Growing up as the child of a global icon is weird. Most people assume it’s all red carpets and champagne. For Judy and Kelly Stewart, the twin daughters of screen legend James "Jimmy" Stewart, it was actually a lot more about discipline, quiet dinners, and a father who took his role as a parent way more seriously than his status as a movie star.
Born on May 7, 1951, Judy and Kelly arrived at a time when their father was the undisputed king of the box office. He’d already won an Oscar. He was a war hero. But to the twins, he was just "Dad"—a man who was famously stubborn and deeply unpretentious.
The Reality of Being Judy and Kelly Stewart
It’s easy to look at the old black-and-white photos of the Stewart family and see a curated image of 1950s perfection. You’ve seen them: Jimmy, his wife Gloria, the two boys Ronald and Michael, and the identical twin girls. But life inside their Beverly Hills home wasn’t a movie set.
Kelly Stewart Harcourt, who eventually left the Hollywood bubble to become a respected anthropologist, has been vocal about this in recent years. She’s often mentioned that her father never gave "the big lecture." He didn't sit them down to explain morality. He just lived it. If you wanted to know how to be a decent person, you just watched him interact with the gardener or the mailman.
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Honestly, the "real" Jimmy Stewart was remarkably similar to the characters he played in films like It’s a Wonderful Life. He was humble. He was sometimes a bit hesitant in speech. He was also fiercely protective of his family’s privacy.
Judy Stewart (now Judy Stewart-Merrill) took a slightly different path. While she didn't pursue a massive Hollywood career like her father, she did dip her toes into the entertainment world. You might spot her in old credits for shows like Password or The Mike Douglas Show. But neither twin ever seemed to have that desperate itch for the spotlight.
A Family Defined by More Than Fame
The Stewart household was a blended one long before that was a common term in Hollywood. When Jimmy married Gloria Hatrick McLean in 1949, he adopted her two sons, Ronald and Michael. The arrival of the twins two years later completed the unit.
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Tragedy eventually hit the family hard. Ronald was killed in action during the Vietnam War in 1969. That kind of loss changes a family forever. It grounded them in a reality that most celebrities never have to touch. Judy and Kelly Stewart grew up seeing their father handle immense grief with the same quiet dignity he showed on screen.
Where Are They Now?
People always want to know if the Stewart twins are still involved in the "biz." Not really. They’ve mostly spent their adult lives focused on philanthropy and preserving their father's massive legacy.
- Kelly Stewart Harcourt moved to Northern California. She spent years teaching at the University of California, Davis. Her work in anthropology and her passion for conservation—specifically supporting the Leakey Foundation—shows a clear departure from the glitz of Tinseltown.
- Judy Stewart-Merrill has remained active in the James M. Stewart Museum Foundation. She and Kelly both traveled to Pennsylvania in the 90s for the museum's opening when their father was too frail to make the trip.
- Both sisters have sons, continuing the lineage of a family that Jimmy Stewart once described as his greatest achievement.
It’s interesting to note how they handled their father's passing in 1997. Following Gloria’s death in 1994, Kelly recalled that her father sort of "hunkered down." He was done with the world. He wanted his dogs and his home. The sisters respected that. They didn't push him back into the lime-light for a final bow.
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Navigating the Stewart Legacy in 2026
Even now, decades after their father’s death, Judy and Kelly find themselves defending his image. Recently, Kelly spoke out against modern AI-generated "deepfakes" of her father, particularly a project that sought to use his voice for a meditation app. To her, it felt like a violation of the man she knew.
She argued that his voice—that iconic, staccato drawl—wasn't just a sound. It was the result of a lived experience. It was the voice of a man who flew combat missions and raised four kids. You can't just code that.
Practical Insights for Fans and Historians
If you're looking to understand the Stewart family beyond the headlines, here is the best way to do it:
- Visit the Jimmy Stewart Museum: Located in his hometown of Indiana, Pennsylvania. It’s the only place that truly captures the transition from small-town boy to global star, with a heavy emphasis on his family life.
- Read "Raised by the Stars": Kelly gives a very candid, non-tabloid interview in this book by Nick Thomas. It’s probably the most authentic look at their upbringing available.
- Watch "The Two Faces of America": A 2017 documentary where the sisters appear as themselves to discuss the duality of their father’s public and private life.
Growing up as Judy and Kelly Stewart meant living in the shadow of a giant. But by all accounts, they managed to step out of that shadow and build lives defined by their own interests—science, education, and family. They remind us that even in the height of the Golden Age of Hollywood, it was possible to raise a family that valued character over credits.
To really honor their work, support the James M. Stewart Charitable Foundation, which continues to fund arts, education, and environmental causes that the family has championed for over seventy years.