Lewis Stone, was born Lewis Shepard Stone (Lew), in November 15, 1879 in Worcester, MA. He was an established matinee idol in his mid-thirties when he broke into films in 1915. By the time he was twenty (20), Lewis Stone had turned prematurely gray. He enlisted to fight in the Spanish-American War, and when he returned, he returns to be a writer.

This turned into acting and he began to appear in films during the middle teens. His career was again interrupted by war as he served in the cavalry during World War I. After the war, he returned to films and quickly graduated to lead roles. With his distinguished look and gray hair, he was able to play the roles of well-mannered romantic man.

In 1921, Lewis starred in, Don't Neglect Your Wife, in the next year with Alice Terry, who played the heroine, and Ramón Novarro in, The Prisoner of Zenda (1922) followed by 1923, Scaramouche. In 1924, Metro merged into the new MGM, were Lewis Stone remained for the rest of his career. Throughout the 20s he was a very busy onscreen playing dignified, well-mannered romantic hero. (Lost World, 1925). For his work in the 1928 film, The Patriot, he received a Best Actor Oscar nomination. Stone's career remained very busy t hrough the mid-30s, and continued at a slower pace through the early 50s.

In the early sound era, when he was in his fifties, he played mature leads for some time before moving into character roles. Stone is best remembered as Judge Hardy, Andy's father in the Andy Hardy series of films with Mickey Rooney. Typically later in his career, he played Judge Hardy like senior citizens.

LEWIS STONE IN GARBO'S FILMS

Lewis Stone made seven films with Garbo, he co-star as a husband, lover, and friend.

A Woman of Affairs

His first film with Garbo was A Woman of Affairs in 1929, his first part in a Garbo movie. In it he played a good friend to Diana, an aristocratic English girl in love with Neville, (John Gilbert) however his father stop their marriage, because disapproves of her family's reckless way of life. Lewis Stone made his usual calm and reserved appearance.

A Woman of Affairs

Wild Orchids

In 1930 Stone made his first sound film with Garbo, Romance (1930) were he played the wealthy Cornelius Van Tuyl Rita Cavallini (Garbo) was his mistress. Romance, a story of a bishop who wants to marry an actress. This was Garbo's fifteenth film that marked Lewis Stone's third appearance with her.

Romance

Inspiration

Lewis Stone's fourth film with Garbo was Inspiration (1931), he played Deval, a friend of Yvonne, an artist's model played by Garbo. Yvonne falls in love with André (Robert Montgomery), who is studying for consular service. They become lovers, but he' s unaware of her former lovers. When he finds out, he leaves her.

Inspiration

Mata Hari

In 1932 Lewis Stone played Andriani, in Mata Hari, in this film Garbo plays the German spy Mata Hari, posing as a dancer in Paris. Andriani (Lewis Stone) sends her to get Russian messages about military movements needed by the Allies during the First World War.

Mata Hari

Grand Hotel

In 1932 Stone appeared with Garbo in the Academy  Award Picture, Grand Hotel. In Grand Hotel, everything is different, there were five main roles, the characters were there first, and them came the actors. Here Greta Garbo has archived something, which few people expected of her. She has fitted herself into a play, and into a cast  and has rendered a great performance exactly at that point where the role was contrary to her own being. Garbo plays Grusinskaya, a famous ballet star. Stone plays Dr. Otternschlag, he observe all the characters who pass through The gyratory hotel doors without suspect they're dramatic story's. He comes to identify with the spectators before get into the film: “'Grand Hotel always the same, people coming, going, nothing ever happens”.

Grand Hotel

Queen Christina

1933 saw the last Garbo-Stone film partnership, Queen Christina. This film marked Lewis Stone's seventh and last appearance with Greta Garbo; Lewis Stone had made more pictures with her than any other actor.

Queen Christina

STONE LAST FILM WITH GARBO

1933 saw the release of last Garbo-Stone partnership in films, Queen Christina. Lewis Stone play Chancellor Oxenstierna, to escape the burdens of rule; Sweden's Queen Christina rides into the countryside disguised as a boy. There she meets and secretly falls for a dashing Spanish envoy on  his way to the Royal Court. Chancellor Oxenstierna (Stone) torn between her duty and her heart, she most  make a fateful decision. “But your majesty, you cannot die an old maid” I have no intention to, Chancellor” I shall die a bachelor” Ironically those words become her (Garbo) own truth life.   Queen Christina , opened in December 1933, it was a tremendous success with the critics, but not at the box-office.

MORE ON LEWIS STONE

In the late 30s Stone took on a role for which he was long remembered- the role of Judge James Hardy. Judge Hardy was the father audiences wanted in the late 3os early 40s. He was kind, intellectual, fair and as patient as he had to be with his son Andy, played by Mickey Rooney. This series occupied most of his screen time, until it ended and he did slow down during the late 40s.

Stone and Mickey Rooney

In the 50s, he continued to appear in a number of pictures, including remakes of the two he had made 30 years before with Alice Terry. He suffered a heart attack and died in 1953. Stone's death was particularly a tragic one. A group of rowdy teenagers, had invaded his meticulously kept garden, and he ran out to prevent damage and ask them to leave. The effort proved too much for the gallant 73-year-old and he collapsed of a heart attack, dying  almost instantly. Lewis Stone was honored with a star on the Hollywood walk of Fame. He had a lifetime contract with MGM, and appears in the Guiness Book of World Records, as ‘Artist with the longest contract to one studio.

He signed with MGM in 1924, at the very start of MGM and remained until his death in 1953, a total of 29 years. Lewis Stone appeared in over 200 films, almost all of them at MGM.

SOURCES
The Films of Greta Garbo compiled by Michael Conway
The Divine Garbo Sands and Broman
IMDb mini bio. by Tony Fontana,
Edited by Néstor G. Acevedo (Greg)