Lewis Frederick Ayres III (December 28, 1908 – December 30, 1996) was an American actor whose film and television career spanned 65 years. He is best known for starring as German soldier Paul Bäumer in the film '' All Quiet on the Western Front'' (1930) and for playing

Dr. Kildare Dr. James Kildare is a fictional American medical doctor, originally created in the 1930s by the author Frederick Schiller Faust under the pen name Max Brand. Shortly after the character's first appearance in a magazine story, Paramount Pictur ...

in nine films. He was nominated for an

Academy Award for Best Actor The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role in a film released that year. The ...

for his performance in '' Johnny Belinda'' (1948).

Early life and career

Ayres was born in

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

to Irma Bevernick and Louis Ayres, who divorced when he was four. Louis, an amateur musician and court reporter, remarried soon afterwards. As a teen, he and his mother moved with his step-father, William Gilmore, and half brother and sister to

San Diego, California San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United States ...

. Leaving high school before graduating, he started a small band which traveled to Mexico. He returned months later to pursue an acting career, but continued working full-time as a musician. He played banjo and guitar for

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s an ...

s, including the Henry Halstead Orchestra. He recorded one of the earliest

Vitaphone Vitaphone was a sound film system used for feature films and nearly 1,000 short subjects made by Warner Bros. and its sister studio First National from 1926 to 1931. Vitaphone was the last major analog sound-on-disc system and the only one th ...

movie shorts called ''Carnival Night in Paris'' (

Warner Brothers Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American Film studio, film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank, Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, Califo ...

, 1927). Ayres wrote, "I was a member of Henry Halstead's orchestra in 1927 at the Mission Beach Ballroom in San Diego, California for the summer. My instruments were tenor banjo, long-neck banjo and guitar. After a hiatus, I rejoined Mr. Halstead with a new group, including

Phil Harris Wonga Philip Harris (June 24, 1904 – August 11, 1995) was an American actor, comedian, musician and songwriter. He was an orchestra leader and a pioneer in radio situation comedy, first with ''The Jack Benny Program'', then in '' The Phil Harr ...

, on New Year's Eve the same year for the opening night of the

Beverly Wilshire Hotel The Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel, commonly known as the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, is a historic luxury hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Located at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Rodeo Drive, it was completed in 1928. It has ...

, a memorable occasion." He left a national tour to pursue a career as an actor full-time.

Career

Ayres was discovered at a night club by talent agent Ivan Kahn. He was cast to play opposite

Greta Garbo Greta Garbo (born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson; 18 September 1905 – 15 April 1990) was a Swedish-American actress. Regarded as one of the greatest screen actresses, she was known for her melancholic, somber persona, her film portrayals of tragedy, ...

in '' The Kiss'' (1929), but it was his leading role in the original version of '' All Quiet on the Western Front'' (1930) that made him a star, secured him a contract with

Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal ** Universal TV, a ...

—and made him a

conscientious objector A conscientious objector (often shortened to conchie) is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion. The term has also been extended to object ...

to World War II. He made a number of mostly forgotten

B movie A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double feature ...

s for Universal, with the exception of ''

Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...

'' (1931), with

Jean Harlow Jean Harlow (born Harlean Harlow Carpenter; March 3, 1911 – June 7, 1937) was an American actress. Known for her portrayal of "bad girl" characters, she was the leading sex symbol of the early 1930s and one of the defining figures of the ...

. His most successful movies at this time were those he made on loan to other studios, including ''

The Doorway to Hell ''The Doorway to Hell'' is a 1930 American pre-Code crime film directed by Archie Mayo and starring Lew Ayres and James Cagney in his second film role.Brennan, SandraThe Doorway to Hell ''The New York Times'', accessed October 12, 2010. The fil ...

'' (1930) with

James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor, dancer and film director. On stage and in film, Cagney was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He ...

in a

supporting role A supporting character is a character in a narrative that is not the focus of the primary storyline, but is important to the plot/protagonist, and appears or is mentioned in the story enough to be more than just a minor character or a cameo ap ...

, and as

Janet Gaynor Janet Gaynor (born Laura Augusta Gainor; October 6, 1906 – September 14, 1984) was an American film, stage, and television actress. Gaynor began her career as an extra in shorts and silent films. After signing with Fox Film Corporation (later ...

leading man A leading actor, leading actress, or simply lead (), plays the role of the protagonist of a film, television show or play. The word ''lead'' may also refer to the largest role in the piece, and ''leading actor'' may refer to a person who typica ...

in both ''

State Fair A state fair is an annual competitive and recreational gathering of a U.S. state's population, usually held in late summer or early fall. It is a larger version of a county fair, often including only exhibits or competitors that have won in th ...

'' (1933) and ''

Servants' Entrance ''Servants' Entrance'' is a 1934 American Pre-Code musical comedy film. It was written by Samson Raphaelson from the Sigrid Boo novel and directed by Frank Lloyd, with a cartoon sequence by Walt Disney (Who's company now ironically owns this fil ...

'' (1934), which featured a combination of live action and

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...

animation in a musical dream sequence, both for

Fox Film The Fox Film Corporation (also known as Fox Studios) was an American Independent film production studio formed by William Fox (1879–1952) in 1915, by combining his earlier Greater New York Film Rental Company and Box Office Attractions Film C ...

s. Ayres left Universal to sign with Fox Films. In 1934, Fox listed him as one of its second tier stars. He moved to poverty row studio Republic Pictures to pursue a second career as a director, including the film ''

Hearts in Bondage ''Hearts in Bondage'' is a 1936 American black-and-white war drama film directed by Lew Ayres for Republic Pictures. Set during the American Civil War, the film depicts the Union Navy's deliberate sinking of , the Confederate States Navy's salv ...

'' (1936), starring James Dunn and

Mae Clarke Mae Clarke (born Violet Mary Klotz; August 16, 1910 – April 29, 1992) was an American actress. She is widely remembered for playing Henry Frankenstein's bride Elizabeth, who is chased by Boris Karloff in ''Frankenstein'', and for being o ...

. He moved to

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

before finally being signed to

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...

in 1938. At this time, he was loaned from Paramount to play the role of Ned in ''

Holiday A holiday is a day set aside by custom or by law on which normal activities, especially business or work including school, are suspended or reduced. Generally, holidays are intended to allow individuals to celebrate or commemorate an event or tra ...

'' (1938). The role earned him considerable critical attention, including interest from MGM to put him under contract specifically for the role of Dr. James Kildare in an upcoming film series. Ayres played the role in nine films from 1938 to 1942 (and again in a 1950s radio series) while also appearing in light comedies for MGM, including '' Spring Madness'' and '' Rich Man, Poor Girl'' (both 1938), ''

The Ice Follies of 1939 ''The Ice Follies of 1939'' is a 1939 American musical film, musical drama (film and television), drama film directed by Reinhold Schünzel, and starring Joan Crawford, James Stewart, Lew Ayres and Lewis Stone. Using a show business backdrop, and ...

'' (1939), and ''

Fingers at the Window ''Fingers at the Window'' is a 1942 mystery film directed by Charles Lederer and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Plot An axe murderer in Chicago has already killed six victims. The police, led by Inspector Gallagher with psychiatrist Dr. Immel ...

'' (1942). His final film as Dr. Kildare, ''Born to Be Bad'', was re-edited after he was drafted and declared himself a

in March 1942. Lew Ayres in Johnny Belinda trailer

He returned to acting in the films '' The Dark Mirror'' (1946) with

Olivia de Havilland Dame Olivia Mary de Havilland (; July 1, 1916July 26, 2020) was a British-American actress. The major works of her cinematic career spanned from 1935 to 1988. She appeared in 49 feature films and was one of the leading actresses of her time. ...

and '' The Unfaithful'' (1947) with

Ann Sheridan Clara Lou "Ann" Sheridan (February 21, 1915 – January 21, 1967) was an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in the films ''San Quentin'' (1937) with Humphrey Bogart, ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' (1938) with James Cagne ...

. For his role in '' Johnny Belinda'' (1948) he received an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

nomination for Best Actor, while co-star

Jane Wyman Jane Wyman ( ; born Sarah Jane Mayfield; January 5, 1917 – September 10, 2007)"Actress, P ...

won Best Actress. Ayres gradually moved to television, appearing in several

anthology series An anthology series is a radio, television, video game or film series that spans different genres and presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a differ ...

in guest roles. In the summer of 1958, he hosted eleven original episodes of a

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

anthology television series called ''

Frontier Justice Frontier justice is extrajudicial punishment that is motivated by the nonexistence of Law and order (politics), law and order or dissatisfaction with justice. The phrase can also be used to describe a prejudiced judge. Lynching, vigilantism and gun ...

'', a production of Dick Powell's

Four Star Television Four Star Television, also called Four Star International, was an American television production company. Founded in 1952 as Four Star Productions by prominent Hollywood actors Dick Powell, David Niven, Charles Boyer, and Joel McCrea, it was insp ...

. He was offered the part of Dr. Kildare in an

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

series but his prescient request that the show have no

cigarette advertising Nicotine marketing is the marketing of nicotine-containing products or use. Traditionally, the tobacco industry markets cigarette smoking, but it is increasingly marketing other products, such as electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco produ ...

led to the offer being withdrawn, and the part going, in 1961, to

Richard Chamberlain George Richard Chamberlain (born March 31, 1934) is an American actor and singer, who became a teen idol in the title role of the television show '' Dr. Kildare'' (1961–1966). He subsequently appeared in several TV mini-series, such as ''Shō ...

. He appeared as the vice-president in ''

Advise & Consent ''Advise & Consent'' is a 1962 American political drama film based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel ''Advise and Consent'' by Allen Drury, published in 1959. The film was adapted for the screen by Wendell Mayes and was directed by Otto ...

'' (1962), and in ''

The Carpetbaggers ''The Carpetbaggers'' is a 1961 bestselling novel by Harold Robbins, which was adapted into a 1964 film of the same title. The prequel '' Nevada Smith'' (1966) was also based on a character in the novel. In the United States, the term "car ...

'' (1964), but he was by then primarily a television actor, with only occasional film work. For a guest role in ''

Kung Fu Chinese martial arts, often called by the umbrella terms kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (), are multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common ...

'' ("The Vanishing Image", 1974) he was nominated for an

Emmy The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

Doris Day Lew Ayres The Doris Day Show 1970

His documentary film '' Altars of the World'' (1976), based on a series of documentaries he made titled ''Altars of the East'' (1956), brought his Eastern philosophical beliefs to the screen and earned him critical acclaim and a

Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

for best documentary in 1977. Ayres guest-starred in an episode of ''

The Bionic Woman ''The Bionic Woman'' is an American science fiction action-adventure television series created by Kenneth Johnson based on the 1972 novel ''Cyborg'' by Martin Caidin, starring Lindsay Wagner that aired from January 14, 1976, to May 13, 1978. ' ...

'' ("Doomsday is Tomorrow", 1977) as Dr. Elijah Cooper, an elderly nuclear scientist who attempts to blackmail the world into peace. In 1985, he was cast in his first series as a regular cast member, as the father of

Robert Wagner Robert John Wagner Jr. (born February 10, 1930) is an American actor of stage, screen, and television. He is known for starring in the television shows '' It Takes a Thief'' (1968–1970), ''Switch'' (1975–1978), and '' Hart to Hart'' (1979� ...

in the short-lived series '' Lime Street.'' His last role was in the made-for-TV film ''

Hart to Hart ''Hart to Hart'' is an American mystery television series that premiered on August 25, 1979, on ABC. The show stars Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers as Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, respectively, a wealthy couple who lead a glamorous jetset life ...

: Crimes of the Heart'' (1994), also starring Wagner.

World War II conscientious objector and medic

In March 1942, Ayres was identified as a 4E

and sent to a CO camp. As expected, the announcement that a Hollywood actor objected to the war was a major source of public outcry and debate. Within a month it was determined that he had initially requested to be A-O-1, so that he could serve as a non-combat

medic A medic is a person involved in medicine such as a medical doctor, medical student, paramedic or an emergency medical responder. Among physicians in the UK, the term "medic" indicates someone who has followed a "medical" career path in postgra ...

. However, the military's policy that servicemen cannot request, or be guaranteed, where they will serve, forced him to request a 4E status. The U.S. military confirmed that they would place him as a medic and in April 1942, his status was changed. He enlisted in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

on May 18, 1942. He served as a

first aid First aid is the first and immediate assistance given to any person with either a minor or serious illness or injury, with care provided to preserve life, prevent the condition from worsening, or to promote recovery. It includes initial in ...

instructor in the United States Army before requesting a drop in rank in order to serve as a medic and chaplain's assistant in the Pacific. He was one of 16 medics who arrived under fire during the

invasion of Leyte An invasion is a military offensive in which large numbers of combatants of one geopolitical entity aggressively enter territory owned by another such entity, generally with the objective of either: conquering; liberating or re-establishing con ...

to set up evacuation hospitals, and there he provided care to soldiers and civilians in the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

and

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or just Hiri, is a language of Papua New Guinea, which is spoken in surrounding areas of Port Moresby (Capital of Papua New Guinea). It is a simplified version of ...

. He donated all the money he had earned as a serviceman to the

American Red Cross The American Red Cross (ARC), also known as the American National Red Cross, is a non-profit humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States. It is the desi ...

. Serving for three and a half years in the

Medical Corps A medical corps is generally a military branch or officer corps responsible for medical care for serving military personnel. Such officers are typically military physicians. List of medical corps The following organizations are examples of medica ...

, he was awarded three

battle star A service star is a miniature bronze or silver five-pointed star inch (4.8 mm) in diameter that is authorized to be worn by members of the eight uniformed services of the United States on medals and ribbons to denote an additional award or ser ...

s. After the war, he resumed his career and made scores of movies, but never reached the peak of his early Hollywood stardom, except when he was nominated for an Oscar.

Personal life

Ayres was married three times. First to actress

Lola Lane Lola Lane (born Dorothy Mullican; May 21, 1906 – June 22, 1981) was an American actress and one of the Lane Sisters with her sisters Leota, Rosemary, and Priscilla Lane. She appeared on Broadway and in films from the 1920s to 1940s. Early yea ...

from 1931 until 1933, although they were separated much of that period. He met actress

Ginger Rogers Ginger Rogers (born Virginia Katherine McMath; July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was an American actress, dancer and singer during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starri ...

while starring in the film ''

Don't Bet on Love ''Don't Bet on Love'' is a 1933 American comedy film directed by Murray Roth and written by Howard Emmett Rogers, Murray Roth and Ben Ryan. The film stars Lew Ayres, Ginger Rogers, Charley Grapewin, Shirley Grey, Tom Dugan and Merna Kennedy. Th ...

'' in 1933 and they wed 1934. They separated in 1936 and divorced in March 1940. His third marriage, to Diana Hall, lasted from 1964 until his death in 1996. Their son Justin was born in 1968.

Death and legacy

In 1960, Lew Ayres was inducted into the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...

with two stars. His motion pictures star is located at 6385

Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywoo ...

while his radio star is located at 1724

Vine Street Vine Street is a street in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California that runs north–south between Franklin Avenue and Melrose Avenue. The intersection with Hollywood Boulevard was once a symbol of Hollywood itself. The famed intersection fell into d ...

. Ayres died on December 30, 1996. His body was buried under a simple headstone at

Westwood Memorial Park Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park & Mortuary is a cemetery and mortuary located in the Westwood Village area of Los Angeles. It is located at 1218 Glendon Avenue in Westwood, with an entrance from Glendon Avenue. The cemetery was ...

Westwood, Los Angeles Westwood is a commercial and residential neighborhood in the northern central portion of the Westside region of Los Angeles, California. It is the home of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Bordering the campus on the south ...

Filmography

* ''

The Sophomore ''The Sophomore'' is a 1929 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Eddie Quillan, Sally O'Neil and Jeanette Loff.Munden p.747 Made during the early sound era, it was shot using the RCA Photophone sound system with a se ...

'' (1929) as Sophomore Fraternity Brother (uncredited) * ''

Big News ''The Big News'' is the evening television news program of ABC 5. It was the first evening news program on Philippine television. It aired from March 19, 1962, to September 22, 1972. After the reopening of ABC 5 in 1992, Originally anchored by ...

'' (1929) as Copyboy (uncredited) * '' The Kiss'' (1929) as Pierre * '' All Quiet on the Western Front'' (1930) as Paul * '' Common Clay'' (1930) as Hugh Fullerton * ''

'' (1930) as Louie * '' East Is West'' (1930) as Billy Benson * '' Many a Slip'' (1931) as Jerry Brooks * ''

'' (1931) as Kid Mason * ''

Up for Murder ''Up for Murder'' is a 1931 American pre-Code drama film written and directed by Monta Bell and starring Lew Ayres, Genevieve Tobin, Purnell Pratt, Richard Tucker, Frank McHugh and Frederick Burt. It was released on May 27, 1931, by Universal P ...

'' (1931) as Robert Marshall * ''

The Spirit of Notre Dame ''The Spirit of Notre Dame'' is a 1931 American drama film directed by Russell Mack, written by Walter DeLeon, Robert Keith, Richard Schayer and Dale Van Every, and starring Lew Ayres, Sally Blane, William Bakewell, Andy Devine, Harry Barris and ...

'' (1931) as Bucky O'Brien * '' Heaven on Earth'' (1931) as States * ''

The Impatient Maiden ''The Impatient Maiden'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by James Whale, starring Lew Ayres and Mae Clarke, and released by Universal Pictures. The screenplay was written by Richard Schayer and Winifred Dunn, based on the novel ...

'' (1932) as Dr. Myron Brown * ''

The Cohens and Kellys in Hollywood ''The Cohens and Kellys in Hollywood'' is a 1932 American pre-Code comedy film directed by John Francis Dillon and written by Howard J. Green. The film stars George Sidney, Charles Murray, June Clyde, Norman Foster, Esther Howard, and Emma Du ...

'' (1932) as Himself * ''

Night World ''Night World'' is a series of nine young adult fiction, young adult fantasy novels by American author L. J. Smith (author), L. J. Smith. In the series, vampires, witches, Werewolf, werewolves, and shape-shifters live among humans without their ...

'' (1932) as Michael Rand * ''

Okay, America! ''Okay, America!'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code film, about a gossip columnist's rise to fame, based closely on the real life of Walter Winchell. Cast * Lew Ayres as Larry Wayne * Maureen O'Sullivan as Sheila Barton * Louis Calhern as Mileawa ...

'' (1932) as Larry Wayne * ''

'' (1933) as Pat Gilbert * ''

'' (1933) as Bill McCaffery * '' My Weakness'' (1933) as Ronnie Gregory * '' Cross Country Cruise'' (1934) as Norman Winthrop * ''

Let's Be Ritzy ''Let's Be Ritzy'' is a 1934 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Edward Ludwig and written by Harry Sauber and Earle Snell. The film stars Lew Ayres, Patricia Ellis, Isabel Jewell, Frank McHugh, Berton Churchill and Robert McWade. The film ...

'' (1934) as Jimmy Sterling * ''

She Learned About Sailors ''She Learned About Sailors'' is a 1934 comedy film directed by George Marshall and starring Alice Faye, Lew Ayres, and Susan Fleming. The film is about a night club singer in Shanghai who falls in love with an American sailor. Songs for the fil ...

'' (1934) as Larry Wilson * ''

'' (1934) as Erik Landstrom * ''

Lottery Lover ''Lottery Lover'' is a 1935 American comedy film directed by Wilhelm Thiele and written by Franz Schulz and Billy Wilder. The film stars Lew Ayres, Pat Paterson, Peggy Fears, Sterling Holloway, Walter Woolf King and Alan Dinehart. The film wa ...

'' (1935) as Cadet Frank Harrington * '' Spring Tonic'' (1935) as Caleb Enix * '' The Silk Hat Kid'' (1935) as Eddie Howard * ''

The Leathernecks Have Landed ''The Leathernecks Have Landed'' is a 1936 American adventure film directed by Howard Bretherton and written by Seton I. Miller. The film stars Lew Ayres, Isabel Jewell, James Ellison, James Burke, J. Carrol Naish and Clay Clement. The film wa ...

'' (1936) as Woodruff 'Woody' Davis * ''

Panic on the Air ''Panic on the Air'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by D. Ross Lederman and starring Lew Ayres. Cast * Lew Ayres as Jerry Franklin * Florence Rice as Mary Connor Cremer * Benny Baker as Andy * Edwin Maxwell as Gordon * Charles C. Wils ...

'' (1936) as Jerry Franklin * ''

Shakedown Shakedown may refer to: * Shakedown (continuum mechanics), a type of plastic deformation * Shakedown (testing) or a shakedown cruise, a period of testing undergone by a ship, airplane or other craft before being declared operational * Extortion, ...

'' (1936) as Bob Sanderson * ''

Lady Be Careful ''Lady Be Careful'' is a 1936 American drama film directed by Theodore Reed and written by Dorothy Parker, Alan Campbell, and Harry Ruskin, adapted from the play by Kenyon Nicholson and Charles Knox Robinson. The film stars Lew Ayres, Mary Carl ...

'' (1936) as Chester aka Dynamite * ''

Murder with Pictures ''Murder with Pictures'' is a 1936 American crime-mystery film based on a story by George Harmon Coxe. The film was directed by Charles Barton, the screenplay was written by Jack Moffitt and Sidney Salkow. Lew Ayres starred as Kent Murdock, Gail ...

'' (1936) as Kent Murdock * ''

The Crime Nobody Saw ''The Crime Nobody Saw'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Charles Barton and written by Bertram Millhauser. The film stars Lew Ayres, Ruth Coleman, Eugene Pallette, Benny Baker, Vivienne Osborne, Colin Tapley and Howard Hickman. The ...

'' (1937) as Nick Milburn * ''

The Last Train from Madrid ''The Last Train from Madrid'' is a 1937 American war drama film directed by James P. Hogan and starring Dorothy Lamour, Lew Ayres and Gilbert Roland. It is set during the Spanish Civil War. The film was one of the few contemporary Hollywood film ...

'' (1937) as Bill Dexter * ''

Hold 'em Navy ''That Navy Spirit'' is a 1937 American sports film directed by Kurt Neumann and starring Lew Ayres, Mary Carlisle and John Howard.Quinlan p.274 It is also known by the alternative title ''Hold 'Em Navy''. It follows two members of the American ...

'' (1937) as Tommy Graham * '' Scandal Street'' (1938) as Joe McKnight * ''

King of the Newsboys ''King of the Newsboys'' is a 1938 American film directed by Bernard Vorhaus. Plot Jerry Flynn's girlfriend leaves him for a gangster with power and money, in order to show her that she made a mistake, Jerry starts his newspaper distribution ...

'' (1938) as Jerry Flynn * ''

'' (1938) as Ned Seton * '' Rich Man, Poor Girl'' (1938) as Henry Thayer * ''

Young Dr. Kildare ''Young Dr. Kildare'' is a 1938 film directed by Harold S. Bucquet and starring Lew Ayres as Dr. James Kildare, an idealistic, freshly graduated medical intern, who benefits greatly from the wise counsel of his experienced mentor, Dr. Leonard G ...

'' (1938) as Dr. James Kildare * '' Spring Madness'' (1938) as Sam Thatcher * ''

'' (1939) as Eddie Burgess * ''

Broadway Serenade ''Broadway Serenade'' (also known as ''Serenade'') is a 1939 musical drama film distributed by MGM, produced and directed by Robert Z. Leonard. The screenplay was written by Charles Lederer, based on a story by Lew Lipton, John Taintor Foote an ...

'' (1939) as James Geoffrey Seymour * ''

Calling Dr. Kildare ''Calling Dr. Kildare'' is a 1939 film in the Dr. Kildare series. Directed by Harold S. Bucquet, it stars Lew Ayres as the young Dr. Kildare and Lionel Barrymore as Dr. Gillespie, his mentor. The second of MGM's series of Kildare films, it intro ...

'' (1939) as Dr. James Kildare * ''

These Glamour Girls ''These Glamour Girls'' is a 1939 comedy-drama film directed by S. Sylvan Simon and starring Lew Ayres and Lana Turner, with Tom Brown, Jane Bryan, Richard Carlson, Anita Louise and Ann Rutherford in featured roles. Plot summary A drunken co ...

'' (1939) as Philip S. Griswold * ''

The Secret of Dr. Kildare ''The Secret of Dr. Kildare'' is a 1939 American film directed by Harold S. Bucquet and produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. This was the fourth of a total of ten Dr. Kildare pictures, Lew Ayres starred all but the first. Plot summary Dr. Leonard ...

'' (1939) as Dr. James 'Jimmy' Kildare * ''

Remember? ''Remember?'' is an American romantic comedy released on December 19, 1939, directed by Norman Z. McLeod and starring Robert Taylor, Greer Garson and Lew Ayres. It was rushed into production by MGM studio chief Louis B. Mayer to capitalize on th ...

'' (1939) as Sky Ames * '' Dr. Kildare's Strange Case'' (1940) as Dr. James 'Jimmy' Kildare * '' The Golden Fleecing'' (1940) as Henry Twinkle * ''

Dr. Kildare Goes Home ''Dr. Kildare Goes Home'' is a 1940 American Drama (genre), drama film directed by Harold S. Bucquet, starring Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore and Laraine Day. It is the fifth in the MGM series of nine films with Lew Ayres as Dr. Kildare made from 193 ...

'' (1940) as Dr. James Kildare * ''

Dr. Kildare's Crisis ''Dr. Kildare's Crisis'' is a 1940 drama film directed by Harold S. Bucquet, starring Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore and Laraine Day. Mary Lamont's (Laraine Day) financier brother Douglas Lamont (Robert Young (actor), Robert Young) is subject to sei ...

'' (1940) as Dr. James 'Jimmy' Kildare * ''

Maisie Was a Lady ''Maisie Was a Lady'' is a 1941 American comedy-drama film directed by Edwin L. Marin and is the fourth in a series of ten films starring Ann Sothern as good-hearted showgirl Maisie Ravier. Plot When wealthy drunkard Bob Rawlston causes Maisie ...

'' (1941) as Bob Rawlston * ''

The People vs. Dr. Kildare ''The People vs. Dr. Kildare'' is a 1941 drama directed by Harold S. Bucquet, starring Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore, Bonita Granville, and Laraine Day. Dr. Kildare performs an emergency operation on a crash victim. Plot Ice skater Frances Marlo ...

'' (1941) as Dr. James Kildare * ''

Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day ''Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day'' is a 1941 American drama film directed by Harold S. Bucquet, starring Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore, and Laraine Day. It is the eighth of a total of nine Dr. Kildare pictures made by the MGM studios. When MGM decided ...

'' (1941) as Dr. James Kildare * '' Dr. Kildare's Victory'' (1942) as Dr. James Kildare * ''

'' (1942) as Oliver Duffy * '' The Dark Mirror'' (1946) as Dr. Scott Elliott * '' The Unfaithful'' (1947) as Larry Hannaford * '' The Way of Peace'' (1947, Short) as Narrator (voice) * '' Johnny Belinda'' (1948) as Dr. Robert Richardson * '' The Capture'' (1950) as Vanner * ''

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...

'' (1951) as Capt. Hunt * '' No Escape'' (1953) as John Howard Tracy * ''

Donovan's Brain ''Donovan's Brain'' is a 1942 science fiction novel by American writer Curt Siodmak. The novel was an instant success and has been adapted to film three times. Since then the book has become something of a cult classic, with fans including Ste ...

'' (1953) as Dr. Patrick Cory * '' The Ford Show with Tennessee Ernie Ford'' (1958, TV Series) as Father John Gerald * ''

The DuPont Show with June Allyson ''The DuPont Show with June Allyson'' (also known as ''The June Allyson Show'') is an American anthology drama series which aired on CBS from September 21, 1959, to April 3, 1961, with rebroadcasts continuing until June 12, 1961. The series wa ...

'' (1960, TV series) as Howard Moon * ''

The Barbara Stanwyck Show ''The Barbara Stanwyck Show'' is an American anthology drama television series which ran on NBC from September 1960 to September 1961. Barbara Stanwyck served as hostess, and starred in all but four of the half-hour productions. The four in which ...

'' (NBC, 1961, TV series) as Dr. Paul Harris * ''

'' (1962) as the (U.S.) Vice President – Harley Hudson * ''

'' (1964) as 'Mac' McAllister * ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...

'' (1967, TV series) as Cole in "The Prodigal" * ''

The Big Valley ''The Big Valley'' is an American Western drama television series that originally aired from September 15, 1965, to May 19, 1969 on ABC. The series is set on the fictional Barkley Ranch in Stockton, California, from 1884 to 1888. The one-hour e ...

'' (1967–1968, TV series) as Jason Fleet / Sheriff Roy Kingston * ''

Hawaii Five-O Hawaii Five-O or Hawaii Five-0 may refer to: * ''Hawaii Five-0'' (2010 TV series), an American action police procedural television series * ''Hawaii Five-O'' (1968 TV series), an American police procedural drama series produced by CBS Productio ...

'' (1968, TV series Pilot) as Governor Paul Jameson * ''

The Doris Day Show ''The Doris Day Show'' is an American sitcom which was originally broadcast on CBS from September 1968 until March 1973, remaining on the air for five seasons and 128 episodes. The series is remembered for its multiple format and cast chang ...

'' (1970, TV series) as William Tyler * ''

My Three Sons ''My Three Sons'' is an American television sitcom that aired from September 29, 1960, to April 13, 1972. The series was broadcast on ABC during its first five seasons, before moving to CBS for the remaining seasons. ''My Three Sons'' chroni ...

'' (1970, TV series) Professor Harper * ''

Earth II ''Earth II'' is a 1971 pilot, aired November 28 (and released theatrically outside North America), for a television series about a colony established in orbit around the Earth. A WABE Production in association with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Televis ...

'' (1971, TV movie) as U.S. President Charles Carter Durant * '' The Biscuit Eater'' (1972) as Mr. Ames * '' The Man'' (1972) as U.S. Vice President Noah Calvin * '' The Stranger'' (1973, TV movie) as Prof. Dylan MacAuley * ''

Battle for the Planet of the Apes ''Battle for the Planet of the Apes'' is a 1973 American science fiction film directed by J. Lee Thompson. It is the fifth and final installment in the original ''Planet of the Apes'' series, produced by Arthur P. Jacobs, following ''Conquest of ...

'' (1973) as Mandemus * ''Hawaii Five-O'' (1973, TV series) as Dr. Elias Haig in "Anybody Can Build a Bomb" (S6/Ep12) * '' Hawkins'' (1973, TV series) in "Blood Feud" (S1/Ep4) * ''

The Questor Tapes ''The Questor Tapes'' is a 1974 American made-for-television sci-fi drama film about an android (portrayed by Robert Foxworth) with incomplete memory tapes who is searching for his creator and his purpose. Conceived by Gene Roddenberry, who is ...

'' (1974, TV Movie) as Vaslovik * '' The Magician'' (1974, TV series) as Max Braden in "The Illusion Of The Evil Spikes" * '' Heat Wave!'' (1974, TV Movie) as Dr. Grayson * '' Columbo: Mind over Mayhem'' (NBC, 1974, TV Series) as Dr. Howard Nicholson * ''

Kung Fu (1972 TV Series) ''Kung Fu'' is an American action-adventure martial arts Western drama television series starring David Carradine. The series follows the adventures of Kwai Chang Caine, a Shaolin monk who travels through the American Old West, armed only wit ...

'' (ABC, 1974) as Beaumont. Nominated for an Emmy, Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Series - 1975. * ''

Little House on the Prairie The ''Little House on the Prairie'' books is a series of American children's novels written by Laura Ingalls Wilder (b. Laura Elizabeth Ingalls). The stories are based on her childhood and adolescence in the Midwestern United States, American M ...

'' (NBC, 1976) * ''

'' (1977, TV Series) as Dr. Elijah Cooper * ''

The New Adventures of Wonder Woman ''Wonder Woman'', later known for seasons 2 and 3 as ''The New Adventures of Wonder Woman'', is an American Superhero fiction, superhero television series based on the DC Comics comic book superhero of the same name. It stars Lynda Carter as Won ...

'' (1977, TV series) as Dr. Kenneth Wilson * ''

The Mary Tyler Moore Show ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (also known simply as ''Mary Tyler Moore'') is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns and starring actress Mary Tyler Moore. The show originally aired on CBS from 1970 to 1977. Moor ...

'' (1977, TV Series) as Doug Booth * '' End of the World'' (1977) as Beckerman * '' Damien: Omen II'' (1978) as Bill Atherton * '' Battlestar Galactica: Saga of a Star World'' (1978) as Twelve Colonies President Adar * ''

Salem's Lot ''Salem's Lot'' is a 1975 horror novel by American author Stephen King. It was his second published novel. The story involves a writer named Ben Mears who returns to the town of Jerusalem's Lot (or 'Salem's Lot for short) in Maine, where he ...

'' (1979, TV movie) as Jason Burke *''Little House a new Beginning'' (1983) as Mr McCarey * ''

The World of Don Camillo ''The World of Don Camillo '' (in Italy ''Don Camillo'') is a 1983 Cinema of Italy, Italian comedy film directed, produced and starring Terence Hill, and is a remake of ''Le Petit Monde de Don Camillo'' (1952). Both were based on the novel ''Don C ...

'' (1984) as Doc * '' Lime Street'' (1985–1986) as Henry Wade Culver * '' The A-Team: The Grey Team'' (1986) as Bernie Greene * ''

Highway to Heaven ''Highway to Heaven'' is an American fantasy drama television series that ran on NBC from September 19, 1984, to August 4, 1989. The series starred Michael Landon as Jonathan Smith, an angel sent to Earth in order to help people in need. Victo ...

'' (1985–1989, TV Series) as Ivan Zelenka / Frank Worton / Harry Haynes

Radio

* ''

Philip Morris Playhouse ''Philip Morris Playhouse'' is a 30-minute old-time radio dramatic anthology series.Terrace, Vincent (1981), ''Radio's Golden Years: The Encyclopedia of Radio Programs 1930–1960''. A.S. Barnes & Company, Inc. . P. 214. The program " nerally .. ...

''—episode ''

Dark Victory ''Dark Victory'' is a 1939 American melodrama film directed by Edmund Goulding, starring Bette Davis, and featuring George Brent, Humphrey Bogart, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Ronald Reagan, Henry Travers, and Cora Witherspoon. The screenplay by Ca ...

'' (1952) * ''The Story of Dr. Kildare'' (1949–1951 series)

References

;General sources * Coffin, Lesley L. (2012). ''Lew Ayres: Hollywood's Conscientious Objector''. Jackson:

University Press of Mississippi The University Press of Mississippi, founded in 1970, is a publisher that is sponsored by the eight state universities in Mississippi. Universities * Alcorn State University *Delta State University *Jackson State University *Mississippi State U ...

. . .

External links

* *
Classic ImagesPhotographs of Lew Ayres
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ayres, Lew 1908 births 1996 deaths 20th-century American male actors 20th-century Lutherans American conscientious objectors American Lutherans American male film actors American male radio actors American male television actors Burials at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery California Republicans Combat medics Male actors from Minneapolis Male actors from San Diego Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players Military personnel from Minneapolis United States Army personnel of World War II United States Army soldiers Universal Pictures contract players