On August 21, 1984, the legendary actor Jimmy Stewart appeared as a guest on the Carson Tonight Show, hosted by Johnny Carson. Naturally, the audience is thrilled to see the Hollywood icon, who had been a major star for over 40 years. He was working on the television movie, “The Late Christopher Bean,” with Carol Burnett.
Carson began the interview by introducing Stewart, praising him as a monumental celebrity who needed no introduction. He then asks Stewart about his recent 35th wedding anniversary party and whether he knew his marriage would last this long. After some initial laughter, Carson rephrases the question. Stewart replied that he knew his wedding would last from the beginning. He spoke lovingly about his wife Gloria, who had children from her previous marriage, and how they had built a family together over the years.
The conversation then turned to a picture Carson had of Stewart, Phyllis Diller, Mayor Sam Yorty, and himself performing together on a show about 15 years prior. They reminisced about the good old days when Stewart had played the accordion. Clearly, Carson treated Stewart as an old friend and was just trying to catch up on lost time.
Stewart then shared some anecdotes about his grandkids, revealing that his eldest grandson called him “Umpa,” and the youngest called him “Dada.” He joked that the youngest probably thought he was asking for milk whenever he saw him.
Carson then asked Stewart about his new project with Carol Burnett. The actor revealed that he had only met Carol once or twice, as a guest on her show or during parties. However, he looked forward to working with her on their new project.
Soon, the conversation turns humorous when Carson talks about his father wearing a hearing aid and knowing he would turn it off during parties. Stewart then reveals that he did the same thing as he finds it inconvenient to listen to all the noises coming from all directions.
Stewart’s interview was filled with interesting facts about the star’s life. It is a thoughtful exchange between Carson and Stewart, as they had been on friendly terms for quite a long time. Stewart’s warmth and humor shone through, and Carson was the perfect host, putting his guest at ease and allowing him to share his stories with the audience.
