walker.
19. NORTH AND SOUTH, BOOK II (1986). ABC/Warner. Miniseries. Broadcast fall 1986. Stewart cameo as southern lawyer.
Final Thoughts and Acknowledgments
There are several people I would like to acknowledge for their cooperation, assistance, and invaluable insights.
I wish to thank Kelly Stewart Harcourt, one of Jimmy’s twin daughters, whom I initially connected with via literary agent Alan Nevins. For the record, Ms. Harcourt says she has never really liked anything written about her father, but nevertheless agreed to talk to me with the understanding that it did not mean she was authorizing this biography. She sat for several lengthy interviews (by phone and mail) and provided numerous valuable insights as well as dozens of previously unseen photos that otherwise would have been impossible for me to acquire. She proved intelligent, articulate, charming, and fascinating, and an invaluable source for this biography.
I wish to thank Frank Capra Jr., whom I was able to contact via my friend and colleague Zack Norman. Mr. Capra proved a valuable source of information, was direct and open, extremely helpful, and informative. Several years ago, Mr. Norman also introduced me to Peter Bogdanovich, who was also informative, and has also since become a friend. Thank you for everything, Zack.
I wish to thank Kim Novak for agreeing to give me an extremely rare interview. To make this one happen, my agent for many years, Mel Berger of the William Morris Agency, went to Norm Brokaw, the chairman of the board who also happens to be Ms. Novak’s longtime agent. After several months, she agreed to talk. Ms. Novak and I spoke at length many times, both by phone and in person. Her insights provided valuable source material, especially regarding the making of Vertigo and Bell Book and Candle.
I wish to thank William Frye, who I first met and interviewed for my biography of Cary Grant. Then as now, he provided great anecdotal material on both Grant and Jimmy Stewart. He is a wonderful fellow, an extremely knowledgable film veteran, extraordinarily generous, and now a very good friend.
I wish to thank the late June Allyson, who I interviewed via fax (in the form of questions and answers). Although in frail health, she was friendly, cooperative, and informative.
I wish to thank John Karlen.
I wish to thank Andrew Sarris for his many years of inspiration, his insights, and for his introduction of the auteurist theory into the consciousness of modern American film theory and criticism. I had the privilege of studying with Mr. Sarris while I earned my MFA at Columbia University, and for several years after while I studied film history there at the doctoral level. I left Columbia without writing my PhD dissertation when my good friend Phil Ochs committed suicide in 1976. I chose instead to write my version of his life, Death of a Rebel, and, except for an occasional teaching or lecturing assignment, never again returned to the academic world.
During my years of formal study and thereafter in my writing career, I have not been able to find much relevant historical writing on James Stewart or his place in the history of American film. Most of what passed for American film criticism in the thirties, forties, and fifties—the three most important decades in Mr. Stewart’s career—were either studio generated PR releases, gossip column writing, or the kind of conventional day-after reviews that newspaper film critics such as Dwight MacDonald specialized in. This is not to slight James Agee or Otis Ferguson, or even André Bazin, but, in truth, none of them wrote very much, if at all, about James Stewart, at least not directly. Some of this may be due to the fact that for nearly six years in the forties, when Stewart was in the military, he made no commercial films, and therefore slipped through the critical cracks (Bazin’s writings flourished a few years prior to Stewart’s major film work). Another significant factor is the large number of movies that Stewart made that, prior to the extraordinary, groundbreaking publication in 1968 of Andrew Sarris’s The American Cinema, were considered “genre” films, too easily categorized and dismissed by reviewers as American studio product, their directors functionaries rather than visionaries, products low on art and high on action (comedy or the two-fisted kind). More “adult” films, with themes of romance, mystery, and historical world drama were, for the most part, thought of by “serious” American critics as made better by the Europeans. The snobbery that passed for insight in mainstream American movie criticism and by extension against “all those stars in heaven” was the product of an elitist generation of film writers who looked down on their assignments, and therefore their subjects, as some sort of relegation of their own careers. Film reviewing came in a distant last in the hierarchy of art worth writing about (after theater number one, of course, books, art exhibits, baseball, the Detroit Auto Show, etc.). It wasn’t until Sarris restructured the importance of American studio movies that the careers of such great filmmakers as John Ford, Alfred Hitchcock, Howard Hawks, Charlie Chaplin, Orson Welles, Josef Von Sternberg, Frank Capra, and so many others were reevaluated and resurrected. The accompanying stars who illuminated these directors’ visions were also thusly reexamined—on the pages of others’ critical writings and in the imaginations of audiences all over the world. Among the most resilient of these actors is, in my opinion, James Stewart. Because of the auteurist revisionism of American film rankings (auteurism being a critical tool, not a career goal—no filmmaker becomes an “auteur”), Hitchcock is restored to his proper role as the superior filmmaker, more “important” than, say, Cecil B. DeMille, and therefore, it follows, James Stewart is more cinematically significant than Charlton Heston.
I wish to thank everyone at Harmony Books, beginning with Shaye Areheart, who first brought me to the house; my editor, Julia Pastore, Trisha Howell, Linnea Knollmueller, Barbara Sturman, Andrea Peabbles, Robin Slutzky, and Mel Berger at William Morris. Mr Berger’s assistant, Eric Lupfer, was extremely helpful in tracking down contacts for many of the others included in this book.
I leave you now, but will meet with you again a little further on up the road.
About the Author
MARC ELIOT is the New York Times bestselling author of more than a dozen books on popular culture, among them the highly acclaimed biography Cary Grant, the award-winning Walt Disney: Hollywood’s Dark Prince, Down 42nd Street, Take It from Me (with Erin Brockovich), Down Thunder Road: The Making of Bruce Springsteen, To the Limit: The Untold Story of the Eagles, and Death of a Rebel. He has written on the media and popular culture for numerous publications, including Penthouse, L.A. Weekly, and California Magazine. He divides his time among New York City; Woodstock, New York; and Los Angeles, California. Visit him at www.marceliot.net.
ALSO BY MARC ELIOT
CARY GRANT
A Biography
DEATH OF A REBEL
Starring Phil Ochs and a Small Circle of Friends
ROCKONOMICS
The Money Behind the Music
DOWN THUNDER ROAD
The Making of Bruce Springsteen
WALT DISNEY
Hollywood’s Dark Prince
THE WHOLE TRUTH
TO THE LIMIT
The Untold Story of the Eagles
DOWN 42ND STREET
Sex, Money, Culture, and Politics at the Crossroads of the World
Copyright © 2006 by Rebel Road, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Harmony Books, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
Harmony Books is a regi
stered trademark and the Harmony Books colophon is a trademark of Random House, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Eliot, Marc.
Jimmy Stewart : a biography / Marc Eliot.—1st ed.
Includes bibliographical references.
1. Stewart, James, 1908–1997. 2. Motion picture actors and actresses—United States—Biography. I. Title.
PN2287.S68E45 2006
791.4302’8092—dc22 2006000475
Title page image courtesy of Lester Glassner Collection/Neal Peters.
eISBN: 978-0-307-35268-2
v3.0