"It's a Wonderful Life" Actor Jimmy Stewart Holds Back Tears As He Reads A Heartfelt Poem For His Dog Beau
The actor Jimmy Stewart is one of America's most beloved movie stars. The It's a Wonderful Life (1946) actor was one of the most celebrated film superstars of his time.
Beyond his big-screen persona and magnetism, the actor is also known for one of his appearances on the late-night favorite, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. His appearance on the show in 1981 provided a glimpse of the kind of person Mr. Stewart was behind the cameras.
In the episode, Stewart read a poem he wrote for his dog Beau. His enchanting dog wasn't known for his discipline or tricks.
"He never came to me when I would call/ Unless I had a tennis ball,/ Or he felt like it,/ But mostly he didn't come at all." The audience and Carson laughed along as Stewart regaled them with anecdotes of Beau's unruly ways.
He talked about Beau's many antics, which included digging up a rose bush to spite the actor, biting their delivery man, and the fear Beau instilled in their gas meter reader.
Beau almost burned down their house, but that story Stewart kept to himself. He may not have been the most obedient dog, but the actor loved him no less.
Stewart's voice trembled as he read, "And there were nights when I'd feel him climb upon our bed/ And lie between us,/ And I'd pat his head."
He soldiered on and continued, "And there were nights when I'd feel this stare/ And I'd wake up and he'd be sitting there/ And I'd reach out my hand and stroke his hair."
He would wake up at night
And he would have this fear
Of the dark, of life, of lots of things,
And he'd be glad to have me near.
"And now he's dead."
"Oh, how I wish that wasn't so,/ I'll always love a dog named Beau."
The silence filled the soundstage as Jimmy Stewart finished his loving tribute. He and Johnny Carson wiped away their tears as the actor concluded the eulogy.
Long-time fans of Stewart still find comfort in the video years after his passing. He and his beloved dog Beau are surely making up for lost time.
His poem showed the kind of person Stewart was. He was an incredible person.
He was the kind of person who willingly showed authentic emotion to a massive audience to pay tribute to a dearly departed pet.
Anyone who has ever had an animal companion can relate to that poem and the mix of pain and joy behind it.
In that aspect, Jimmy Stewart was no different from the rest of us.
Here's the clip of his reading:
He was a pet owner who was grateful for the time spent with his beloved animal. He was someone who sorely missed the routine of ruffling his dog's fur for comfort.
He and Beau shared the kind of friendship we have with our own pets. We can only imagine the kind of shenanigans Beau is getting into that makes Jimmy Stewart shake his head in the beyond.
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