This Is Your Life: Stewart Granger

Stewart GRANGER (1913-1993)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE – Stewart Granger, actor, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the New London Theatre, having been led to believe he was there for an interview about a book he's writing in connection with his film career.

After training at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, Stewart spent time in repertory theatre, initially in Hull and later in Birmingham. He made his West End debut in 1938, and the following year was invited to join the Old Vic Theatre Company. During the Second World War he enlisted in the Gordon Highlanders, then transferred to the Black Watch but was invalided out of the army in 1942.

After appearing in small parts in several films, he got his first starring role in the Gainsborough melodrama The Man in Grey in 1943, which made him a box-office name. After appearing in several more films with Gainsborough, he joined the Rank Organisation in 1947 before moving to Hollywood in 1949, where having secured a contract with MGM, he became a popular leading man in heroic and romantic roles in films such as King Soloman's Mines, Scaramouche and The Prisoner of Zenda.

"You bastards!"

programme details...

Edition No: 536
Subject No: 533
Broadcast date: Wed 5 Mar 1980
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Wed 20 Feb 1980
Venue: New London Theatre
Series: 20
Edition: 15
Code name: Clan

on the guest list...

Jean Kent
Moira Lister
Margaret Lockwood
Lindsay - daughter
Jamie - son
Jamie - grandson
Maurice Denham
James Hayter
Mrs Stewart 'Johnnie' Steven
Prudence, Lady Penn
Glynis Johns
Josef Ramart
Peter Bull
Bob Porter
I S Johar
Flora Robson
Tracy - daughter
Mickey Rooney
Ann Miller

production team...

Researchers: Katie Lander, Maurice Leonard
Writers: Tom Brennand, Roy Bottomley
Directors: Paul Stewart Laing, Terry Yarwood
Producer: Jack Crawshaw

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

The Glamorous Life

Hollywood in the spotlight

Screenshots of Stewart Granger This Is Your Life

Scriptwriter Roy Bottomley recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, This Is Your Life: The Story of Television's Famous Big Red Book...

At the New London Theatre on 20 February 1980, Stewart Granger walked into our trap, met by former British leading ladies Margaret Lockwood, Jean Kent and Moira Lister.

Maurice Denham, with whom he started at Hull Rep, was there, with Glynis Johns, Peter Bull and Dame Flora Robson. Dame Flora told us she had been out and bought a new dress because she knew she would be seeing him again and 'that's the effect he always had on us girls'. She was seventy-seven at the time and had toured with Stewart and Jack Hawkins in 1937.

Everyone on the show called Stewart Granger 'Jimmy', and for an interesting reason. Born in London on 6 May 1913, son of an army major, he was named after his father, James Stewart.

Unfortunately, when he decided to become a film actor there was another James Stewart around. That's when he became Stewart Granger.

His daughter Lindsay told how he got hold of a piece of historic Hollywood. On a visit to Los Angeles, her father had taken her to see the famous MGM lion, which roared at the start of every MGM film, and was called Leo. When the lion died, the studio presented the skin to Stewart Granger.

Series 20 subjects