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Lew Ayres

Lew Ayres

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.

See more:
Checking Out: Grand Hotel

Checking Out: Grand Hotel

2004

as Self (archive footage)

Hart to Hart: Crimes of the Hart

Hart to Hart: Crimes of the Hart

1994

as Professor Cabel

MGM: When the Lion Roars

MGM: When the Lion Roars

1992

Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker

Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker

1991

as actor 'Advise and 'Consent' (archive footage) (uncredited)

Cast the First Stone

Cast the First Stone

1989

as Martin

Outlaws

Outlaws

1986

L.A. Law

L.A. Law

1986

as Lorimar Henderson

Under Siege

Under Siege

1986

as John Pace

Lime Street

Lime Street

1985

as Henry Wade Culver

Finder of Lost Loves

Finder of Lost Loves

1984

as Oliver Hawthorne

Highway to Heaven

Highway to Heaven

1984

Don Camillo

Don Camillo

1984

as Doc

Bruised Celluloid

Bruised Celluloid

1984

as Himself

The A-Team

The A-Team

1983

as Bernie Greene

Hotel

Hotel

1982

Cagney & Lacey

Cagney & Lacey

1982

Fame

Fame

1982

Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men

1981

as Candy

Simon & Simon

Simon & Simon

1981

Magnum, P.I.

Magnum, P.I.

1980

Reunion

Reunion

1980

as Bob Hollander

Knots Landing

Knots Landing

1979

as Andrew Douglas

Letters from Frank

Letters from Frank

1979

as Dan Miller

Salem's Lot

Salem's Lot

1979

as Jason Burke

Trapper John, M.D.

Trapper John, M.D.

1979

Suddenly, Love

Suddenly, Love

1978

as Mr. Graham

The Story of Noah

The Story of Noah

1978

as Noah

Flying High

Flying High

1978

Battlestar Galactica

Battlestar Galactica

1978

as President Adar

Battlestar Galactica

Battlestar Galactica

1978

as President Adar

Damien: Omen II

Damien: Omen II

1978

as Bill Atherton

The Love Boat

The Love Boat

1977

as Carl Hooper

End of the World

End of the World

1977

as Com. Joseph Beckerman

The Fantastic Journey

The Fantastic Journey

1977

Quincy, M.E.

Quincy, M.E.

1976

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

as Allen Dulles

That's Entertainment, Part II

That's Entertainment, Part II

1976

as (archive footage)

The Bionic Woman

The Bionic Woman

1976

Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman

1975

as Dr. Kenneth Wilson

Little House on the Prairie

Little House on the Prairie

1974

Heatwave!

Heatwave!

1974

as Dr. Grayson

The Questor Tapes

The Questor Tapes

1974

as Vaslovik

The Magician

The Magician

1973

as Max Braden

Battle for the Planet of the Apes

Battle for the Planet of the Apes

1973

as Mandemus

Hawkins

Hawkins

1973

as Gus Bitterman

The Stranger

The Stranger

1973

as Prof. Dylan MacAuley

Kung Fu

Kung Fu

1972

The Streets of San Francisco

The Streets of San Francisco

1972

The Man

The Man

1972

as Noah Calvin

The Biscuit Eater

The Biscuit Eater

1972

as Mr. Ames

She Waits

She Waits

1972

as Dr. Sam Carpenter

Earth II

Earth II

1971

as President Charles Carter Durant

McMillan and Wife

McMillan and Wife

1971

Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law

Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law

1971

Columbo

Columbo

1971

as Howard Nicholson

San Francisco International Airport

San Francisco International Airport

1970

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

1970

The Interns

The Interns

1970

Marcus Welby, M.D.: A Matter of Humanities

Marcus Welby, M.D.: A Matter of Humanities

1969

as Dr. Andrew Swanson

Here Come the Brides

Here Come the Brides

1968

Cocoon

Cocoon

1968

as The Governor

Hawaii Five-O

Hawaii Five-O

1968

as The Governor

Hawaii Five-O

Hawaii Five-O

1968

as Dr. Elias Haig

Hawaii Five-O

Hawaii Five-O

1968

as Comm. Reginald Blackwell

ABC Stage 67

ABC Stage 67

1966

as Arthur

The F.B.I.

The F.B.I.

1965

as Marshall Winslow

The Big Valley

The Big Valley

1965

as Sheriff Roy Kingston

The Big Valley

The Big Valley

1965

as Jason Fleet

Slattery's People

Slattery's People

1964

The Carpetbaggers

The Carpetbaggers

1964

as 'Mac' McAllister

Kraft Suspense Theatre

Kraft Suspense Theatre

1963

as Dr. Thomas Clay

The Virginian

The Virginian

1962

as Judge John Markham

Saints and Sinners

Saints and Sinners

1962

Advise & Consent

Advise & Consent

1962

as The Vice President

Ben Casey

Ben Casey

1961

Bus Stop

Bus Stop

1961

Route 66

Route 66

1960

My Three Sons

My Three Sons

1960

The Barbara Stanwyck Show

The Barbara Stanwyck Show

1960

as Dr. Paul Harris

The DuPont Show with June Allyson

The DuPont Show with June Allyson

1959

as Howard Moon

Laramie

Laramie

1959

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse

1958

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

1956

as Clint Howard

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

1956

as Jud Lester

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

1956

as Jesse Martin

One Against Many

One Against Many

1956

as Dr. John Mohler

Screen Director's Playhouse

Screen Director's Playhouse

1955

as Dr. John Mohler

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke

1955

as Jonathan Cole

Climax!

Climax!

1954

as Bob Kilgore

Donovan's Brain

Donovan's Brain

1953

as Dr. Patrick J. Cory

No Escape

No Escape

1953

as John Howard Tracy

Cavalcade of America

Cavalcade of America

1952

as Matt Needham

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

1951

New Mexico

New Mexico

1951

as Capt. Hunt

The Capture

The Capture

1950

as Lin Vanner / Lindley Brown

The Ken Murray Show

The Ken Murray Show

1950

Johnny Belinda

Johnny Belinda

1948

as Dr. Robert Richardson

The Unfaithful

The Unfaithful

1947

as Larry Hannaford

The Way of Peace

The Way of Peace

1947

as Narrator (voice)

Blow-Ups of 1946

Blow-Ups of 1946

1946

as Self

The Dark Mirror

The Dark Mirror

1946

as Dr. Scott Elliott

Fingers at the Window

Fingers at the Window

1942

as Oliver Duffy

Dr. Kildare's Victory

Dr. Kildare's Victory

1942

as Dr. James Kildare

Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day

Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day

1941

as Dr. James Kildare

The People Vs. Dr. Kildare

The People Vs. Dr. Kildare

1941

as Dr. James Kildare

Maisie Was a Lady

Maisie Was a Lady

1941

as Bob Rawlston

Dr. Kildare's Crisis

Dr. Kildare's Crisis

1940

as Dr. James Kildare

A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound

A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound

1940

as Self

Dr. Kildare Goes Home

Dr. Kildare Goes Home

1940

as Dr. James Kildare

The Golden Fleecing

The Golden Fleecing

1940

as Henry Twinkle

Hollywood: Style Center of the World

Hollywood: Style Center of the World

1940

as Self

Dr. Kildare's Strange Case

Dr. Kildare's Strange Case

1940

as Dr. James Kildare

Remember?

Remember?

1939

as Sky Ames

The Secret of Dr. Kildare

The Secret of Dr. Kildare

1939

as Dr. James Kildare

These Glamour Girls

These Glamour Girls

1939

as Philip S. Griswold III

From the Ends of the Earth

From the Ends of the Earth

1939

as Self

Calling Dr. Kildare

Calling Dr. Kildare

1939

as Dr. James Kildare

Broadway Serenade

Broadway Serenade

1939

as James Geoffrey 'Jimmy' Seymour

The Ice Follies of 1939

The Ice Follies of 1939

1939

as Eddie Burgess

Spring Madness

Spring Madness

1938

as Sam Thatcher

Young Dr. Kildare

Young Dr. Kildare

1938

as Dr. James Kildare

Rich Man, Poor Girl

Rich Man, Poor Girl

1938

as Henry Thayer

Holiday

Holiday

1938

as Ned Seton

King of the Newsboys

King of the Newsboys

1938

as Jerry Flynn

Scandal Street

Scandal Street

1938

as Joe McKnight

Hold 'Em Navy

Hold 'Em Navy

1937

as Tommy Graham

The Last Train from Madrid

The Last Train from Madrid

1937

as Bill Dexter

The Crime Nobody Saw

The Crime Nobody Saw

1937

as Nick Milburn

Murder with Pictures

Murder with Pictures

1936

as Kent Murdock

Lady Be Careful

Lady Be Careful

1936

as Chester aka Dynamite

Shakedown

Shakedown

1936

as Bob Sanderson

Panic on the Air

Panic on the Air

1936

as Jerry Franklin

The Leathernecks Have Landed

The Leathernecks Have Landed

1936

as Woodruff 'Woody' Davis

Silk Hat Kid

Silk Hat Kid

1935

as Eddie Howard

Spring Tonic

Spring Tonic

1935

as Caleb Enix

The Lottery Lover

The Lottery Lover

1935

as Cadet Frank Harrington

Servants' Entrance

Servants' Entrance

1934

as Erik Landstrom

She Learned About Sailors

She Learned About Sailors

1934

as Larry Wilson

Let’s Be Ritzy

Let’s Be Ritzy

1934

as Jimmy Sterling

Cross Country Cruise

Cross Country Cruise

1934

as Norman Winthrop

My Weakness

My Weakness

1933

as Ronnie Gregory

Don't Bet on Love

Don't Bet on Love

1933

as Bill McCaffrey

State Fair

State Fair

1933

as Pat Gilbert

Okay, America!

Okay, America!

1932

as Larry Wayne

Night World

Night World

1932

as Michael Rand

The Cohens and Kellys in Hollywood

The Cohens and Kellys in Hollywood

1932

as Lew Ayres

The Impatient Maiden

The Impatient Maiden

1932

as Dr. Myron Brown

Heaven on Earth

Heaven on Earth

1931

as States

The Spirit of Notre Dame

The Spirit of Notre Dame

1931

as Edward Aloysius "Bucky" O'Brian

Up for Murder

Up for Murder

1931

as Robert Marshall

Iron Man

Iron Man

1931

as Kid Mason

Many a Slip

Many a Slip

1931

as Jerry Brooks

East Is West

East Is West

1930

as Billy Benson

The Doorway to Hell

The Doorway to Hell

1930

as Louie Ricarno

Common Clay

Common Clay

1930

as Hugh Fullerton

All Quiet on the Western Front

All Quiet on the Western Front

1930

as Paul Bäumer

The Kiss

The Kiss

1929

as Pierre Lassalle

Big News

Big News

1929

as Copyboy (uncredited)

The Sophomore

The Sophomore

1929

as Sophomore Fraternity Brother (uncredited)