OVERLAY REPORT

The lead actor in the 1956 version of *The Man Who Knew Too Much* is **James Stewart** (often called **Jimmy Stewart**). He plays the role of Dr. Ben McKenna. Stewart had one of the most prolific and celebrated careers in Hollywood history, appearing in over 80 feature films. Because his career spanned from 1935 to 1991, you likely recognize him from his frequent collaborations with directors like Alfred Hitchcock, Frank Capra, and Anthony Mann. Below is a detailed list of his most notable films, categorized to help you identify where you might have seen him before. ### 1. Collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock Aside from *The Man Who Knew Too Much*, Stewart starred in three other major Hitchcock thrillers: * **Rope (1948):** Plays Rupert Cadell, a publisher who inadvertently inspires two students to commit a "perfect murder." The film is famous for appearing to be shot in one continuous take. * **Rear Window (1954):** Plays L.B. "Jeff" Jefferies, a photographer confined to a wheelchair who becomes obsessed with spying on his neighbors and believes he has witnessed a murder. * **Vertigo (1958):** Plays John "Scottie" Ferguson, a retired detective with a fear of heights who becomes obsessed with a mysterious woman. This is often cited as one of the greatest films ever made. ### 2. The Frank Capra "Everyman" Films These films defined Stewart’s early persona as the idealistic, honest American hero: * **You Can't Take It with You (1938):** Plays Tony Kirby, the son of a wealthy businessman who falls in love with a girl from an eccentric, carefree family. * **Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939):** Plays Jefferson Smith, a naive young man appointed to the U.S. Senate who fights against political corruption. * **It’s a Wonderful Life (1946):** His most famous role as George Bailey, a man who contemplates suicide on Christmas Eve until an angel shows him how much he has touched the lives of others. ### 3. Major Westerns Stewart reinvented his career in the 1950s by playing "tougher," more cynical characters in Westerns: * **Winchester '73 (1950):** Plays Lin McAdam, a man obsessed with tracking down a stolen rifle and the murderer of his father. * **Bend of the River (1952):** Plays Glyn McLyntock, a guide leading a wagon train of settlers while struggling with his own outlaw past. * **The Naked Spur (1953):** Plays Howard Kemp, a bitter bounty hunter trying to capture a killer to earn enough money to buy back his ranch. * **The Man from Laramie (1955):** Plays Will Lockhart, a man seeking vengeance for his brother's death by investigating those selling repeating rifles to the Apache. * **The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962):** Plays Ransom Stoddard, a law-abiding senator who rises to fame for supposedly killing a notorious outlaw (played by Lee Marvin). ### 4. Other Award-Winning Dramas & Comedies * **The Philadelphia Story (1940):** Plays Macaulay "Mike" Connor, a fast-talking reporter. Stewart won his only **Academy Award for Best Actor** for this role, starring alongside Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant. * **The Shop Around the Corner (1940):** Plays Alfred Kralik, a gift shop clerk who is feuding with a co-worker, unaware they are secretly falling in love through anonymous letters. (The inspiration for the 1998 film *You've Got Mail*). * **Harvey (1950):** Plays Elwood P. Dowd, a gentle man whose best friend is an invisible 6-foot-tall rabbit named Harvey. * **The Glenn Miller Story (1954):** A biographical film where Stewart plays the famous big-band leader Glenn Miller. * **Anatomy of a Murder (1959):** Plays Paul Biegler, a small-town lawyer defending an Army lieutenant charged with murdering a local innkeeper. * **The Flight of the Phoenix (1965):** Plays Frank Towns, a pilot trying to lead survivors of a plane crash in the Sahara Desert as they attempt to build a new plane from the wreckage. ### 5. Final Roles * **The Shootist (1976):** Plays Dr. E.W. Hostetler, appearing alongside John Wayne in Wayne's final film. * **Airport '77 (1977):** Plays Philip Stevens, the owner of a luxury aircraft that crashes into the Bermuda Triangle. * **An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991):** His final film role, providing the voice for Wylie Burp, an elderly hound dog sheriff. ### Complete Filmography (Chronological Highlights) * **1935:** *The Murder Man* (Debut) * **1936:** *Rose Marie*, *Wife vs. Secretary*, *The Gorgeous Hussy*, *After the Thin Man*, *Born to Dance* * **1937:** *Seventh Heaven*, *The Last Gangster*, *Navy Blue and Gold* * **1938:** *Of Human Hearts*, *Vivacious Lady*, *The Shopworn Angel* * **1939:** *Made for Each Other*, *It's a Wonderful World*, *Destry Rides Again* * **1941:** *Come Live with Me*, *Pot o' Gold*, *Ziegfeld Girl* * **1947:** *Magic Town* * **1948:** *Call Northside 777*, *On Our Merry Way* * **1949:** *The Stratton Story*, *Malaya* * **1950:** *Broken Arrow*, *The Jackpot* * **1951:** *No Highway in the Sky* * **1952:** *The Greatest Show on Earth*, *Carbine Williams* * **1953:** *Thunder Bay* * **1955:** *Strategic Air Command* * **1957:** *The Spirit of St. Louis*, *Night Passage* * **1958:** *Bell, Book and Candle* * **1959:** *The FBI Story* * **1961:** *Two Rode Together* * **1962:** *How the West Was Won*, *Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation* * **1963:** *Take Her, She's Mine* * **1964:** *Cheyenne Autumn* * **1965:** *Shenandoah*, *Dear Brigitte* * **1966:** *The Rare Breed* * **1968:** *Firecreek*, *Bandolero!* * **1970:** *The Cheyenne Social Club* * **1971:** *Fools' Parade* * **1978:** *The Big Sleep*, *The Magic of Lassie*