Whether portraying the young idealist fighting corruption in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, the honest, struggling humanitarian in It's a Wonderful Life, or the patriarchal Virginia farmer in Shenandoah, Jimmy Stewart has embodied the virtues of the all-American hero and won the hearts of men and women alike. For over fifty years, Stewart's considerable range and subtlety have made him one of the most visible and beloved actors in Hollywood.Drawing on the recollections of those who knew and worked with him, as well as personal observations from the actor himself, this revealing biography depicts the life and films of Jimmy Stewart during the most colorful, dramatic, and explosive years in Hollywood. Using Stewart's films as a backdrop, Pickard sketches the changes in the filmmaking industry from 1935 to the present day.In this wonderfully lively and moving biography, Roy Pickard draws an intimate portrait of one of Hollywood's great actor-personalities, whose legendary life in film has been a part of American life for more than half a century. Read Less