26 Facts About Lewis Stone

Lewis Stone was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1929 for his performance as Russian Count Pahlen in The Patriot.

Lewis Stone was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1879, was youngest of four children of Philena and Bertrand Lewis Stone.

Lewis Stone's father, according to the federal census of 1880, supported the family as a boot cutter.

Lewis Stone returned to the United States, and following his discharge from the army began his career as a writer and actor.

In 1912, Lewis Stone found success in the popular play Bird of Paradise, which starred Laurette Taylor.

Lewis Stone's career was interrupted by a return to the Army in World War I, serving as a major in the cavalry.

Lewis Stone showed up in First National's 1920 Nomads of the North to good effect playing a Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman.

Lewis Stone portrayed the title role in the 1922 silent film version of The Prisoner of Zenda.

In 1924, Lewis Stone joined the newly formed Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio as a contract player, where he remained until his death in 1953.

Lewis Stone was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1929 for The Patriot.

Lewis Stone played the character that gives the film its title, but he was not the top-billed star.

Lewis Stone appeared in seven films with Greta Garbo, spanning both the silent and early sound period.

Lewis Stone played a larger role in the 1933 Garbo film Queen Christina.

Lewis Stone 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, Lewis Stone first appeared in the role which became his most famous, that of wise and kindly Judge James Hardy in the Andy Hardy film series, starring Mickey Rooney.

Lewis Stone appeared as the judge in 14 of the 16 Hardy movies, beginning with You're Only Young Once.

Lionel Barrymore had portrayed the judge in the first Hardy movie, and Lewis Stone died before the making of the last one, Andy Hardy Comes Home, so Judge Hardy's death was written into the script.

Lewis Stone was under contract to MGM for 29 years, the studio's longest-contracted actor, as well as the actor with the longest contract at any Hollywood movie studio.

Lewis Stone appeared in approximately 100 films for MGM from 1924 to 1953.

Lewis Stone owned a beach house in the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Lewis Stone campaigned for the reelection of President Herbert Hoover in 1932.

Lewis Stone died in Hancock Park, Los Angeles on September 12,1953, aged 73.

Lewis Stone reportedly suffered a heart attack while chasing away some neighborhood kids who were throwing rocks at his garage or trampling his meticulously kept prized garden.

When he investigated, Lewis Stone found lawn furniture floating in the pool and glimpsed three or perhaps four teenage boys running toward the street.

Lewis Stone gave chase despite his wife's warning not to exert himself.

Lewis Stone was later honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6524 Hollywood Blvd.