Indiana, Pa., celebrates centennial of hometown hero Stewart's birth

INDIANA, Pa. -- Here in this college town, stories about Jimmy Stewart, its beloved native son, the affable actor, Boy Scout and World War II bomber pilot, are so vivid that you feel as if he is still alive.And, in a way, he is because next week his hometown celebrates the centennial of his birth with bands, a cake, a flyover by the Air Force, screenings of his films and the presentation of the Harvey Award, which honors people who worked with Stewart and shared his high standards for citizenship, service to his country and love of family.James Maitland Stewart was born on May 20, 1908, to a family of means and lived in a large home. Like his father, he graduated from Princeton University (class of 1932) after attending a local Indiana school and Mercersburg Academy.His Hollywood career began in 1935 with "Murder Man." He went on to star with Katharine Hepburn in "The Philadelphia Story" and won an Academy Award for his performance in the classic romantic comedy. Other standout films include "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," "Harvey," "Rear Window," "The Man Who Knew Too Much" and "Vertigo."On May 20, 1995, the town opened the Jimmy Stewart Museum here that's dedicated to his career. The 6,000-square-foot museum, on the third floor of the public library, greets about 10,000 visitors a year and is the town's top tourist attraction.Timothy Harley, its executive director and only paid staff member, estimates that the museum generates about $300,000 annually for the town in revenue from overnight stays, meals and shopping. A dedicated core of 15 volunteers and some students on work-study from Indiana University of Pennsylvania keep the doors open.Harley concedes that he cringes "each time a coed comes over from IUP and doesn't have name recognition" of Indiana's hometown hero."We realize that we have a significant challenge in keeping Stewart's memory alive. He's an appropriate and appealing role model," he said.That's one reason why students from Eisenhower School participated in efforts to re-create Stewart's boyhood bedroom at the museum. It features a globe, an actual twin bed from the actor's home and a map of Charles Lindbergh's solo trans-Atlantic flight.Harley knows that museums dedicated to actors -- such as the Burt Reynolds Museum in Jupiter, Fla., or the John Wayne Museum in Winterset, Iowa -- face an uphill battle in attracting new visitors and remaining viable among younger audiences who haven't watched their movies.To generate additional funds, the Jimmy Stewart Museum, which has an annual budget of $154,000, has begun hosting wedding receptions and parties. Marriage ceremonies can be performed in the 50-seat theater.Stewart waited until he was 41 to marry Gloria McLean, whom he met at a party at Gary Cooper's home. The couple raised twin daughters, Kelly and Judy, who are scheduled to be in Indiana for the festivities. He also adopted his wife's two sons from a previous marriage -- Ronald, 5, and 2-year-old Michael -- when they married. Ronald was killed in action while serving in the Vietnam War in 1969; Michael lives in Phoenix, Ariz.Right before the daughters left for college, Harley said, the actor sat them down and told them, "I want you to always be nice to everyone."The museum covers every facet of Stewart's life, from his boyhood to his long, fruitful career. He died in 1997 at age 89.As you emerge from the elevator, a life-size stuffed replica of Harvey, the good friend of Elwood P. Dowd, is there to greet you. There's a marvelous black-and-white photograph of Stewart that was taken by singer Kenny Rogers. There's a life-size minimalist line drawing of Stewart done by a California artist. There's a whole room devoted to gifts fans sent to Stewart over the years, including an excellent ink-on-paper drawing of him by cartoonist Milton Caniff, who drew the comic strip "Steve Canyon." And there's a replica of the Bedford Falls home from the iconic film "It's a Wonderful Life."Every weekend, the museum screens about 20 of Stewart's films.The museum's text panels include historical context that shows that Stewart's family lived in Pennsylvania before the American Revolution and fought in that conflict. The actor's father, Alex Stewart, served in the Spanish-American War and ran the town's hardware store until his death in 1960. He kept the store open partly because he figured if his son's Hollywood career didn't last that he could return home and run the business.In addition to movie posters, there's a whole room devoted to Stewart's military career and some of the costumes he wore in films. He searched for the right cowboy hat and, when he found it, insisted on wearing it in seven movies, including "Two Rode Together" in 1961.One thing you won't see in the museum are the animal trophies Stewart brought back from about a dozen big-game safaris. He rejected that pursuit, had the trophies destroyed and became a supporter of animal rights, Harley said. His last license plate was "Zoo Doo." And he supported the Greater Los Angeles Zoo.This year's Harvey Award goes posthumously to Grace Kelly, whom he starred with in "Rear Window." She cut her acting career short to take on the new role of princess of Monaco when she married Prince Albert II. Her nephew, John B. Kelly III of Philadelphia, will attend a dinner on May 24 at the Indiana Country Club, where he will accept the award.Visitors to this museum have left enthusiastic comments in the guest book."We need more Jimmy Stewarts in Hollywood," wrote a visitor from Oregon.For more information, visit www.jimmy.org/.(Marylynne Pitz may be reached at mpitz(at)post-gazette.com.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)