James Stewart promo tour

James Stewart won Filipino fans (this columnist included) during a promotional tour of the 1955 Alfred Hitchcock movie Rear Window opposite Grace Kelly. Mr. Stewart turned out to be gracious, charming and accommodating.

He made two personal appearances at the Avenue Theater, where your columnist joined hundreds of fans in oogling at the American actor. I was then a student of Colegio de San Juan de Letran.

With Mr. Stewart was his equally nice wife Gloria Hatrick McLean. Printed here is an Internet item on Mr. Stewart:

James ‘Jimmy’ Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908-July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military officer who is among the most honored and popular stars in film history. Known for his distinctive drawl, down-to-earth authentic personas and everyman acting style, Stewart had a film career that spanned over 55 years and 80 films. With the strong morals he portrayed both on and off the screen, Stewart epitomized the ‘American ideal’ in the 20th-century United States. The characters he played spanned a wide range of subjects and appealed to large audiences. His emotional film performances contributed to his cinematic acclaim. — RKC