42 James (Jimmy) Stewart Quotes

James (Jimmy) Stewart quotes

1. When I got back from the war in 1946 people didn't want the Mr. Smith kind of movie any more, and I refused to make war pictures.

   Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.

2. I've always been skeptical of people who say they lose themselves in a part. Someone once came up to Spencer Tracy and asked, 'Aren't you tired of always playing Tracy?' Tracy replied, 'What am I supposed to do, play Bogart?' You have to develop a style that suits you and pursue it, not just develop a bag of tricks.

   Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.

3. If you can do a part and not have the acting show.

4. I've sort of gotten into the habit of looking for the vulnerable guy, the guy who makes mistakes, the guy who can't figure things out all the time but keeps at it.

   Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.

5. Hollywood dishes out too much praise for small things I won't let it get me, but too much praise can turn a fellow's head if he doesn't watch his step.

   Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.

6. I'm going to be with Gloria now.

7. Never treat your audience as customers, always as partners.

8. Rope: Rupert Cadell

9. Harvey: Elwood P. Dowd

10. It's a Wonderful Life: George Bailey

11. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington: Jefferson Smith

12. Vertigo: Detective John 'Scottie' Ferguson

13. The Philadelphia Story: Macaulay 'Mike' Connor

14. Rear Window: L.B. Jeffries

1. Champagne's funny stuff. I'm used to whiskey. Whiskey is a slap on the back, and champagne's a heavy mist before my eyes.

2. It was amazing that a play that seems dated in this world... A man whose best friend is a six-foot white rabbit... But it caught on, especially with young people - they surprised me most of all.

3. After age 70, it's patch, patch, patch.

4. I wouldn't give you two cents for all your fancy rules if, behind them, they didn't have a little bit of plain, ordinary, everyday kindness and a little looking out for the other fella, too.

5. You have to develop a style that suits you and pursue it, not just develop a bag of tricks.

6. I always watch Dean Martin's show... just to see if he falls down.

7. The problem of evil is raised more often by spectators of life than the actual combatants. You will hardly ever find that the great sufferers are the great skeptics.

8. It is the spectators, the people who are outside, looking at the tragedy, from whose ranks the skeptics come; it is not those who are actually in the arena and who know suffering from the inside. Indeed, the fact is that it is the world's greatest sufferers who have produced the most shining examples of unconquerable faith.

9. You must be oh-so smart, or oh-so pleasant. For years I was smart. I recommend pleasant...and you may quote me.

10. Well, I think one of the main things that you have to think about when acting in the movies is to try not to make the acting show.

11. I sort of got into Westerns... It was a sort of desperation move, really. I had several pictures that didn't go very well, and I just realised that I would have to try something else.

12. One time they traded me for seven horses. Seven stunt horses.

13. Animals give me more pleasure through the viewfinder of a camera than they ever did in the crosshairs of a gunsight.

14. Having friends around for a pleasant evening is one of life's most cherished joys as far as I am concerned. But when those with me are fellow believers, how much greater that joy is, for we know that it's rekindled, one day in eternity.

15. I have developed a deep respect for animals. I consider them fellow living creatures with certain rights that should not be violated any more than those of humans.

16. I always told Hitch that it would have been better to put seats around the set and sell tickets.

17. I'd like to do Harvey again. I did it two years ago with Helen Hayes in New York. It was a joy. I was so glad to do it again because I never thought I did it right the first time.

18. My dogs have never been good at things like "sit," "stay," or even "come." I think that we've given the tourists a few laughs, especially when the dogs hit the end of their leashes hard enough to drag Gloria down the street.

19. I think one day youll find that you're the hero you've been looking for.

20. The difference between "trained OK" and "trained perfectly" doesn't really matter all that much to me. I once did a film with Lassie. When that dog got excited he jumped all over Rudd Weatherwax [Lassie's trainer]. Now that's the smartest dog in the world. If the world's best-trained dog can jump around to show he's happy then my dogs should be allowed to do the same.

21. If a western is a good western, it gives you a sense of that world and some of the qualities those men had - their comradeship, loyalty, and physical courage.

22. You have to develop a style that suits you and pursue it, not just develop a bag of tricks. Always be yourself.

23. I always stayed for the first curtain call and people always said, 'Who's that?' But this got me started in acting.

24. When it came to kissing, Harlow was the best.

25. I was going to be an architect. I graduated with a degree in architecture and I had a scholarship to go back to Princeton and get my Masters in architecture. I'd done theatricals in college, but I'd done them because it was fun.

26. The true Christian reaction to suffering and sorrow is not the attitude of self-pity, fatalism or resentment; it is the spirit which takes life's difficulties as a God given opportunity, and regards its troubles as a sacred trust, and wears the thorns as a crown.

27. Frank called me one day and said, 'I have an idea for a movie, why don't you come over and I'll tell you?' So I went over and we sat down and he said, 'This picture starts in heaven'. That shook me.

28. To the man who prays habitually (not only when he feels like it-that is one of the snares of religion-but also when he does not feel like it) Christ is sure to make Himself real.