James Stewart, byname Jimmy Stewart, (born May 20, 1908, Indiana, Pa., U.S.—died July 2, 1997, Beverly Hills, Calif.), U.S. film actor. He made his film debut in 1935, but at first Stewart’s slow, halting line delivery (perhaps his most readily identifiable trademark) and angular features made him difficult to cast. His engaging manner, however, led to quick acceptance by the moviegoing public, and he played endearingly simple and idealistic characters in Frank Capra’s You Can’t Take It with You (1938) and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939). He won an Academy Award for best actor for his performance in The Philadelphia Story (1940). After serving as a bomber pilot in World War II, he starred in It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), which became a Christmas classic. He was known for his portrayals of diffident but morally resolute characters. His many movies included Destry Rides Again (1939), The Glenn Miller Story (1954), The Man from Laramie (1955), Anatomy of a Murder (1959), and Alfred Hitchcock’s Rope (1948), Rear Window (1954), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), and Vertigo (1958).
