Two worlds collided in 1989 when Tom Hanks was photographed alongside James “Jimmy” Stewart. We’re sure the interaction was nothing short of incredible, and Hanks recently described his visit to the late legend’s home. Unsurprisingly, the actor’s still able to recall every moment from that day, noting one particular detail missing from the residence: movie memorabilia.
Appearing together in Life magazine
Tom Hanks & James Stewart talk about acting pic.twitter.com/2LTZCnhaeQ
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Tom Hanks and Jimmy Stewart are acting legends. Despite finding fame in different eras, they reached considerable heights. Stewart appeared in almost 100 films throughout his storied career, while Hanks has already surpassed that total, with more projects on the horizon.
It makes sense, then, that the two were paired together for a special issue of Life magazine back in 1989. It focused on actors from different generations, pairing them up, and included the likes of Michael Keaton, Mickey Rooney, Meryl Streep and Bette Davis.
As Hanks was paired with Stewart, he visited the star’s home, where the photoshoot took place. The meeting stuck with him; he told PEOPLE that he could recall “every moment” at the residence.
No signs of Jimmy Stewart being a movie star
Tom Hanks said it was “a lovely house,” but noted one detail that was missing. “He had absolutely no memorabilia from his career,” the actor revealed. “None. Zero. He had nothing. No sign of a movie that he had made.”
With so many film credits under his belt, it’s shocking to think Jimmy Stewart never kept anything from them. However, Hanks stated there was one small trinket that alluded to a production from his legendary career. While you might think it comes from one of his biggest films, like It’s A Wonderful Life (1946) or Vertigo (1958), it was actually from a 1950 comedy about a man and his invisible rabbit friend: Harvey.
“He had one tiny little figurine of Harvey the rabbit on a bookshelf,” Hanks said. “That was it, in a huge house.”
A gift from a co-star was the only other indication
There was one other item in the house that hinted at Jimmy Stewart’s storied career, but it wasn’t from a project. Instead, it was a watercolor painting of Pie, the horse he rode for many of the films that starred him on horseback. In fact, the two appeared in 17 movies together.
The painting was gifted to Stewart by his The Cheyenne Social Club (1970) co-star, Henry Fonda. The actor told Tom Hanks the horse had died only two weeks after he had received the painting. “Would you forget a story like that?” Hanks joked, adding that Stewart “used to live right across the street from Lucille Ball” and wondered “what are those parties like?”
More from us: Billy Crystal Reflects on ‘Fantastic Chemistry’ He Had With Meg Ryan in ‘When Harry Met Sally…’
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Stewart passed away in 1997, at the age of 89, but his legendary career keeps him in the hearts of many. Hanks is currently in his sixties and shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.