The Only Co-Star James Stewart Hated—And Why

He never complained, never feuded, always the professional. But even Stewart had limits. And her name was Joan Crawford.

The two first worked together on 1936's The Gorgeous Hussy, back when Stewart was still green and Crawford was already a studio heavyweight. He'd just started his film career. She was a veteran who'd survived the silent era and wasn't exactly known for patience or humility.

In an interview with biographer Michael Munn, Stewart recalled how Crawford reacted to sharing the screen with a newcomer:

"I was still pretty green, I guess. Joan Crawford certainly thought so. She kind of played up a bit, complained to [producer Louis B.] Mayer that her husband [Franchot Tone] didn't have enough lines, and he told her to be more professional around the newcomers — which I guess meant me."

Crawford's response? Classic Crawford.

"She said, 'Shall I change his diapers too?'"

For Stewart — a guy who didn't badmouth anyone — that was the line.

"I guess that was the one Hollywood actress I didn't get on too well with."

Translation: he hated working with her. It was a rare moment of friction in a career otherwise known for calm professionalism. Sure, Stewart had his moments — like when he blamed It's a Wonderful Life's box office flop on Donna Reed, or when he clashed with Henry Fonda over the mob — but Crawford stands as the only on-set colleague he ever publicly called out.

In a town full of inflated egos, it says something that Joan Crawford was the only co-star who managed to get under Jimmy Stewart's skin. And if Stewart says they "didn't get on too well," you can bet it was a complete disaster.