James Stewart

“Never treat your audience as customers, always as partners.” He graduated from Princeton University in 1932 with a degree in architecture before venturing into acting with the University Players in Massachusetts and, soon after, breaking through in Frank Capra's works. His role as a principled senator in one of these films earned him his first Academy Award nomination, and he won an Oscar the following year for his performance in The Philadelphia Story. With the onset of World War II, Stewart enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He served with distinction, logging significant flight hours and earning several military honors. Post-war, his performance in It’s a Wonderful Life further cemented his status. As he matured, he transitioned from his early naive roles to more complex characters, working with directors like Alfred Hitchcock and Anthony Mann. His collaborations with Hitchcock produced several acclaimed films, including the iconic Rear Window and Vertigo. He found success on Broadway as well, notably in Harvey, which he later adapted for the screen and returned to in subsequent revivals. He was honored with an honorary Academy Award and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of his contributions to film and American culture.