name: James (Jimmy) Maitland Stewart
occupation: Actor, writer
born: (May 20, 1908) (Indiana, PA)
died: (July 2, 1997) (Beverly Hills, CA, of a pulmonary embolus)
father - of Scottish heritage, owned a hardware store
other talents: amateur magician, artist, poet, pilot, accordionist, author - "Jimmy Stewart and His Poems", also available on audiotape (read by Jimmy Stewart)
married: Gloria (1949)(died in 1994 after 45 years of marriage) Her hobbies included wild game hunting. While Stewart accompanied her on many Safaris, he hunted mostly with his camera while she shot the game.)
children: Michael & Ronald (Gloria's sons from a previous marriage), Judy and Kelly (twin daughters)
politics: conservative
education: graduated in 1932 from Princeton with a degree in architecture (he was a member of the theater troupe "The Princeton Triangle Club")
military service Joined the Air Force at the age of 33, became a bomber pilot and squadron leader flying over 20 missions over Germany. He rose from private to full colonel. When he finally retired from the Air Force Reserves in 1968 he was a brigadier general, the highest ranking entertainer in the US military.
his favorite film: "It's a Wonderful Life"
awards:
* New York Film Critics Award, Best Actor (1939) for "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington"
* Oscar Nomination Best Actor (1940) "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington"
* Oscar Best Actor (1941) "The Philadelphia Story"
* Oscar Nomination Best Actor (1947) "It's a Wonderful Life"
* Oscar Nomination Best Actor (1951) "Harvey"
* New York Film Critics, Best Actor (1959) "Anatomy of a Murder"
* Oscar Nomination Best Actor (1960) "Anatomy of a Murder"
* Golden Globe, Best TV Actor - Drama (1974) "Hawkins" (tv series)
* American film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award (1980)
* Oscar Special Award (1980) for 50 years of meaningful performances, for his high ideals, both on and off the screen, with the respect and affection of his colleagues."
* Kennedy Center Honors (1983)
* Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honor (1985)
TRIVIA
* Was a member of the "University Players" at Falmouth, Mass. where he really got bitten by the acting bug. Other members included longtime friend Henry Fonda and Margaret Sullavan (Fonda's ex-wife who got Stewart many jobs on the films she stared in)
* Was roommates with Fonda when they worked on Broadway in 1932 and films in 1935.
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