James Stewart, known to many as Jimmy, was born on May 20, 1908 in Indiana, Pennsylvania. His career stretched generations, making his first appearance in a film in 1935 and his voice was last heard in 1991’s An American Tail: Fievel Goes West. He was a consummate professional, with an ability to play every role handed to him, while still keeping a hint of that “boy next door” charm that made him famous.

Whether it was that voice or his tall stature, Stewart found a way to make everything he did unforgettable. Even lesser films starring him are worth watching to see his performances. Considering that he was a minor player at MGM during the mid-‘30s, he certainly appeared in a few duds.

It wasn’t really until Frank Capra cast him in You Can’t Take It With You that Stewart’s career really took off. His charm was on full display opposite Jean Arthur. Capra cast him in Mr. Smith Goes To Washington in 1939, which should have earned him his first Oscar. The last time Capra worked with Stewart was after World War II in It’s A Wonderful Life, the 1946 film that defined Stewart for generations.

Despite all the acclaim Stewart earned and the love he received from audiences, he only won one competitive Oscar out of his five nominations. It was for Best Actor for 1940’s The Philadelphia Story, which isn’t really a Stewart movie at all. Sure, he’s great in it, but I can think of 10 other great performances he gave.

Stewart received an honorary Oscar in 1985 “For his fifty years of memorable performances, for his high ideals both on and off the screen, with respect and affection of his colleagues,” acknowledging the respect he gave to and received from his peers.

Stewart died on July 2, 1997 at age 89, but he’s still one of the most recognizable figures of American cinema. It’s not just because we’ve all seen It’s A Wonderful Life countless times. It’s because we all want to be just like him and he always made that seem possible.

Without any further delay, let’s look at 10 great Jimmy Stewart performances.

10. Winchester ‘73

Of all the director relationships Stewart had, one could make the argument that the most important one was with Anthony Mann. While Capra had found some darkness in Stewart during It’s A Wonderful Life, Mann actually brought it out full in the five Westerns they made together. Winchester ‘73 was the first, and finally showed audiences that Stewart was much more than a happy-go-lucky guy.

9. The Stratton Story

This is a completely personal selection, since I love baseball. So, James Stewart plus baseball is like Americana overload. Stewart stars as Monty Stratton, who pitched for the Chicago White Sox until a hunting accident left him without a leg. It’s an inspirational story and released the year before Winchester ‘73, also shows that Stewart had much more in him than he was showing in his earlier films. Trust me, this gets really dark after Monty loses his leg.

8. The Spirit of St. Louis

The Spirit of St. Louis is by no means a great movie and it does seem a bit surprising to hear that Billy Wilder actually directed it. But even though Stewart was twice the age of Charles Lindbergh during the famous flight to Paris, he still had enough boyish charm left to play the part. The fact that the second half of the movie is literally him alone, sitting in the cramped space of the Spirit of St. Louis should be enough to keep your attention.

7. Anatomy of a Murder

Otto Preminger’s Anatomy of a Murder proves that you can make a three-hour courtroom movie exciting, and not just by trying to be scandalous. Stewart is the only one who could play the small-town lawyer trapped in a very modern case of murder and sexual assault. So many directors knew how to capitalize on Stewart’s neighborly demeanor to twist audience expectations. We never would expect to hear Stewart discuss such frank subjects, which makes the film more uncomfortable ... and better.

6. Call Northside 777

Henry Hathaway’s Call Northside 777 is a bit heavy-handed, but Stewart’s performance as the truth-seeking journalist trying to get to the bottom of a wrongly convicted man’s case keeps it entertaining. Plus, the film has many on-location shots, adding a bit of authenticity that other Hollywood films from the era don’t have.

5. The Man From Laramie

After just five Westerns, Mann and Stewart hung up the spurs in 1955 and never made another one together. The Man From Laramie was the last one and features a stunning performance from Stewart. In this one, his search for the man who killed his brother gets him stuck in the middle of family arguments. There’s a sense of majesty and Shakespearean drama to the whole thing, making it feel much grander than just another Western.

4. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

Stewart didn’t get to work with John Ford until the ‘60s, starting off with the rather disappointing Two Rode Together. But their second film was the iconic The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Ford’s last masterpiece. This one again seems to play with our understanding of masculinity and what we want to believe about our stars. We again see Stewart play with what we expect from him.

3. Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window

Oh, which Hitchcock movie do I pick? While Vertigo might be the more iconic film, the fact is that Rear Window hinges more on Stewart’s performance than Vertigo does. Here, Stewart is challenged to act in a wheelchair and on one set. Not too many Hollywood stars would even agree to do that.

2. It’s A Wonderful Life

One Capra movie has to be on this list and I might as well go with It’s A Wonderful Life. If this is the only Stewart movie you have ever seen (how could that be possible?), there is no better picture of what he meant to the screen. You get to see the full range of his talents, from the charm to his humor to his dark side. It’s all there and there are few films as heartwarming as this one.

1. Harvey

If you want to know where you really should start on your journey into Stewart’s career, Harvey would be a welcome starting point. It’s not directed by a filmmaker we still know (it was made by The Robe’s Henry Koster) and the story doesn’t get that dark. But the Mary Chase play and the film challenge us to believe in what we cannot see. There’s no way the film achieves that without Stewart playing Elwood P. Dobbs.