Tom Hanks Remembers Visiting Jimmy Stewart’s Home

Tom Hanks James Stewart
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Tom Hanks is reminiscing about a very special opportunity he had back in 1989. Hanks was able to visit Jimmy Stewart’s home when they were photographed together for an issue of Life magazine. The issue also featured Mickey Rooney, Michael Keaton, Bette Davis, William Hurt, Olivia de Havilland and Meryl Streep.

Hanks shared the surprising thing he noticed when he stepped foot in the home and got to look around. He revealed, “He had absolutely no memorabilia from his career. None. Zero. He had nothing. No sign of a movie that he had made.”

Vintage souvenir postcard published in 1958 from the Movie Star Homes series, depicting mansions and grand estates of Hollywood celebrities in Los Angeles, California, here a view of the grand Beverly Hills estate of Jimmy Stewart paired with a round portrait of the actor

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While there was nothing shouting “movie star” in the home, Hanks noticed a few keepsakes including a tiny figurine of Harvey the rabbit on a bookshelf, referring to Stewart’s 1950 film Harvey about a man and his friend, an invisible rabbit. Hanks was shocked that there were only a few nods to his impressive career “in a huge house.” Even so, he added that it was very “lovely.”

Tom Hanks and Robin Wright attend the 2024 AFI Fest - World Premiere Screening of "Here" at TCL Chinese Theatre on October 25, 2024 in Hollywood, California

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Hanks continued that he learned that Stewart lived across the street from the great Lucille Ball. He joked, “What are those parties like?” He opened up about the visit during the premiere of his latest film Here, starring his Forrest Gump costar Robin Wright. It is also directed by Forrest Gump director Robert Zemeckis, making it a fun reunion.

Learn more about the film, which used de-aging technology, below.

Then let us know which celebrity home you’d most like to visit in the comments.

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