[Re: “Jimmy Stewart and the WW2 Mission That Almost Broke Him”; and
By David in TN When Jimmy Stewart came back from the war, Hollywood tried to get him to do a film on his war experiences. Stewart refused. He also declined to be in movies like Command Decision (1948) or 12 O'Clock High (1949). The only war movie he ever did was set in China, The Mountain Road.
The only time Stewart ever said anything about the war was on the 1970 PBS World at War episode on the air war, in which he talked in general terms of what bombing raids were like, nothing about his experiences.
Stewart flew 20 official missions, but stayed with his unit to the end of the war, flying missions “off the books.”
Jimmy Stewart NEVER gave an interview on TV or the press about flying missions over Germany. He never did an article or book on the subject.
Can you picture Jimmy Stewart saying on camera, “I acted with the utmost courage while flying bomber missions.”
N.S.: When The War ended, Jimmy Stewart was either a major or a colonel—stories differ. He remained in the U.S. Air Force Reserves for another generation, and by the time he retired, was a brigadier general.
On November 10, 1963, Stewart appeared as the celebrity guest on What’s My Line?, the classiest game show in TV history.
In all such segments, the panel had to wear blindfolds. Stewart masked his voice with a phony accent and mumbled answers. Most members of the bright, witty panel were getting nowhere, and were running out of time, but the smartest member, publisher Bennett Cerf, finally asked the mystery guest, “Were you a member of the Eighth Air Force?”
Stewart, who never fooled around about his membership in that august body, answered in the affirmative, and Cerf immediately named him.
Friday, August 27, 2021 at 12:57:00 A.M. EDT
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