Friday, July 31, 2015

Tribute to Philip Van Doren Stern

It's a Wonderful Life wouldn't be a film without Philip Van Doren Stern. 

Source: http://goo.gl/zRaxHg
It was he who wrote the short story "The Greatest Gift" that inspired the film. "The Greatest Gift" takes elements of "The Gift of the Magi," Tom Sawyer, and A Christmas Carol and wraps them all together.

Stern was best known as a historian, who wrote biographies about Edgar Allen Poe and Robert E. Lee. He also wrote history books about the Model T Ford, a book called The Life and Writings of Abraham Lincoln, as well as another book titled The Man Who Killed Lincoln.

I have an interesting story about The Man Who Killed Lincoln. It was published in 1939. As a former Civil War reenactor, a Civil War enthusiast, and someone who is enamored with Lincoln, I was excited to find a beat up used book called The Man Who Killed Lincoln at my favorite coffee shop/used book store in the town where I grew up and currently live.

I never paid attention to who wrote it. I got it, put it on my shelf, and proceeded to ignore it for many years. One day when I was going through my books, weeding out the stuff I have read or wasn't interested in reading, I grabbed that book and almost threw it on the "toss it out" pile. As I was tossing it, I caught the words "Van Doren" on the spine.

Source: Personal Collection
As a BIGGER enthusiast of IAWL than I was of the Civil War, I snatched the book back up, knowing that "Van Doren" was not very common. I was surprised to find out that not only it was the same name, but I had been oblivious of its existence in my collection for many years. A quick search on the internet confirmed that it was indeed the same author. The book quickly made its way to my permanent IAWL collection, where it remains.

I write of Stern today because it was on this day in 1984 that he died in Sarasota, Fla. The location of his burial is unknown.

He was born Sept. 10, 1900 in Wyalusing, PA. If he were alive today, he would be 114 years old.

Sources:

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Photo Friday - Bells Part 16

It's been a couple of crazy Photo Fridays. Last week, I dropped the bell theme in order to pay tribute to my Grandpa Van Vorhis, who died July 21.

This week, I return to the bells on Photo Friday, this time paying tribute to my other grandfather and his father. But it can't be that easy, or I wouldn't be me. My unintended motto seems to be "take something simple and make it insanely difficult." So in true form, I am posting this Photo Friday on Thursday. Because it naturally makes sense, of course.

The real reason is that I have special posts to run on both Friday and Saturday. So in the name of the Greater Good, here is Photo Friday, on Thursday....

This week's topic is my Great-Grandpa Lance's school bell. My Great-Grandfather, who was bit by a raccoon and died of rabies (that's the simple version of the story), was a teacher. Somewhere in a box, I have stored away some of his old teaching books, including a really cool, old copy of Evangeline. My Grandpa Lance received and displayed his teaching bell, and when he died, Grandma kept it on display. On Sunday, it was passed down to me, and I am pleased to receive it. Check it out, then read more below!


Here is my bell in black and white, which sits on top of an
really cool antique dresser that I will pick up this weekend.

So while I was at Grandpa Van Vorhis's visitation on Thursday, I finally learned which house my Grandpa Lance was born in. I always knew what street he was born on, but I never knew which house. It was a short street, and there were only like 12 houses to choose from. My mom always told me it was a brick house, so that cut the options down to two.

It turns out my mom was wrong....it wasn't a brick house. The Commodores would be disappointed. But it turns out that one of the brick houses that I originally thought he was born in was actually once the home of a Civil War drummer. I learned all sorts of things at my Grandpa Van Vorhis's visitation and funeral.

My Grandpa Lance was actually born in another (not brick) house on the opposite side and opposite end of the street. He was born in THIS house:

The house my Grandpa Lance was born in. Photo taken July 28, 2015.

Monday, July 27, 2015

Tune in on Thursday

Hi everyone!

I usually post on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, but this week is so full of special events related to this blog that I will instead post my Photo Friday on Thursday (!!!???!!!) and then publish my regular posts on Friday and Saturday.

Crazy, I know. But that's what I'm doing this week. I had better get to writing!

-Greg

Friday, July 24, 2015

Photo Friday - Grandpa Van Vorhis

Late Wednesday/early Thursday, I posted about the death of my grandfather.

Photo Fridays usually consist of photos of bells. I have more than a year's worth of bells. But instead of bells, I thought I would post some photos of my grandfather that I found during the visitation. It was very cool to see family resemblances between my great-grandfather, Grandpa, my dad, and my two sons. I even found a photo of me and my barn, which I mentioned in my last blog entry.

So check these out, and hopefully I will return to bells next Friday.


A crooked hat. I wear my hat this way, as well.
So does my father and my oldest son. 


Another crooked hat.


My grandfather holding my dad. Check out the close-up below.

Check out the family resemblance. This is my dad as a toddler. Below is my
oldest son, at age 9 months or so. They look very much alike.


Me and my barn. I still have it.

Me wearing one of Grandpa's hats.

My cousins and Grandpa, holding my crying brother,
who doesn't want his picture taken.

Here is a close-up of me, which my wife points out is the
same stance and attitudinal face that my youngest son has.

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

...That's a Wrap

From left to right: Grandpa Van Vorhis, my dad holding me,
and my great-grandfather, "Cap."
My apologies for not posting on my blog early Wednesday morning, as I have worked very hard to make my habit. I had good intentions, but I got a text.

The text came from my mom, consisting of three single-syllable words: "Please call me." This text felt different. There was no "love you," or "miss you," or "found a shirt you would like." This text carried weight. Deep down, I knew what that weight was.

So I called her right away, keeping my concern low, not ready to tip my hand that I knew what was coming. Being a pessimist sucks. My church calls it "the gift of prophecy." I call it the opportunity to say "I knew it," or "I told you so." Suffice it to say that I was having a less-than-stellar Tuesday, and I knew that whatever mom had to say was going to make it worse.

I knew it.

"They called 911 for your grandpa this morning and now he's unresponsive. He's dying. This is it."

I knew it.

We went through the process of where is he, should I come up, what do you need me to do, and keep me informed. This was around 5:45 in the afternoon.

At 8:15 p.m., while at work, I got a text from mom that said "Grandpa is gone."

Grandpa and Grandma sorting mushrooms in their kitchen
sometime in the 1980s.
I know that people are going to freak out that my mom sent a text to tell me the news. Spare me the vitriol. It was a planned communication since I had to be at work.

Grandpa died at age 94. He joins Grandma, wo died Feb. 10, 2011 at age 87

I think we all have regrets in life. I have regrets concerning Grandpa. I could have spent more time with him, tried harder, made an effort to figure out some things that it was never my responsibility...or my right...to poke my nose into or try to make sense of. I totally ended that sentence with a preposition, and I refuse to change it.

Grandpa was a woodworker. It was his hobby. He made me everything from a simple pair of drum sticks to items as cool as a toy box shaped like a barn, a magazine rack, and a wooden step stool with feet that flip up for storage. I still have all of those pieces. Everything he did was intricate. He saw a picture of a coffee table in a magazine and sent in for the instructions. I remember when he made it, over a period of months, and yet it still feels like that coffee table has been around forever.

I talked about my grandparents in my June 5, 2011 post, Memorial Day....more that military for me. I also talked about them in my Jan. 10, 2012 post, Family Traditions: Times They Are a-changin'.

A few memories before I go:
  • I vaguely remember getting my barn-shaped toy box. 
  • I remember Grandma and Grandpa coming to baseball games.
  • I remember Grandpa, while still wearing his hat and maybe even his coat, laid down on the kitchen floor with me and helped me figure out how to put together a Matchbox race track. I have a picture of he and I lying on the floor sitting around somewhere. I wish I could find it.
  • I remember eating out for my 16th birthday at Bombay Bicycle Club in Toledo.
  • I remember Grandma and Grandpa taking me to bingo day somewhere. I don't know where it was. I just remember that it was fun.
Like every good film, every wonderful life must come to an end. I hope you can understand why I missed my early Wednesday regular post.

Grandma and Grandpa in their living room long ago.

Grandpa Cap, my grandfather, and his brother, Floyd.

Monday, July 20, 2015

Tribute to Mary Treen

Source: http://goo.gl/IbcEzS
I can't think of Mary Treen without hearing her holler through cupped hands "Here they come! Here they come!" during the wedding scene in It's a Wonderful Life.

With 213 acting credits to her name, Mary Treen was an accomplished character actress, known best among Lifers (fans of It's a Wonderful Life) as Cousin Tilly. Just like her brother Eustace, and Ma and Pa Bailey's maid Annie, Tilly's job was to bring levity to the film during the heavy scenes, and to show exactly how dire the situations were simply by the expressions on her face.

Treen's first acting job was a short film called Surprise in 1930. Her last acting job was a TV movie called Wait Till Your Mother Gets Home in 1985. In between, she appeared in the films Kitty Foyle (1940) and Room for One More (1952). I can honestly say I have not seen any of these movies...for better or for worse.

She also spent a great deal of time acting for the small screen, making appearances on The Love Boat, Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, The Brady Bunch, and if you can find it anymore, The Dukes of Hazzard, as Aunt Clara Coltrain. 

Treen was born March 27, 1907. She died July 20, 1989, in Newport Beach, CA. She was cremated and her ashes scattered.



Sources: IMDB, Find a Grave

Friday, July 17, 2015

Photo Friday - Bells Part 15

Welcome back to Photo Friday. Here, I post one or more photos each Friday. I will do my best to relate it to It's a Wonderful Life.

This week's entry is the steeple bell now located on the ground behind All Saints Catholic Church in Rossford, Ohio. This photo was taken in March, when there was still a lot of snow on the ground. It may have even been April.



Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Movie Review - The Stratton Story

In my movie reviews, I give my brief thoughts on what I watched. Sometimes I will expound on those thoughts, but more often than not, I will just give a brief opinion. You can read plot descriptions on Internet Movie Database or on Amazon.

The Stratton Story, starring Jimmy Stewart June Allyson and Frank Morgan, 1949.

Source: http://goo.gl/fvVIN9
Stewart played the lead character in three biographical films, including  The Glenn Miller Story (1953), The Spirit of St. Louis (1957), and The Stratton Story (1949). Of these, The Stratton Story, was the first. In it, he portrayed Monty Stratton, a baseball star who loses his hope after his leg is amputated following a hunting accident. This film stars June Allyson as Monty’s wife, Ethel.

There are several similarities in this film to It’s a Wonderful Life, including trivial items such as a stop at a train station, a ride in a taxi, and a character named Ernie. More striking are two other scenes. One occurs on Ethel’s front porch when Monty pays a surprise visit. He is losing baseball games because he cannot stop thinking about her, and it is distracting him from the game.

Unlike the phone scene in It’s a Wonderful Life, in which George and Mary realize their love because of their different dreams, Monty and Ethel share a dream and want to reach success before getting married. However, a lot of the dialogue in this scene in The Stratton Story conveys the same emotion as the phone scene in It’s a Wonderful Life. Additionally, the camera angles are strikingly similar in both scenes.

The other scene that echoes It’s a Wonderful Life is when Ethel tells Monty that she is pregnant with their second child. In The Stratton Story, after Monty regains his hope, he is playing catch with Ethel and accidentally knocks her to the ground with a fast ball, causing her to quit playing.

“I never had a catcher quit me before,” he tells her.

“You never had a catcher before who was going to have a baby,” she responds.

After a short delay, Monty calls out, “What?!”

Ethel looks back from the house, but gives no reply.

These delayed, confused reactions – and the responses of the respective wives in each film – are indicative of what Stewart biographer Marc Eliot calls Stewart’s “‘whatever happened to my other shoe’ style of acting” (138).

This echoes the scene in which George learns that he and Mary are expecting their first child. Distracted, George is talking about his money woes and trying to understand why Mary would “ever marry a guy like me.”

“I didn’t want to marry anybody else in town,” she replies. “I want my baby to look like you.”

“You didn’t even have a honeymoon,” George answers, seeming to have missed the message. But it soon sinks in. “I promised you … Your what?”

June Allyson also played the wife of Stewart’s character in The Glenn Miller Story (1954) and Strategic Air Command (1955).



4 out of 5 stars.

____
Sources:


Eliot, Marc. Jimmy Stewart: A Biography. New York: Harmony Books, 2006.

Monday, July 13, 2015

Movie Review - The FBI Story

In my movie reviews, I give my brief thoughts on what I watched. Sometimes I will expound on those thoughts, but more often than not, I will just give a brief opinion. You can read plot descriptions on Internet Movie Database or on Amazon.

The FBI Story, starring Jimmy Stewart and Vera Miles. 1959.

Source: http://goo.gl/68sukd
The FBI Story was not Stewart's first police/detective story. Nor was it his first film with a title taking the form of “The (Noun) Story.” Some other examples of those films include The Philadelphia Story, The Glenn Miller Story, and The Stratton Story.

In The FBI Story, we follow the life of Agent Chip Hardesty, who is portrayed by Stewart. The film is constructed under the premise that Hardesty is giving a lecture about the history of the bureau, his life, and his relationship with his family. It is a relationship that has seen better days.

There are several references to It’s a Wonderful Life and other Capra films, as well as at least one reference to Stewart’s real life.

Some of the parallels to It’s a Wonderful Life include when the Chip and Lucy Hardesty (Vera Miles) get married and it rains on their honeymoon. It also rained on the day of George and Mary’s wedding, which we first learn as they are leaving to go on their honeymoon.

Later on, Lucy tells Chip she is going to have a baby. When Chip acts dumbfounded and surprised, just as George Bailey did, Lucy responds to Chip’s flabbergasted question of what the child will be by responding in Mary-like fashion, “I presume it will be a baby.”

The Hardesty family has a difficult life with Chip working long hours and constantly placing his life in danger for the safety of others. The time away from his family begins to wear on Chip, as well. One night, he reaches his breaking point and re-words George Bailey’s angry and frightened lambasting of their home, saying, “This is a real wonderful place to raise a family. I’m getting out!” Eventually Chip is reunited with his children, and just as the reunion occurred in It’s a Wonderful Life, Hardesty is reunited with the children at the staircase, where the children proceed to climb on and cling to him.

Furthermore, Hardesty’s best friend and agent is named Sam, sharing a name with George Bailey’s best friend. Also during the film, the Hardesty family receives a telegram informing them of their son’s death. This is reminiscent of a young George Bailey reading a telegram sent to Mr. Gower informing him of his son’s death.

In real life, one of Jimmy and Gloria Stewart's sons, Ron McLean, was killed in action in Vietnam.

In what may be a further nod to Frank Capra’s films, The FBI Story includes inspirational footage of the reflecting pool and the Washington Monument from over the shoulder of Lincoln in his memorial, as well as footage of the Iwo Jima memorial. This is reminiscent of what we saw during the sightseeing scene in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and in the Why We Fight series.

One final, seemingly blatant reference to It’s a Wonderful Life must be mentioned here, as its placement at the end of the film appears to have been intentional. After giving his lecture to the class, one student approaches Hardesty and says, “From the different cases and what you said about your family, I think you’ve led a very interesting life.” Hardesty replies, “Well, I kind of hope so. It’s the only one I had.”


3.5 out of 5 stars

  

Saturday, July 11, 2015

A Tribute to Thomas Mitchell

Source: http://goo.gl/C15Ruh
What can you say about Thomas Mitchell that hasn't been said already? There isn't much. He has appeared in numerous well-known and award-winning films.

In fact, he is only one of 9 people ever to win the "Triple Crown of Acting" - an Oscar, Emmy and Tony.

According to Wikipedia, "He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for 1939's Stagecoach. In 1952, he won the Best Actor Emmy (Comedy Actor category), and the following year a Tony Award for best performance by an actor, for the musical Hazel Flagg (based on the Carole Lombard film Nothing Sacred). He has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for his work in motion pictures at 1651 Vine Street and one for his work in television at 6100 Hollywood Boulevard."

He was born on this day, July 11, 1892. He has 106 acting credits to his name, including the Capra films:
  • Lost Horizon (1937)
  • Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
  • It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
  • Pocketful of Miracles (1961)
The same year he appeared in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, (1939), he also appeared in another blockbuster film, Gone With the Wind, in which he played the memorable role of Gerald O'Hara.

It turns out that 1939 was a REALLY big year in his career. According to Internet Movie Database, in addition to appearing in three movies nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture, (Gone With the Wind, Stagecoach and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington), he appeared in two other films that received nominations in other categories: The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Only Angels Have Wings.

He won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance in Stagecoach, as well.

Mitchell's last film appearance was in Capra's A Pocketful of Miracles in 1961, as Judge Henry G. Blake. Mitchell died Dec. 17, 1962. If he were alive today, he would be 123.
----
Sources: IMDB and Wikipedia.

Friday, July 10, 2015

Photo Friday - Bells Part 14

Welcome back to Photo Friday. Here, I post one or more photos each Friday. I will do my best to relate it to It's a Wonderful Life.

This week’s entry is the set of three school-made clay bells made by my wife and/or my sisters-in-law. I'm not sure who made which bell. There are three bells and four sisters. They hang in the basement of my mother and father-in-law's home....many years after the girls' graduations. :) This photo was taken March 30, 2015.


Thursday, July 9, 2015

In Memory of Charles Lane

Source: http://goo.gl/UlUvtR
This fine young man is Charles Lane. In It's a Wonderful Life, He played Reineman, Potter's rent collector who threatened to go work for George Bailey. You know....squirrels, buttercups, daisies.

Lane spent 64 years as an actor, giving his last performance at the age of 90 in a TV movie called The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes. However, Internet Movie Database now shows that Lane will act as the narrator in a version of The Night Before Christmas. This will be a bit of an interesting, if not unsettling feat, considering Lane died 8 years ago today (July 9, 2007).

Lane was born Jan. 26, 1905, in San Francisco, CA. His first role was an uncredited one, playing the hotel desk clerk in a movie called Smart Money. IMDB lists him with 363 acting credits. Among those are 10 films directed by Frank Capra, including:
  • Broadway Bill (1934) (as Morgan's henchman)
  • Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)
  • You Can't Take it With You (1938)
  • Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
  • Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
  • It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
  • State of the Union (1948)
  • Riding High (1950) (a remake of Broadway Bill, this time portraying Erickson)
  • Here Comes the Groom (1951)
I'm missing one. Hmmm......

Source: http://goo.gl/4LISFr
In a letter to Lane, Capra wrote, "Well, Charlie, you've been my No. 1 crutch."

I have a newspaper clipping from around the time Charles Lane died. One of these days I will post it. But not today.

Today, instead, we salute Mr. Lane, the employee who was brave enough to tell his hard-hearted employer off in It's a Wonderful Life.

He died July 9, 2007 at age 102 in Santa Monica, CA. He is buried at Home of Peace Cemetery in Los Angeles, CA. If he were alive today, he would be 110.

---

Source: Wikipedia, IMDB, and Find a Grave

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Check Back Tomorrow

Hi all,

No new blog post today. Check back tomorrow (Thursday), Friday and Saturday. Lots of good stuff later this week.

-Greg

Monday, July 6, 2015

Movie Review - The Spirit of St. Louis

In my movie reviews, I give my brief thoughts on what I watched. Sometimes I will expound on those thoughts, but more often than not, I will just give a brief opinion. You can read plot descriptions on Internet Movie Database or on Amazon.

Source: http://goo.gl/LHmsNa
The Spirit of St. Louis. Starring Jimmy Stewart and Murray Hamilton. 1957.

This is a biopic about Charles Lindberg, with Mr. Lindberg portrayed by Jimmy Stewart. This is an appropriate role for him, because as a child, Stewart tracked Lindberg's flight. He kept track of the progress by marking a map that he set up in his father's store in Indiana, PA. That store was across the street from the current location of the Jimmy Stewart Museum.

This movie also holds a special place for me because, as I understand it, this is the first time my grandfather took my mother to see a movie. Not that I was there, but it's a fond memory for my mother, and she tells me the story often.

The Spirit of St. Louis is about more than the plane or the pilot, or even the flight. A hefty portion...maybe even half of the film...is based on Lindberg's struggle to find support, and what it took to get the plane built.

The oddity of the film is that half of it is spent in the plane, where Lindberg few alone. So for that entire half of the film, Lindberg talks to himself, and to a fly. But somehow, he pulls it off. Perhaps it has to do with Stewart's experience as a pilot during World War II.

4.5 out of 5 stars.



Saturday, July 4, 2015

Happy Birthday Karolyn Grimes!!!

My favorite photo of Karolyn.
Source: http://goo.gl/0cEIPO
Today I pay tribute to Karolyn "Zuzu" Grimes.

Typically, I include how old people would be. If Karolyn would like to divulge that, it's her business, not mine.

I have gone on and on and on about how wonderful Karolyn is, both on film and in person. See my blog entries for the April A-Z blogging challenge about both Karolyn and Zuzu for proof.

Karoly is outgoing, friendly, approachable, cordial, and amazingly patient with her fans. You can friend her on Facebook by searching for Karolyn "Zuzu" Grimes.

It is fitting that this great woman, who I admire so much, shares a birthday with this great country. HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAROLYN! I will enjoy some fireworks tonight in your honor.

Here is a great interview with Karolyn, including a bunch of pictures of her at home during the summer of 2014.

Here is another interview with Karolyn:


Friday, July 3, 2015

Photo Friday - Bells Part 13

Welcome back to Photo Friday. Here, I post one or more photos each Friday. I will do my best to relate it to It's a Wonderful Life.

This week’s entry is a hand bell that my grandparents own. It is part of a set of commemorative bells that portray landmarks around Bowling Green, Ohio. This particular bell commemorates the Wood County Court House. This photo was taken April 2, 2015. I featured the Ohio Bicentennial Bell located within the courthouse atrium last week, during Photo Friday Part 12.


Thursday, July 2, 2015

In Memory of Jimmy Stewart

Source: http://goo.gl/6Cjcoh
Stewart in his later years.
Source: https://goo.gl/00uxH7

James Maitland "Jimmy" Stewart, died on this day (July 2), in 1997.

He was born May 20, 1908 in Indiana, PA.

Jimmy (not James....Jimmy) almost didn't have to act. He lived an upright, honest life and was as trustworthy as George Bailey himself.

Stewart is often described as “Everyman” in his roles. Although it was a role he reprised several times, never was it more obvious than in the films he made under the direction of Frank Capra, including It’s a Wonderful Life and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

“The part of Jefferson Smith in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington constitutes the quintessential Stewart: the upstanding, all-American, small-town boy, loyal to his family, his country, his church and his ideals; the personification of ‘rock-ribbed honesty,’” said biographer Jonathan Coe (43).

This persona was not a new role for Stewart. It was a role he lived off of the screen, as well as on. Stewart grew up with strong family and religious ties in his home town of Indiana, Pa. Later in his life, this small town dedicated the Jimmy Stewart Museum as part of the Indiana, Pa. Library.[i] In 1985, a statue of Stewart was erected in front of the museum. It faces the lot where the J.M. Stewart and Co. Hardware store stood before it was razed in 1969.

Stewart biographer Jonathan Coe calls Stewart an “incorruptible American patriot” (9). Stewart was able to further solidify this image when he enlisted in March, 1941, and became an officer in the Army Air Corps and a bombardier pilot during World War II.

Coe has drawn parallels between Stewart’s real life and the life of George Bailey. Stewart signed on to It’s a Wonderful Life on Nov. 5, 1945 (Coe 78). In addition to coming from a background similar to George’s, Coe says Stewart was drawn to the part for another reason:

“There were reasons, in fact, why a story about a hero who feels ‘despondent’ might have exerted a strong personal appeal to him (Stewart) at this time, since he was profoundly shaken by his wartime experiences, which caused him to doubt both his faith and the fundamental worth of his career” (Coe 79).

Coe’s statement does two things. First, it suggests that Stewart’s despondency reflects the country’s feelings immediately following World War II. It could have been the same despondency that prevented It’s a Wonderful Life from being a box office success. Secondly, Stewart’s life at that time reflected It’s a Wonderful Life, with Stewart doubting his own faith and career, as George Bailey does in the film. George always talks about and dreams of being an engineer or an architect, but never about being an executive of a lending company. George constantly doubts his job and its value.

My note from Karoly in which she gave me
Stewart's address. (Source: Blogger's private collection)
Through my friendship with Karoly Grimes, who played George and Mary's youngest daughter, Zuzu Bailey, I was able to get Stewart's address. I came right out and asked her for it, and I expected it to be denied. I told her that I only wanted to send him a copy of my college research paper about the film. To my surprise, she gave me his address. I filed the letter away, graduated, was hired a job at at my hometown newspaper just two days after graduation, and moved into my first apartment. 

I soon learned a hard lesson about not putting off until tomorrow what I can do today. On July 1, 1997, I was sitting on my porch when I realized that I hadn’t yet written to Jimmy, even though I had his address for nearly two months. It was late, so I decided to write to him the next day. As you may recall, he died July 2, the day I was going to write to him. That was a rough day for me.

This post is a tribute to Everyman....Jimmy Stewart. If he were alive, he would be 108 years old.

Here is a great interview with Stewart from 1989:


-------
[i] The Jimmy Stewart Museum is located at 845 Philadelphia St., Indiana, PA, 15701. To contact the museum, call (724) 349-6112 or toll-free at 1-800-83-JIMMY, or e-mail curator@jimmy.org. Visit online at www.jimmy.org.

Source:
Coe, Jonathan. Jimmy Stewart: A Wonderful Life. New York: Arcade Publishing, 1994.