Lew Ayres

Lew Ayres

Date of Birth:

Dec 28, 1908

Place of Birth:

Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Lew Ayres was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and raised in San Diego,  California. A college dropout, he was found by a talent scout in the  Coconut Grove nightclub in Los Angeles and entered Hollywood as a bit  player. He was leading man to Greta Garbo in The Kiss (1929), but it was the role of Paul Baumer in All Quiet on the Western Front  (1930) that was his big break. He was profoundly affected by the  anti-war message of that film, and when, in 1942, the popular star of Young Dr. Kildare  (1938) and subsequent Dr. Kildare films was drafted, he was a  conscientious objector. America was outraged, and theaters vowed never  to show his films again, but quietly he achieved the Medical Corps  status he had requested, serving as a medic under fire in the South  Pacific and as a chaplain's aid in New Guinea and the Phillipines. His  return to film after the war was undistinguished until Johnny Belinda (1948) - his role as the sympathetic physician treating the deaf-mute Jane Wyman  won him an Academy Award nomination as Best Actor. Subsequent movie  roles were scarce; an opportunity to play Dr. Kildare in television was  aborted when the network refused to honor his request for no cigarette  sponsorship. He continued to act, but in the 1970s put his long  experience into a project to bring to the west the philosophy of the  East - the resulting film, Altars of the World  (1976), while not a box-office success, won critical acclaim and a  Golden Globe Award. Lew Ayres died in Los Angeles, California on  December 30, 1996, just two days after his 88th birthday.

filmography:

She Waits She Waits

1972

Heaven on Earth Heaven on Earth

1931

Bruised Celluloid Bruised Celluloid

1984

The Carpetbaggers The Carpetbaggers

1964

Servants' Entrance Servants' Entrance

1934

Under Siege Under Siege

1986

Hold 'Em Navy Hold 'Em Navy

1937

The Leathernecks Have Landed The Leathernecks Have Landed

1936

Cast the First Stone Cast the First Stone

1989

Hart to Hart: Crimes of the Hart Hart to Hart: Crimes of the Hart

1994

The Sophomore The Sophomore

1929

She Learned About Sailors She Learned About Sailors

1934

Up for Murder Up for Murder

1931

My Weakness My Weakness

1933

Common Clay Common Clay

1930

Spring Madness Spring Madness

1938

Night World Night World

1932

Battlestar Galactica Battlestar Galactica

1978

The Stranger The Stranger

1973

Big News Big News

1929

Cross Country Cruise Cross Country Cruise

1934

Heatwave! Heatwave!

1974

The Way of Peace The Way of Peace

1947

Francis Gary Powers: The True Story of the U-2 Spy Incident Francis Gary Powers: The True Story of the U-2 Spy Incident

1976

Cocoon Cocoon

1968

Letters from Frank Letters from Frank

1979

Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker

1991

Scandal Street Scandal Street

1938

Many a Slip Many a Slip

1931

Shakedown Shakedown

1936

Of Mice and Men Of Mice and Men

1981

Reunion Reunion

1980

Marcus Welby, M.D. Marcus Welby, M.D.

1969

Checking Out: Grand Hotel Checking Out: Grand Hotel

2004

From the Ends of the Earth From the Ends of the Earth

1939

That's Entertainment, Part II That's Entertainment, Part II

1976

Silk Hat Kid Silk Hat Kid

1935

The Lottery Lover The Lottery Lover

1935

The Spirit of Notre Dame The Spirit of Notre Dame

1931

A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound

1940

The Biscuit Eater The Biscuit Eater

1972

The Story of Noah The Story of Noah

1978

Hollywood: Style Center of the World Hollywood: Style Center of the World

1940

The Cohens and Kellys in Hollywood The Cohens and Kellys in Hollywood

1932

Blow-Ups of 1946 Blow-Ups of 1946

1946

Lady Be Careful Lady Be Careful

1936

Don Camillo Don Camillo

1984

The Last Train from Madrid The Last Train from Madrid

1937

Okay, America! Okay, America!

1932

No Escape No Escape

1953

Advise & Consent Advise & Consent

1962

Fingers at the Window Fingers at the Window

1942

State Fair State Fair

1933

The Unfaithful The Unfaithful

1947

Earth II Earth II

1971

Dr. Kildare's Crisis Dr. Kildare's Crisis

1940

Dr. Kildare Goes Home Dr. Kildare Goes Home

1940

Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day

1941

Holiday Holiday

1938

The Questor Tapes The Questor Tapes

1974

Suddenly, Love Suddenly, Love

1978

Damien: Omen II Damien: Omen II

1978

End of the World End of the World

1977

Battle for the Planet of the Apes Battle for the Planet of the Apes

1973

The Kiss The Kiss

1929

The Doorway to Hell The Doorway to Hell

1930

The Dark Mirror The Dark Mirror

1946

The Capture The Capture

1950

Johnny Belinda Johnny Belinda

1948

Donovan's Brain Donovan's Brain

1953

The People Vs. Dr. Kildare The People Vs. Dr. Kildare

1941

Dr. Kildare's Victory Dr. Kildare's Victory

1942

Panic on the Air Panic on the Air

1936

Murder with Pictures Murder with Pictures

1936

Iron Man Iron Man

1931

Don't Bet on Love Don't Bet on Love

1933

The Ice Follies of 1939 The Ice Follies of 1939

1939

Rich Man, Poor Girl Rich Man, Poor Girl

1938

Remember? Remember?

1939

The Man The Man

1972

Spring Tonic Spring Tonic

1935

These Glamour Girls These Glamour Girls

1939

The Impatient Maiden The Impatient Maiden

1932

King of the Newsboys King of the Newsboys

1938

Dr. Kildare's Strange Case Dr. Kildare's Strange Case

1940

Calling Dr. Kildare Calling Dr. Kildare

1939

Young Dr. Kildare Young Dr. Kildare

1938

The Secret of Dr. Kildare The Secret of Dr. Kildare

1939

New Mexico New Mexico

1951

Broadway Serenade Broadway Serenade

1939

The Crime Nobody Saw The Crime Nobody Saw

1937

East Is West East Is West

1930

The Golden Fleecing The Golden Fleecing

1940

Maisie Was a Lady Maisie Was a Lady

1941

All Quiet on the Western Front All Quiet on the Western Front

1930

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