Before Jimmy Stewart returned to Hollywood after World War II, he flew B-24 Liberator combat missions over Europe.
Now, the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force is helping filmmakers bring that chapter of his life to the big screen in “JIMMY,” starring KJ Apa, according to a community announcement.
The museum provided archival photographs, firsthand accounts, historical records and staff expertise to the production. Those resources helped filmmakers explore Stewart’s service with the Eighth Air Force’s 2nd Air Division and recreate his wartime experiences.
“It has been an honor and a privilege for the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force to provide its historical collections and subject expertise to 'JIMMY',” President and CEO
Scott W. Loehr said. “James M. Stewart embodied the very best of the Greatest Generation. May present and future generations continue to find inspiration from his selfless service.”
Director Aaron Burns said the production also drew from Stewart’s flight logs and handwritten notes from the family.
“The team that came together on 'JIMMY' each had a part in telling Jimmy’s story. From his flight logs and handwritten notes from the family to photos and historical detail provided by the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, we were able to recreate the world that Jimmy lived in — for which we are eternally grateful and look forward to sharing his story with audiences across the nation,” Burns said.
The film explores Stewart’s transition from Hollywood to military service and the experiences that shaped his return to civilian life.
“Jimmy Stewart, along with millions of others, were willing to leave their families, careers and passions behind because they felt a deep sense of duty to their country. That is why I have so much admiration for him. It is his values that make JIMMY so special,” Apa said.
“JIMMY” opens exclusively in theaters Nov. 6.
More information about the museum’s participation in “JIMMY” is available at mightyeighth.org/jimmy-movie.
The National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force is at 175 Bourne Ave. in Pooler. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. For more information, call 912-748-8888.
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This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Mighty Eighth archives help tell Jimmy Stewart’s WWII story
