Lewis Stone

Actor

About

Birth Place

Worcester, Massachusetts, USA

Born

November 15, 1879

Died

September 12, 1953

Cause of Death

Heart Attack

Biography

Broadway lead who played courtly heroes in numerous silent films, making his mark in Rex Ingram's "The Prisoner of Zenda" (1922--dual role) and "Scaramouche" (1923). Despite his advanced years--he was 50 at the dawn of the sound era--Stone continued to play gentlemanly leads, often appearing opposite Greta Garbo, and eventually evolved into a dependable character player of numerous MGM p...

Filmography

All the Brothers Were Valiant (1953)

Capt. Holt

Scaramouche (1952)

Georges de Valmorin

It's a Big Country: An American Anthology (1952)

Sexton

The Prisoner of Zenda (1952)

The cardinal

Talk About a Stranger (1952)

Mr. Wardlaw

Just This Once (1952)

Judge Samuel Coulter

Photos & Videos

View All

Wet Parade, The (1932) -- (Movie Clip) Just A Low Down Cowardly Drunkard

Phantom Of Paris, The (1931) -- (Movie Clip) I'd Rather Not Watch This

Family & Companions

Mary Langham

Wife

Florence Pryor

Wife

Hazel Elizabeth Wolf

Wife

Was with Stone when he died at home of a heart attack.

Notes

"If it were not so impractical to close the studio down, every one of the thousands on the lot would be here to pay their tribute of affection to Lewis Stone. It is difficult to say what is his greatest attribute--his character of Americanism or his artistry. But I do say he is a credit to his profession, and it is significant that such a man has become the symobl of fatherhood in America as Judge Hardy. It is fitting that he should be the one to do such a perfect interpretation--and that every boy in America should envy Mickey Rooney that he has such a father in his professional life."--Louis B. Mayer on presenting Stone with a pair of silver spurs in 1938 ("The MGM Stock Company")

In his last years, Stone worked only twelve weeks a year at MGM, but at Mayer's insistence, was paid for a full forty weeks. ("The MGM Stock Company")

Biography

Filmography

Life Events

1900

Broadway debut, "Side-Tracked"

1912

Became Broadway matinee idol with "The Bird of Paradise"

1915

Film debut, "The Man Who Found Out"

1924

Worked for MGM shortly after its formation

1928

Rejoined MGM where, with a few exceptions, he remained for the rest of his career

1929

First sound film, "The Trial of Mary Dugan"

1937

First film as Andy Hardy's father, "You're Only Young Once"

1953

Died of heart attack while chasing vandals from his property; was to have appeared in "Sabrina" (1954)

Photo Collections

Scaramouche - Publicity Stills

Here are several publicity stills from MGM's Scaramouche (1952), starring Stewart Granger, Eleanor Parker, and Janet Leigh. Publicity stills were specially-posed photos, usually taken off the set, for purposes of publicity or reference for promotional artwork.

Just This Once - Lobby Cards

Here are a few Lobby Cards from Just This Once (1952), starring Janet Leigh and Peter Lawford. Lobby Cards were 11" x 14" posters that came in sets of 8. As the name implies, they were most often displayed in movie theater lobbies, to advertise current or coming attractions.

Life Begins for Andy Hardy - Movie Posters

Here are a few original release movie posters for MGM's Life Begins for Andy Hardy (1941), starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland.

Andy Hardy's Private Secretary - Publicity Stills

Here are a few publicity stills from MGM's Andy Hardy's Private Secretary (1941), starring Mickey Rooney. Publicity stills were specially-posed photos, usually taken off the set, for purposes of publicity or reference for promotional artwork.

Love Finds Andy Hardy - Publicity Stills

Here are some publicity stills from Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938), starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. Publicity stills were specially-posed photos, usually taken off the set, for purposes of publicity or reference for promotional artwork.

A Fool There Was - Glass Slide

Here is a Glass Slide for the Fox film A Fool There Was (1922), starring Estelle Taylor and Lewis Stone. Glass slides were used by many theaters to promote coming attractions during slide shows between movie screenings.

Judge Hardy and Son - Scene Stills

Here are a few scene stills from MGM's Judge Hardy and Son (1939), starring Mickey Rooney and Lewis Stone.

Judge Hardy and Son - Movie Poster

Here is the American one-sheet movie poster for MGM's Judge Hardy and Son (1939). One-sheets measured 27x41 inches, and were the poster style most commonly used in theaters.

Videos

Wet Parade, The (1932) -- (Movie Clip) Just A Low Down Cowardly Drunkard Increasingly dissolute Southern patriarch Chilcote (Lewis Stone) resists when daughter Maggie (Dorothy Jordan) snatches him from the saloon, early in Victor Fleming's The Wet Parade, 1932, from an Upton Sinclair novel.

Phantom Of Paris, The (1931) -- (Movie Clip) I'd Rather Not Watch This From the top, we meet John Gilbert as the title character, a celebrated magician, from a Gaston Leroux serial novel (as was MGM’s The Phantom Of The Opera, 1925), Leila Hyams his admirer in the balcony, Louise Mackintosh her affronted companion, in The Phantom Of Paris, 1931, with Ian Keith, Jean Hersholt and Alfred Hickman.

Red-Headed Woman (1932) -- (Movie Clip) Husbands Just Love Being Surprised With May Robson as her Aunt Jane, the first appearance by Leila Hyams as Irene, wife of businessman Bill (Chester Morris), whom we know is this very minute being seduced by his brazen new office gal “Red” (Jean Harlow), leading to confrontation, in director Jack Conway’s Red-Headed Woman, 1932.

Red-Headed Woman (1932) -- (Movie Clip) I'm In The Big Leagues Having successfully gotten herself caught fooling around with her boss by his wife, Red (Jean Harlow) plotting and undressing with somewhat shocked pal Sally (Una Merkel), then summoned by her boss's father (Lewis Stone) in MGM's Red-Headed Woman, 1932.

Queen Christina (1933) -- (Movie Clip) I Have No Time To Soothe You First appearance by Greta Garbo, now grown up, as the Swedish queen, a historical figure, consulting with her chancellor (Lewis Stone) and her (turns out to be...) amorous treasurer (Ian Keith), early in MGM's Queen Christina, also starring John Gilbert.

Big House, The (1930) -- (Movie Clip) Mushrooms All Over It Director George Hill capturing more of the remarkable scale of the MGM sets in another famous scene, in the mess hall, Butch (Wallace Beery) sowing discontent, the warden (Lewis Stone) intervening, and new inmate Kent (Robert Montgomery) timidly foiling a plot, in The Big House, 1930.

Big House, The (1930) -- (Movie Clip) You're Too Nice A Kid More of MGM’s massive interior sets, derived partly from writer Frances Marion’s visit to San Quentin, our first trip to the yard with new inmate Kent (Robert Montgomery), with the boys playing what looks like a standard trick, DeWitt Jennings the head screw, in The Big House, 1930.

Big House, The (1930) -- (Movie Cilp) First Time In Prison? Dramatic opening, featuring a model prison, into which Kent (Robert Mongtomery) is incarcerated in convincing manner, from MGM's The Big House , 1930, also starring Wallace Beery and Chester Morris.

Andy Hardy Meets Debutante (1940) -- (Movie Clip) There's A General Housework Girl The Hardy family (Lewis Stone, Fay Holden, Cecilia Parker as Marian and Mickey Rooney as Andy) travels from Carmel (somewhere in the midwest…) to New York, on the judge’s legal business, where hometown friend Betsy (Judy Garland) has arranged lodging, early in Andy Hardy Meets Debutante, 1940.

Romance (1930) -- (Movie Clip) Harder To Be Good Young Manhattan pastor Tom (Gavin Gordon) deals first with a gossipy guest (William Stack), then with his parishoner and host Van Tuyl (Lewis Stone), before briefly meeting the star Greta Garbo, early in her second talkie, Romance, 1930.

Romance (1930) -- (Movie Clip) Perhaps The Boat Will Sink New Yorker Miss Armstrong (Clara Blandick) with Van Tuyl (Lewis Stone), prepared to be offended by opera singer Rita Cavallini (Greta Garbo), and both aiming to discourage her friendship with her pastor brother Tom (Gavin Gordon), in MGM's Romance, 1930.

Andy Hardy's Private Secretary (1941) -- (Movie Clip) How Are The Ancient Greeks Involved? Andy (Mickey Rooney) explains errors in financing for his high school graduation to his dad the judge (Lewis Stone), with visits from Beezy and Jimmy (George Breakston, Gene Reynolds) and girlfriend Polly (Ann Rutherford), in the 10th film in MGM’s series, Andy Hardy’s Private Secretary, 1941.

Love Finds Andy Hardy - (Original Trailer) A small-town boy tries to juggle two girlfriends at once in Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938), starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland.

Three Wise Fools - (Original Trailer) An orphan girl (Margaret O'Brien) melts the hearts of three crusty old men (Lionel Barrymore, Lewis Stone, Edward Arnold).

Woman Wanted - (Original Trailer) An innocent woman (Maureen O'Sullivan) is chased by both gangsters and the police.

Hardys Ride High, The - (Original Trailer) In the sixth Hardy Family movie, The Hardys Ride High (1939) after they inherit a fortune but Andy has trouble adjusting to society life.

Chaser, The - (Original Trailer) Love trips up an ambulance-chasing lawyer Dennis O'Keefe in The Chaser (1938), a remake of The Nuisance (1933).

Bureau of Missing Persons - (Original Trailer) A police chief (Pat O'Brien) helps a young bride (Bette Davis) find her missing husband...or at least his corpse at the Bureau Of Missing Persons (1933).

Bannerline - (Original Trailer) An idealistic small-town reporter (Keefe Brasselle) tries to fight corruption in Bannerline (1951).

Andy Hardy's Private Secretary - (Original Trailer) For number 11 in the series, Andy feels he needs social assistance in Andy Hardy's Private Secretary (1941).

Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble - (Original Trailer) In the 13th entry in the series, college boy Andy tangles with beautiful twins in Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble (1944).

Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever - (Original Trailer) For the seventh movie in the series, Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever (1939) especially when he falls hard for his drama teacher.

Unguarded Hour, The -- (Original Trailer) A blackmailer tries to stop a woman from revealing evidence that could save a condemned man in The Unguarded Hour (1936) starring Loretta Young.

West Point Of The Air - (Original Trailer) An army sergeant (Wallace Beery) inspires his son to become an ace flyer and join the West Point of the Air (1935).

Companions

Mary Langham

Wife

Florence Pryor

Wife

Hazel Elizabeth Wolf

Wife

Was with Stone when he died at home of a heart attack.

Bibliography

Notes

In his last years, Stone worked only twelve weeks a year at MGM, but at Mayer's insistence, was paid for a full forty weeks. ("The MGM Stock Company")

About

Biography

Filmography

Photos & Videos

Family & Companions

Notes

Biography

Filmography

Cast (Feature Film)

Writer (Feature Film)

Cast (Short)

Life Events

1900

1912

1915

1924

1928

1929

1937

1953

Photo Collections

Videos

Movie Clip

Trailer

Companions

Bibliography

Notes

TCM Emails