NAME: Jimmy Stewart
BORN: 20/05/1908
BIRTH PLACE: Indiana, Pennsylvania, USA
DIED: 02/07/1997
BIOGRAPHY
James Maitland Stewart served in the US Army Air Forces in World War II and was heavily decorated. His final mission was a bombing mission over Vietnam that he specifically requested as a close for his military career.
After the war, he was an appropriate choice to play the title role in ‘The Glenn Miller Story’. He also played another famous aviator, Charles Lindbergh. In an episode of ‘The World at War’ he is one of several former airmen interviewed about his World War II flying career.
Stewart spoke in a faltering style, which was sometimes hard on sound men, but came through as sincerity to his audience. His career was built around playing a clean-cut person with good values, and his hesitating acting style gave his characters a natural feel not seen in many movies of his time. His portrayal of the central character in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ was a defining moment in his career.