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Lewis Stone

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Not to be confused with Louis Stone or Louis T. Stone.

Lewis Stone
Photo of Stone from The Moving Picture World (1916)
Born(1879-11-15)November 15, 1879
Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S.
DiedSeptember 12, 1953(1953-09-12) (aged 73)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1911–1953
Spouse(s)Florence Oakley (divorced) 2 children
Margaret Langham (1907–1917) (her death)
Hazel Elizabeth Wolf (1930–1953) (his death)

Lewis Shepard Stone (November 15, 1879 – September 12, 1953) was an American actor known for his role as Judge James Hardy in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Andy Hardy film series and as an MGM contract player.

Early life and career

According to the Code (1916)

Born in Worcester, Massachusetts to Bertrand Stone and Philena Heald Ball, Lewis Stone's hair turned gray prematurely (reportedly by age 20). Lewis served in the United States Army in the Spanish–American War, then returned to a career as a writer. He soon began acting. In 1912 Stone 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. 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

Stone was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1929 for The Patriot. 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 come. People go. 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, and he starred with some of the biggest names in Hollywood in the 1930s, such stars as Norma Shearer, John Gilbert, Ramón Novarro, Clark Gable, and Jean Harlow.

He played adventurers in the dinosaur epic The Lost World (1925) with Wallace Beery and The Mask of Fu Manchu (1932) with Boris Karloff, and a police captain in Bureau of Missing Persons (1933). 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 fifteen movies, beginning with You're Only Young Once (1937).

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.[citation needed]

A photo published in newspapers of the day showed Stone's body 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.

Partial filmography

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