Lewis Stone
Lewis Shepard Stone was an American film actor. He spent 29 years as a contract player at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and was best known for his role as Judge James Hardy in their Andy Hardy film series. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1929 for The Patriot. He appeared in seven films with Greta Garbo, most memorably as Doctor Otternschlag in Grand Hotel.
Early life
Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, to Bertrand Stone and Philena Heald Ball, Lewis Stone's hair turned gray prematurely. Lewis served in the United States Army in the Spanish–American War as a lieutenant, before going to China to train troops. He then returned to a career as a writer and actor.In 1912, he found success in the popular play Bird of Paradise which starred Laurette Taylor. The play was later filmed in 1932 and 1951. Stone's career was interrupted by World War I where he served again in the United States Army in the cavalry as a major.
From 1920 to 1927, he lived in Los Angeles at 212 S. Wilton Place. The home is now Los Angeles Cultural-Historic Monument #925 and is in the Wilton Historic District.
Career
After returning from China, he made his feature film debut in Honor's Altar in 1916. He showed up in First National's 1920 Nomads of the North to good effect playing a Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman. He portrayed the title role in the 1922 silent film version of The Prisoner of Zenda.In 1924, he joined newly formed Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and was contracted up until his death.
Stone was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1929 for The Patriot. He played the character that gives the film its title, but he was not the top-billed star. After that, he appeared in seven films with Greta Garbo, spanning both the silent and early sound periods. He played the role of Dr. Otternschlag in the Garbo film Grand Hotel, in which he utters the famous closing line: "Grand Hotel. People coming. Going. Nothing ever happens."
He played a larger role in the 1933 Garbo film Queen Christina. His appearance in the successful prison film The Big House furthered his career. He played adventurers in the dinosaur epic The Lost World with Wallace Beery and The Mask of Fu Manchu with Boris Karloff, and a police captain in Bureau of Missing Persons. In 1937, Stone essayed the role which would become his most famous, that of Judge James Hardy in the Mickey Rooney Andy Hardy series. Stone appeared as the judge in fourteen of the sixteen Andy Hardy feature-length movies, beginning with You're Only Young Once. He also appeared in the short subject, Andy Hardy's Dilemma, which promoted charitable donations to the Community Chest, but had died by the time of the final Hardy feature, Andy Hardy Comes Home.
During World War II, Stone was a lieutenant colonel in the California National Guard.
Stone was MGM's longest-contracted actor and the longest-ever-contracted actor at a studio up to his death. The week before his death, he received a gold key to his dressing room. He had made approximately 100 movies.
Death
Stone died in Hancock Park, Los Angeles on September 12, 1953, aged 73. He reportedly suffered a heart attack while chasing away some neighborhood kids who were throwing rocks at his garage. Another published report states that on that date Stone and his third wife were watching television when they heard a racket in the back yard. When he investigated, Stone found lawn furniture once again floating in the pool and glimpsed three or perhaps four teenage boys running towards the street. Stone gave chase despite his wife's warning not to exert himself. Upon reaching the sidewalk, Stone suddenly collapsed. A gardener, Juan Vergara, witnessed the chase and summoned aid.A photo published in newspapers of the day showed Stone lying on the sidewalk immediately after the incident. The photo was later included in Kenneth Anger's Hollywood scandals book, Hollywood Babylon.
Lewis Stone was later honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6524 Hollywood Blvd.
Selected filmography
- The Bargain
- Honor's Altar as Warren Woods
- The Havoc as Richard Craig
- According to the Code as Basil Beckenridge
- Inside the Lines as Captain Cavendish
- The Man of Bronze as John Adams
- Man's Desire as Tom Denton
- Milestones as John Rhead
- Nomads of the North as Cpl. O'Connor
- Held by the Enemy as Capt. Gordon Haine
- The Concert as Augustus Martinot
- Beau Revel as Lawrence 'Beau' Revel
- The Golden Snare as Sergeant Philip Raine
- Don't Neglect Your Wife as Langdon Masters
- The Child Thou Gavest Me as Edward Berkeley
- Pilgrims of the Night as Philip Champion / Lord Ellingham
- The Rosary as Father Brian Kelly
- A Fool There Was as John Schuyler
- The Prisoner of Zenda as Rudolf Rassendyll / King Rudolf
- Trifling Women as The Marquis Ferroni
- The Dangerous Age as John Emerson
- The World's Applause as John Elliott
- You Can't Fool Your Wife as Garth McBride
- Scaramouche as The Marquis de la Tour d'Azyr
- The Stranger as Keith Darrant
- Why Men Leave Home as John Emerson
- Cytherea as Lee Randon
- Husbands and Lovers as James Livingston
- Inez from Hollywood as Stewart Cuyler
- Cheaper to Marry as Jim Knight
- The Lost World as Sir John Roxton
- Confessions of a Queen as The King
- The Talker as Harry Lennox
- The Lady Who Lied as Horace Pierpont
- Fine Clothes as Earl of Denham
- What Fools Men as Joseph Greer
- Too Much Money as Robert Broadley
- The Girl from Montmartre asJerome Hautrive
- Old Loves and New as Gervas Carew
- Don Juan's Three Nights as Johann Aradi
- Midnight Lovers as Maj. William Ridgewell, RFC
- The Blonde Saint as Sebastian Maure
- An Affair of the Follies as Hammersley
- The Notorious Lady as Patrick Marlowe / John Carew
- Lonesome Ladies as John Fosdick
- The Prince of Headwaiters as Pierre
- The Private Life of Helen of Troy as Menelaus
- The Foreign Legion as Col. Destin
- The Patriot as Count Pahlen
- Freedom of the Press as Daniel Steele
- A Woman of Affairs as Dr. Hugh Trevelyan
- Wild Orchids as John Sterling
- The Trial of Mary Dugan as Edward West
- Wonder of Women as Stephen Trombolt
- Madame X as Louis Floriot
- Their Own Desire as Marlett
- Strictly Unconventional as Clive Champion-Cheney
- The Big House as Warden James Adams
- Romance as Cornelius Van Tuyl
- The Office Wife as Lawrence Fellowes
- Passion Flower as Antonio Morado
- Inspiration as Raymond Delval
- Father's Son as William Emory
- The Secret Six as Richard Newton – Attorney at Law
- My Past as Mr. John Thornley
- Always Goodbye as John Graham
- The Bargain as Maitland White
- The Phantom of Paris as Detective Costaud
- The Sin of Madelon Claudet as Carlo Boretti
- Mata Hari as Andriani
- Strictly Dishonorable as The Judge
- The Wet Parade as Roger Chilcote
- Grand Hotel as Dr. Otternschlag
- Night Court as Judge William Osgood
- Letty Lynton as District Attorney Haney
- New Morals for Old as Mr. Thomas
- Red-Headed Woman as William Legendre Sr.
- Unashamed as Henry Trask
- Divorce in the Family as John Parker
- The Mask of Fu Manchu as Nayland Smith
- The Son-Daughter as Dr. Dong Tong
- Men Must Fight as Edward Seward
- The White Sister as Prince Guido Chiaromonte
- Looking Forward as Gabriel Service Sr.
- Bureau of Missing Persons as Capt. Webb
- Queen Christina as Axel Oxenstierna
- You Can't Buy Everything as John Burton
- The Mystery of Mr. X as Inspector Connor
- The Girl from Missouri as Frank Cousins
- Treasure Island as Captain Smollett
- David Copperfield as Mr. Wickfield
- as Adam Paris
- West Point of the Air as General Carter
- Public Hero No. 1 as Prison Warden
- Woman Wanted as District Attorney Martin
- China Seas as Tom Davids
- Shipmates Forever as Adm. Richard Melville
- Tough Guy as Davis
- Three Godfathers as James Underwood – aka 'Doc'
- The Unguarded Hour as General Lawrence
- Small Town Girl as Doctor Dakin
- Suzy as Baron Charville
- Sworn Enemy as Doctor Simon 'Doc' Gattle
- Don't Turn 'Em Loose as John Webster
- Outcast as Anthony Abbott
- The Thirteenth Chair as Inspector Marney
- The Man Who Cried Wolf as Lawrence Fontaine
- You're Only Young Once as Judge James K. Hardy
- The Bad Man of Brimstone as Mr. Jackson Douglas
- Judge Hardy's Children as Judge James K. Hardy
- Stolen Heaven as Joseph Langauer
- Yellow Jack as Major Reed
- Love Finds Andy Hardy as Judge James K. Hardy
- The Chaser as Dr. Delford Q. Prescott
- Out West with the Hardys as Judge James 'Jim' K. Hardy
- The Ice Follies of 1939 as Douglas Tolliver Jr.
- The Hardys Ride High as Judge James K. Hardy
- Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever as Judge James K. Hardy
- Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President as The President
- Judge Hardy and Son as Judge James K. Hardy
- Andy Hardy Meets Debutante as Judge James K. Hardy
- Sporting Blood as Davis Lockwood
- Andy Hardy's Dilemma: A Lesson in Mathematics... and Other Things as Judge James K. Hardy
- Andy Hardy's Private Secretary as Judge James K. Hardy
- Life Begins for Andy Hardy as Judge James K. Hardy
- The Bugle Sounds as Col. Jack Lawton
- The Courtship of Andy Hardy as Judge James K. Hardy
- Andy Hardy's Double Life as Judge James K. Hardy
- Plan for Destruction as Himself – Commentator
- Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble as Judge James K. Hardy
- The Hoodlum Saint as Father Nolan
- Three Wise Fools as Judge James Trumbell
- Love Laughs at Andy Hardy as Judge James K. Hardy
- State of the Union as Sam Thorndyke
- The Sun Comes Up as Arthur Norton
- Any Number Can Play as Ben Gavery Snelerr
- Key to the City as Judge Silas Standish
- Stars in My Crown as Dr. Daniel Kalbert Harris, Sr.
- Grounds for Marriage as Dr. Carleton Radwin Young
- Night Into Morning as Dr. Horace Snyder
- Angels in the Outfield as Commissioner Arnold P. Hapgood
- Bannerline as Josh
- The Unknown Man as Judge James V. Hulbrook
- It's a Big Country as Church Sexton
- Just This Once as Judge Samuel Coulter
- Talk About a Stranger as Mr. Wardlaw
- Scaramouche as Georges de Valmorin
- The Prisoner of Zenda as The Cardinal
- All the Brothers Were Valiant as Capt. Holt