George Kennedy on James Stewart

Actor George Kennedy reflects on the charm and lasting presence of one of cinema's greatest stars, Jimmy Stewart. Possessing the ability to command the screen regardless of the genre, Stewart's legacy endures today in the score of timeless classics he left behind.
Look for these films on Watch TCM at tcm.com/watch.
Connect with Turner Classic Movies:
Visit TCM WEBSITE: myt.cm/TCMwebsite
Follow TCM on INSTAGRAM: myt.cm/TCMinstagram
Like TCM on FACEBOOK: myt.cm/TCMfacebook
Follow TCM on TWITTER: myt.cm/TCMtwitter
Subscribe now to watch more classic film content from TCM spr.ly/6017cTBT

[@janicebrowningaquino792]

Ok, so it probably sounds a little silly. When I see Jimmy Stewart my heart swells up, and my tears well up. I’m just a fan. Originally a midwestern girl I am now a diehard New Englander, but I can still see the wonderful midwestern qualities I knew as a child shining in the person of Jimmy Stewart. Yes, he was gentle and kind, but he also had fire and grit as his military record attests to. I admire him no end, as one, if not THE very BEST, example of a good man in every way in the public realm of his generation. He will always remain loved and respected in my heart…

[@dboconnor57]

There will never be another like him.

[@TennesseeMelanie]

Jimmy Stewart....perfection.

[@LuckyPunkProd]

I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Kennedy on this. It didn't matter if the picture Jimmy Stewart was in was good or bad, he'd always give a top notch performance in it, no matter what. That in itself is a credit to his profession as an actor.

[@jackyandell2489]

RIP Jim Stewart and RIP George Kennedy..may God Bless you

[@MovieJon]

Hearing how much Kennedy admired Stewart, it lends a little more appreciation for the genial chemistry they demonstrated together when they shot several scenes for "Airport '77." I didn't know they were so friendly off-screen. They had a lot of ease and rapport in those quiet scenes.

[@rg2cents157]

Mr. Stewart had such great range.

[@indy-fs6de]

One of my earliest memories was seeing a TCM tribute to Audrey Hepburn with a lot of footage used from what I gather might have been from The Children's Hour. I'm glad that TCM is posting up these old tributes because I'd love to know someday that it wasn't a false memory.

[@shantavakian4309]

One of my heroes!

[@julianmarsh1378]

I don't remember hearing that Stewart flew combat missions; under the impression he was an officer who looked after his men. Whenever the planes went off on a mission, he was one of the few officers who waited until every last plane that was going to return, had returned...a great actor and a fine human being. I went to college in his home town where they have the Jimmy Stewart Museum. Inside, you can read an account by Charlton Heston. He and Stewart were up for an academy award the same year and Jimmy came up to him and said, "Chuck, I really hope you win this thing." Heston said Stewart was the only man in Hollywood who would say something like that, and mean it.

[@farmergiles1065]

RE his combat history, you are referencing his later war, when he had risen further in rank (up to Colonel). In his first combat assignment, he had risen to Captain as a pilot, then Major as a squadron leader and Lieutenant Colonel as a group commander. He flew in all those capacities, once in a devastating mission in which only 4 planes out of 19 returned home. Officially his mission count was halted at 20, since neither he nor his superiors wanted him to register the combat points that could retire his combat service. In actuality, it exceeded 20 by a considerable amount; no one knows quite how much. In his words, he "wanted to be of some use" in military service, a career in which he also excelled (starting as a Private and ending as a Major General). Flying captured his fascination as a teen, and the two paired up into a more predictable career than acting, which was something more of a bonus career. And what a bonus! Courageous without a hint of boastfulness or pomposity, he exercised a quiet authority with kindness and understanding, knowing when to be strict and when to loose the reins. He was outraged only by the inhumane. With gentle good humor he won all our hearts. I admire him tremendously.

[@theblackbear211]

Part of that is that Jimmy Stuart tended to be understated about his wartime service. His 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses and 4 Air Medals speak to something more than "run of the mill" flying.

[@ScoutSniper3124]

Stewart had over 400 flight hours as a civilian pilot when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1941, and became an instructor for both the B-17 and B-24. In November 1943, Stewart was sent to England as Operations Officer for the 703rd Squadron, 445th Bombardment Group of the Eighth Air Force, transferring to the 453rd Bombardment Group in March 1944. Stewart flew 20 dangerous combat missions as a B-24 command pilot, wing commander or squadron commander, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters, The Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm. After the war Stewart remained with the US Air Force Reserves and was promoted to Brigadier General in 1959. Took about .05 seconds to do a Google search. This excerpt from nationalaviation.org

[@farmergiles1065]

@@ScoutSniper3124 Nicely summarized. He joined up as a private, by the way, so he rose from Private to General. He was a Corporal when he applied to be a pilot with those 400 hours of experience, and that is what earned him his commission as a Second Lieutenant. Instead of putting him to work as a pilot, they made him a flight instructor, because that kind of expertise was scarce and they had great need to train many more pilots. One more thing: he rose to Major General in 1982 by order of President Reagan. Though retired from regular duty, he had been serving many years in the Reserves, where he continued for quite some time.

[@vernpascal1531]

@@farmergiles1065 He enlisted before Pearl Harbor, and he had already won an Oscar.

[@Jarod-vg9wq]

My mother is obsessed with TCM,and now I am to, love learning about golden age of Hollywood and the actors lives.

[@lizarrington3636]

My grandma and my mother is obsessed too. And now I'm obsessed.

[@MTMF.london]

George Kennedy is right - you won't see the likes of him too often. A men's man and women's man too. He was an all around good egg.

[@firenze5555]

I loved Jimmy Stewart in The Flight of the Phoenix. I think that George Kennedy had a role in that, too. Ernest Borgnine, Hardy Krueger, Richard Attenborough, Peter Finch - what a cast!

[@tonyledrew9560]

Another one of my all time favorite actors .saw most all his movies .He is missed

[@jamescampbell6737]

Good to hear fellow actor give praise when befitting,,Jimmy Stewart and I get fed up printing this,,ye,his legacy will live on fr ever amen, jcvw,oh,George Kennedy no bk number, great actor,

[@davidyoung8875]

He was the greatest actor who ever lived.

[@leeanneyoungman8028]

Very very cool! Love George Kennedy as well 😊

[@captarne1]

Shenandoah was an excellent movie, I remember that scene when I saw it in the theater.

[@christophertaylor9100]

After the Thin Man was one of his best roles ever, such a shock to see him, well... you gotta watch it

[@Kelly-oi7cn]

True very true.

[@benkeel2966]

Just wonderful

[@nerd_in_norway]

In a league of his own. ❤

[@PeachLover94]

One piece of the production music used here is "Opening Night" by Jerry Mengo.

[@kentdean3882]

Yes, he was a very good actor, but more than anything else, Gen. Stewart was a soldier.

[@jessemathes5126]

Nice.

[@GoodmanMIke59]

0:44 While George Kennedy was one of my favorites, how the hell did a guy who reached captain in the US Army, during WWII, mistakenly say that the role he played was that of a general when Jimmy Stewart clearly addresses him as "Colonel?"

[@GoodmanMIke59]

2:00 I think Jimmy Stewart won the Academy Award for The Philadelphia Story (1940) because he was robbed of the Academy Award for Mr. Smith Goes to Washington in 1939.

[@StoicWallflower]

When was this commentary done?

[@StoicWallflower]

@@SailaSobriquet This was George Kennedy speaking who died in 2016 so it could have been sometime before then too.

[@PeachLover94]

Sometime between April 14th, 1994 (when TCM first launched) and July 2nd 1997 (when Jimmy died).

[@GoodmanMIke59]

While I have read as much as possible about Jimmy Stewart, George Kennedy is wrong about Jimmy Stewart not being bad in a roll. He was particularly bad in one Musical. Born To Dance, without Eleanor Powell. The man could not sing. He could play the accordion, but he could not sing.