Before James Stewart became one of the most beloved stars in Hollywood history, he was — believe it or not — a struggling contract player at MGM.
During the golden age of cinema, the small-town boy from Pennsylvania had found his way to Los Angeles, where he was churning out films as part of the studio system.
It wasn’t until Stewart stunned audiences with his turn as Senator Jefferson Smith in Frank Capra’s 1939 comedy-drama “Mr.
Smith Goes to Washington” that his star seriously began to rise.Considering how much work Stewart put into the part, the praise he received was well-deserved.
Aside from breaking his rule regarding rushes for the great Capra, the actor also ingested mercury dichloride to give himself a sore throat and make his performance in the famous 24-hour filibuster scene more believable.
Amazingly, after wrapping the movie, Stewart was far from “licked,” as Senator Smith would say.
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