MovieChat Forums > James Stewart Discussion > Was Jimmy Stewart a racist?

Was Jimmy Stewart a racist?

posted 5 years ago by TMC-4 (19392)
15 replies | jump to latest

https://www.datalounge.com/thread/23477372-jimmy-stewart-was-a-racist-

https://www.quora.com/Was-Jimmy-Stewart-a-racist/answer/Jon-Mixon-1

Yes, it appears that he was,

Stewart was described by his co-star Woody Strode (The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance) as being standoffish toward him particular during the times when they didn’t have to act together during the shoot. Also, apparently Stewart was one of the few people who didn’t shake his hand when things were wrapping up at the end of the filming. Strode was African-American,

According to actor Hal Williams, Stewart actually had him fired from an episode of the series The Jimmy Stewart Show because he was upset that his character would have been in a potentially subservient role to a Black man, The role was recast with a White actor, although the series itself failed during its first and only season.

Finally, even John Wayne, who was a self-proclaimed White supremacist starred in more films with African Americans in significant roles than Stewart. Besides Strode in Liberty Valance, none of Stewart’s have Blacks in speaking roles.

So yes…while Stewart was an exceptional performer it appears that he was also a racist.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3AJames_Stewart/Archive_1#Stewart's_racism

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

This is an old rumor that won't die. Problem is, there's no way of knowing. But from what I heard, he was an ultra conservative guy who had a black actor fired on a TV show because his character was supposed to have been getting chewed out by him. He blew a gasket because he saw blacks having the run of the country or something (I think this happened during the Black Panther days) and saw this as another example of how they were getting out of control.

[–] [email protected] (1732) 5 years ago

True or not, bigots aren't JUST white people. I've know many black people who loathe gay people. I've also known
many Jews who dislike blacks. I've know gay people who dislike Hispanics. The list is endless, and sadly, bigotry will
never go away.

Anyway, in this case, the man is long dead. Just enjoy his the films he made.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Or maybe he just didn't like this one particular person?

[–] Raprock (4) 4 years ago

So much wrong here.

Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Louise Beavers and Stepin' Fetchit had speaking roles in movies with Stewart.

As for being ultra conservative, Stewart actually opposed HUAC and he did support some democratic senators. He also thought the public should go easy on Bill Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

In the recent book 'Hank and Jim', both Peter Fonda and Kelly Stewart cast doubt on the story of Hal Williams. Kelly says "There weren't a lot of black people in my dad's life but he wasn't a racist."

There are tons of circumstantial evidence that he wasn't a racist.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

I'm confused were you responding to my post or the thread in general? Because it appears you agree with my post/stance and are arguing against the thread?

[–] Raprock (4) 4 years ago

Sorry, this was my first post here and must have responded to you directly by mistake. It was directed to the OP.

[–] TMC-4 (19392) 2 years ago

You aren't going to like these videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW8Rt6JFSiY

Did you know that Henry Fonda refused to talk to James Stewart for several years after the latter ratted out several Hollywood communists to J. Edgar Hoover during the industry’s Second Red Scare and that an exhibit honoring John Wayne has been removed from the University of Southern California due to the actor’s flagrant racism? While most classic films trick audiences into thinking that Old Hollywood was squeaky clean under its surface, this certainly wasn’t the case! There were plenty of classic Hollywood stars that held some decidedly racist values.

▬Contents of this video▬
00:00 - Intro
00:24 - James Stewart
03:15 - William Frawley
05:09 - John Wayne
07:06 - Walter Brennan
08:00 - Outro

Classic stars you didn't know were racist (06:04)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oop9RrRW07g

[–] SandyR (7316) 5 months ago

If someone in the room has different immutable characteristics from you, you are required by law to kiss that person's ass or you're a horrible bigot who should be burned at the stake!

[–] Kowalski (57268) 4 years ago

DUDE IS DEAD.GREAT ACTOR....LONG STORY SHORT ON THE RACIST THING....I DONT CARE.

[–] joeh63 (1) 2 years ago

Im a 63yr old African American male. When I read that Jimmy Stewart was a racist, I find it a bit hard to believe. Back after Desert Storm there was a parade in Hollywood, Ca. I lived in the Hollywood area all through the 90’s. On a side street, sitting a parade car was Jimmy Stewart and my eyes lit up. I approached him, told him how much I enjoyed his films and then I asked for his autograph. He then responded saying “Why thank you young fella”(I was roughly 32,33 at the time) and he gave me his autograph . All I know is that Mr. Stewart was very friendly toward myself and girlfriend.
Also, whoever posted that Stewart had no blacks in his movie with speaking parts is definitely doing absolutely No Research and the reason I say this, is this. Probably Stewarts most popular movie and a Xmas classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life” thier black housekeeper, Annie, Played by Lillian Randolph who was a black actress. Although her role was small, she still interacted some with Stewart.
Bottom line in my opinion is simply this. Having had a short but pleasant greet with Stewart and being black, I don’t know. People can change over time. Also, just the simple fact that whoever claims that Stewart had no blacks in his movies is preposterous. His most famous movie had a black actress. I mean Come On.

[–] enriquesingh (1769) 2 years ago

I hope he wasn't... I'm not American, nor white... but even if he was, I believe racism-segregation was more 'accepted' back then, which is sad, but it was a very different world.

Maybe he was raised that way... basically brainwashed since he was young by the people around him... like everyone else was not only towards a different race but many other things.

Thankfully we keep evolving, becoming better human beings and accepting each other regardless of skin color, sex, religion, any other sort of physical appearance-difference, etc...

[–] kwestmo (4114) 2 years ago

Have you ever posted an original thought?

[–] [deleted] 5 months ago

People trying to cancel people that were born over 100 years ago for being either racist, sexist or homophobic are being silly. James Stewart became an adult in 1926.

Completely different era and time period. I think it's fair to say that most people back in those days had some degree of prejudice to them. Racial segregation of schools was only abolished in the mid 1950s, anti-miscegenation laws were only abolished in 1967, public approval of interracial marriages was only 5% in the 1950s.

Honestly the truth is most people were racist, sexist and homophobic back then.

Sometimes you're a victim of your upbringing. Had he been born in the 90s and been around today he'd possibly have been different, this is assuming he was racist as alleged.

[–] liscarkat (16476) 5 months ago

Almost everyone, black or white, who was born in 1908 would be regarded as "racist" by 21st century standards. Not only that, but these are just anecdotes about Stewart, and are not verifiable. As far as hand shaking is concerned, I don't care much for it myself, and that's exacerbated by my shyness. I certainly don't go forward to people, white or black, with my arm extended to do it. I seriously doubt Strode approached Stewart with his hand out and Steward just snubbed him. It's really inconceivable, and I don't think it happened. In the end, it's foolish to call out people's interactions in the 1950s or any other time and judge them by 2020s sensibilities.