‘The Philadelphia Story’: Jimmy Stewart’s Oscar Statuette Had 1 Major Flaw
The Philadelphia Story actor Jimmy Stewart was known for his signature voice and his ability to portray the average man on the silver screen. He rightfully went down as one of the greatest performers to ever grace the Hollywood scene. However, the industry itself didn’t always pay him the utmost respect. The Oscar that Stewart won for The Philadelphia Story had a major flaw that was impossible to ignore.
Jimmy Stewart won an Oscar for ‘The Philadelphia Story’
Stewart played nosy reporter Macaulay Connor in 1940’s The Philadelphia Story, a classic romantic comedy. A high-class woman named Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn) split from her husband (Cary Grant) as a result of his non-stop drinking and her high-maintenance personality. Next, she’s marrying the wealthy George Kittredge (John Howard), but she’s also hung up on Macaulay. Tracy must decide which man she truly loves before it’s too late.
The Philadelphia Story earned two Oscar wins for Stewart’s performance and Donald Ogden Stewart’s screenplay. However, the film also scored nominations for Best Picture, Best Actress in a Leading Role for Hepburn, Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Ruth Hussey, and Best Director.
The romantic comedy lost Best Picture to Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca, which also took home the statuette for Best Cinematography.
Jimmy Stewart’s Oscar statuette for ‘The Philadelphia Story’ misspelled the movie title
According to The Tribute-Review, the engravers at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences made a grave mistake on the Oscar statuette that Stewart received for The Philadelphia Story. They misspelled the movie’s title as “The Philidelphia Story.”
In 2005, the statuette made its way back home to Indiana, Pennsylvania, where the actor grew up. It became a fixture of the Jimmy Stewart Museum after it sat in the hardware shop for 20 years that Stewart’s father owned.
The museum’s vice president, Carson Greene Jr., emphasized to The Tribute-Review how big of a deal it was for them to receive the Oscar, although he mentioned the misspelling. He joked that he wanted to have the engraving fixed while it was in their possession.
Jimmy Stewart won an Honorary Award at the Oscars
The Philadelphia Story was the only film that Stewart won an Oscar for over the course of his rich career. However, he received four other nominations that included some of his most legendary performances.
The Academy first nominated him in 1940 for Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, but he lost to Robert Donat in Goodbye, Mr. Chips.
The next Academy Award nomination that Stewart received after The Philadelphia Story was at the 1947 ceremony for It’s a Wonderful Life, although The Best Years of Our Lives‘ Fredric March took home the award.
Stewart’s third nomination was at the 1951 ceremony for Harvey. However, José Ferrer won the award for Cyrano de Bergerac.
The final Oscar nomination Stewart received was in 1960 for Anatomy of a Murder, but Charlton Heston won for Ben-Hur.
Stewart was awarded with an Honorary Award at the 1985 Oscars ceremony for 50 years of working in the entertainment industry.
