Kelly Stewart-Harcourt paints a vivid picture of her childhood, recalling the moments she spent with her parents in the library of their iconic home at 918 N. Roxbury Drive in Beverly Hills. In a heartfelt conversation with Closer, she shares how they'd gather around 5:30 PM, where her dad would switch on the evening news. Her mom and dad would sip their vodka and tonics, while Kelly and her sister enjoyed Shirley Temples. “When my brothers Mike and Ron were home from boarding school, the whole family would be there,” Kelly fondly remembers.
Kelly and her twin sister, Judy, were born in 1951, the same year the star of It’s a Wonderful Life and his wife, Gloria, bought the ivy-covered Tudor-style home that would remain their sanctuary for life. “It wasn’t a grand mansion,” Kelly explains. “It was cozy and warm, and that's what my mom and dad loved about it. Mom did most of the decorating herself, and she made it a place where we all felt at home.”
Henry Fonda, a close friend of Jimmy’s since their early acting days, once described the house as “as comfortable as Jimmy, with a splash of style added by Gloria.”
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Jimmy's journey began in Indiana, Pennsylvania, where he discovered acting in college. He spent time on Broadway before landing in Hollywood in the early 1930s. Known for playing relatable everyman roles, he became a household name after winning an Oscar for his role as a reporter in the 1940 film The Philadelphia Story, opposite Katharine Hepburn.
Not long after his Oscar win, Jimmy, an accomplished pilot, became the first major Hollywood star to enlist in the Army during World War II. He flew 20 combat missions over Europe and was awarded the prestigious Flying Cross for his bravery.
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By the time Jimmy met Gloria Hatrick McLean, a divorced former fashion model with two sons, his life was already full of adventure and achievement. The couple married in 1949 and moved into their Beverly Hills home just a few years later, where they created a peaceful retreat from the chaos of Hollywood.
Their home, nestled in the serene "The Flats" neighborhood known for its flat terrain, was an ideal place for raising a family. Kelly recalls the joy of walking their golden retrievers around the area and skateboarding with her sister on the quiet streets. “I loved the tranquility and the lush greenery,” she says.
While the house was comfortable and unpretentious, it sat on over an acre of land. Jimmy and Gloria purchased and demolished a dilapidated house next door to expand Gloria's flower and vegetable garden, where she grew everything from lettuce to corn. “Mom spent hours in the garden with the dogs, while Dad was often found in the library reading the newspaper,” Kelly reminisces.
