Jimmy Stewart

May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997

Hollywood dishes out too much praise for small things. I won’t let it get me, but too much praise can turn a fellow’s head if he doesn’t watch his step.

 

Jimmy Stewart
Jimmy Stewart

 

 

 

Jimmy and Gloria Stewart lived at 918 Roxbury Drive, in Beverly Hills.

 

 

The good part of BH. Here’s a more recent picture of the house (Thank you Cayley).

 

 

The Stewart’s neighbors included Lucy, Jack Benny, Rosemary Clooney, and Agnes Moorehead. I’ve heard stories of Jimmy bringing grocery bags of homegrown vegetables over to his neighbors.  What a great guy.

Jimmy and Gloria were married in 1949, and stayed together for 44 years.  In 1994, Gloria Steward succumbed to cancer.

Jimmy never got over Gloria’s death. He spent the next couple of years puttering around the garden that he and his wife were so proud of. Early in their marriage, the Stewarts bought the home next to theirs, and tore it down to build this sanctuary. After Gloria died, Jimmy would sit there for hours, talking to his wife. He missed her terribly, and it began taking a toll on his own health.

In December of 1996, he was due to have the battery changed in his pacemaker. According to one published report he told his children that he’d rather not have that done. He wanted to let things take their natural course.

On January 31st, 1997, Jimmy tripped over a potted plant in his bedroom, and cut open his forehead. He was taken to St. John’s Hospital, in Santa Monica, where he was given 12 stitches.

 

 

A few weeks later, he was hospitalized for a blood clot and irregular heartbeat. He had a blood clot in his right knee, and the swelling soon spread through his entire leg. Clearly, this man was not going to be around much longer.

Jimmy spent his last months in bed, watching television. He rarely took phone calls or visitors. He was ready to die and everyone knew it.

With his housekeeper, medical staff, and his children at his side, Jimmy died on Wednesday, July 2nd, 1997 at 11:05am. Official cause of death was cardiac arrest. He was 89 years old. His last words were, “I’m going to be with Gloria now.”

 

 

 

Upon the news of his death, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce put flowers on Jimmy’s star, on The Walk of Fame along with a 40-foot roll of paper where fans could scribble their sentiments.  I wonder where that ended up.

 

 

On Monday morning of July 7th, Jimmy was buried next to Gloria at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, in Glendale.

 

 

Because he was a war hero, Air Force Honor Guards gave him a 21-gun salute, at the private ceremony. Later that day, a memorial service was held at the Beverly Hills Presbyterian Church.

 

 

350 mourners attended, including Bob Hope (will he ever die?), June Allyson, Nancy Reagan, Esther Williams, June Haver (Fred MacMurray’s widow), Shirlee Fonda (Henry’s widow), Robert Stack, Carol Burnett, and Ralph Edwards. The ceremony ended with the organist playing, “Auld Lang Syne,” just like in the film, It’s a Wonderful Life.

 

View his grave.

 

In October of 1997, the house on Roxbury went on the market for $6.7 million. It was bought for $5.6 million by some stockbroker, and destroyed. Dick dick dick dick. Something gawdawful is being built on the lot. In April of 1999, here’s what it looked like.

 

 

Here’s another picture of it, where you can see Jimmy’s address scribbled on a tarp.

 

 

A damn shame.

This has been built where the Stewart home stood.

 

 

Trivia: Jimmy Stewart’s last dinner was Cornish Game Hen, and baby carrots.

More Trivia: Karolyn Grimes Wilkerson, the broad that played Zuzu in the film It’s a Wonderful Life does appearances at autographs shows.. Here’s a page from her newsletter.

 

 

Even More: Back in 1988, I wrote a fan letter to Mr. Stewart and received this reply.

 

 

Still More: In October of 1989, my friend, Bun, and I went to a book signing where Jimmy was signing his new poetry book. We said hello, and he looked up and smiled. That was it, but it was very cool. It was very, VERY cool. Here’s Bun with Jimmy.

 

 

 

Hi Bun!

Jimmy left his mark at the Chinese Theater, in Hollywood.

 

 

Trivia – Got this in March of 2000:

About 5 years ago, I was cruising down a rural Maryland road with my brother-in-law, and we approached a yellow Auburn Boat-tail out for a cruise ahead of us. As the Auburns were only built by direct commission, and were never a production car (the production car was the Cord), there’s always a good story behind one. As we were the only ones on the road, I pulled alongside the car, and asked the owner if he’d mind very much if he’d pull over so we could look at it, and he was happy to oblige. He was an older fella, out with his wife, and was happy to show off his unique auto.

I asked how much it was worth, (it was in very good condition, but not restored), and he said about $800,000.00 as is. He also said he was in negotiations with a movie company that wanted to use the car, and if he got his way, the charge for their use of the car would be a full restoration, about $200,000.00. Before I could ask him if he knew who the car had been commissioned for, he told me to look at the silver plate on the dash. It read “Commissioned for Mr. James M. Stewart”, and included a date of I think sometime in 1937. The man said “Yup, it was Jimmy Stewart’s car.”

I was so thunderstruck, I didn’t even think to ask how and where he got it. He just said he had to get going, hopped in and took off. I kick myself in the ass for not getting more info. Believe me, I have cruised that road many more times, and watched every damn movie I can for that yellow Auburn, but I’ve never seen it or the man again…

Robert C. Stanfield

 

 

10 thoughts on “Jimmy Stewart

  • May 4, 2022 at 11:29 am
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    As nice of a story that the gentleman sent in, I don’t believe it true unfortunately. For one, there were no 1937 Auburns. The company closed down in 1936. And the Auburns were mass produced, not custom built. The Duesenberg was custom built to order. Lastly, according to the story it took place in 1995; and no Auburn on earth would be valued at $800,000 in 1995. It sounds like the old man just had a plaque made to put on the dash for a good story unfortunately.

  • August 11, 2021 at 8:17 pm
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    During WWII, my father once piloted a plane with Stewart, about a six hour flight. Stewart, who was balding, was not wearing his hairpiece, and no mention was made of his celebrity… Dad was not the sort to bring it up as it didn’t impress him, and certainly Stewart didn’t bring it up. Dad said conversation was limited to the job they were doing.

    When asked about working with Stewart in films, Maureen O’Hara said he was a very nice man, a very good actor, but that he was NOT a “generous” actor…. blocking & rehearsing a scene, it all revolved around him, and every scene was played to his advantage.

    Obviously he was a man who took his business seriously, be it the military or show business. In Hollywood, he was in the Jimmy Stewart business, and he knew it. Good guy by all accounts, but a smart cookie when it came to his acting career for sure.

  • July 24, 2021 at 9:45 pm
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    In 1974 while attending Indiana University of PA, James Stewart was back in his home town of Indiana, PA to receive the exteemed Honorary Degree of Letters from the university. The event was held outside in a small stadium. I stood on the outside of a chain link fence directily in front of the portable stage and podium where he sat…maybe about 15 feet away. He caught my eye and gave me the sweetest smile. I’ll never forget that…always loved him. LOVE your site…thanks to you, Scott and your team for all your hard work.

  • August 30, 2020 at 11:16 pm
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    Facts & Fun Stuff: Jimmy Stuart attained the rank of U.S. Air Force Colonel in active service during WWII and retired a Brigadier General. When I found that out, subsequently always referred to him as General James Stuart. Give the man the respect he awesomely deserves was my way of thinking –

    When Stuart won his best supporting actor Oscar for the “Philidepha Story” he sent it to his father. His Dad displayed it in his Indiana, PA, hardware store shop window for the next 25 years!

    When the Stuart’s bought their neighbor’s house and tore it down, Lucille Ball cursed them out a blue streak to friends. Apparenty, all the neighborhood rodents had taken refuge in the vacant house and when it was demolished they raced across the street and took up residence at Lucy’s!

  • March 30, 2020 at 10:42 am
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    As mentioned, Jimmy Stewart was a legitimate war hero. Here is a photo Jimmy and the flight crew from his last bombing mission, flown over North Vietnam in February 1966. My uncle, Irby David Terrell, second from the right in the photo, was the navigator. Irby was shot down shortly after this was taken and was held as a POW until the end of the war. https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/20-february-1966/?fbclid=IwAR0sYtYubl8HCKDmffN1rrmyuGwFxWifBp7gdN4VX-2dChAbPSlgqEZ22zY

  • March 10, 2020 at 9:10 am
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    Woody Strode and Hal Williams both accused Stewart of racist behavior while working on the set with him. Allegedly Stewart’s family in Indiana, PA had several Klan members among them. Wouldn’t surprise me at all…

    • March 20, 2021 at 7:47 pm
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      So now we make up crap to badmouth decent people’s memory, thx turd

      • September 21, 2021 at 1:01 am
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        How is telling the truth badmouthing people? Agree Stuart was a decent man, who did great things, but it doesn’t mean he was perfect. Who is? Read his father was a high ranking member of the KKK. Think people need to ponder the possibilities that in the 1930s any advantage for financial gain was used and abused. Do you seriously believe white citizens wouldn’t have used race to financially exclude anyone they could, to better themselves. in a small town? If so, you’ve a much more forgiving view of human nature than myself.

      • May 4, 2022 at 11:24 am
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        JFC Matt. Just because someone speaks the truth about someone doesn’t mean they’re disparaging the person. You pretty much comment on every single post talking about how you knew the deceased or “ran into them”. So just keep your trap shut already.

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