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James Stewart
Starring in It’s a Wonderful Life, Vertigo and classic American films.
The Philadelphia Story · It’s a Wonderful Life
- Born
- 20 May 1908
- Birthplace
- Indiana, Pennsylvania, United States
- Died
- 2 July 1997
More people
James Stewart
American actor whose recognisable voice and hesitant manner could convey both ordinary decency and psychological unease.
Early life
Pennsylvania childhood
Grew up in a family that ran a hardware store.
Princeton theatre
Studied architecture at Princeton and became involved in student performance.
Career
- 1930s
Stage to screen
Moved from theatre into Hollywood films.
- 1940s
War and return
Interrupted acting for military service and returned to major roles.
- 1950s–1970s
Darker leading roles
Worked with Alfred Hitchcock and Anthony Mann while continuing comedy and drama.
Selected work
The Philadelphia Story
Won the Academy Award for Best Actor.
It’s a Wonderful Life
Played George Bailey in Frank Capra’s enduring drama.
Vertigo
Played a detective drawn into obsession and deception.
Beyond work
Military service
Served as a bomber pilot during World War II and remained in the Air Force Reserve.
Family life
Married Gloria Hatrick McLean and raised a family.
Sources & photo credit
Biography and references ↗Biography and contributions ↗Photo: Studio publicity still. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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