From the Archives: Jimmy Stewart’s empty nest

Jimmy Stewart had just finished a revival of “Harvey” on Broadway and the movie “The Cheyenne Social Club” with Henry Fonda. His children were all grown and, as Times writer Wayne Warga explained:

Jimmy Stewart is a very busy man. He doesn’t need money, he needs the activity. And so does his wife [Gloria]. It was the need for activity that sent him east to do ‘”Harvey.”

“Probably the major reason I did Harvey was … well, behind the decision was that the house was empty. Empty. It was wonderful for Gloria to go back with me, her whole family is back there.”

The house was empty and so were their hearts. Four children, the two eldest by Gloria’s first marriage and raised by Stewart, and the couple’s twin daughters all left home. ...

A different image from the same shoot by Kathleen Ballard — of Stewart with one of his dogs — was published with Warga’s article on the Los Angeles Times Sunday Calendar cover of July 5, 1970.

Check out Stewart’s biography on the Los Anglees Times Hollywood Star Walk.

This post was originally published on April 24, 2012.

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