Lew Ayres

Biography

Lew Ayres was an American actor whose screen career lasted 65 years. Born in Minneapolis, he moved to San Diego as a teenager and first played banjo and guitar with big bands before talent agent Ivan Kahn spotted him at a nightclub. He appeared opposite Greta Garbo in The Kiss (1929), then became a star with the lead in All Quiet on the Western Front (1930). Other early films included The Doorway to Hell (1930) and State Fair (1933). He signed with MGM in 1938, drew critical attention as Ned in Holiday (1938), and then played Dr. Kildare in nine films from 1938 to 1942. Later roles came in The Dark Mirror (1946), The Unfaithful (1947), and Johnny Belinda (1948), which brought an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. He moved into television, guest-starring in series and earning an Emmy nomination for Kung Fu, and won a Golden Globe for his documentary Altars of the World (1976).

88years old at death

Born December 28, 1908Minneapolis
Died December 30, 1996Los Angeles
Star sign: CapricornThe sign runs December 22 to January 19
Also credited as Lewis Frederick Ayres III

Movie Career

Films: 23
Career span: 50 years1929 to 1979

Genres

Drama57%, 13 films
Comedy22%, 5 films
Sci-Fi22%, 5 films
Horror17%, 4 films
Romance17%, 4 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

A role that slipped away
Ayres was offered the lead in an NBC Dr. Kildare series but asked that the show carry no cigarette advertising, and the offer was withdrawn; the part went to Raymond Massey in 1961.
A change of course
Ayres played banjo and guitar for big bands, among them the Henry Halstead Orchestra. He also recorded Carnival Night in Paris, one of the earliest Vitaphone movie shorts, in 1927.
Big break
Talent agent Ivan Kahn spotted Ayres at a nightclub. He played opposite Greta Garbo in The Kiss, but his lead in All Quiet on the Western Front made him a star and got him a Universal contract.

Lew Ayres movies on Netflix

Salem's Lot1979IMDb rating 6.8as Jason Burke
Battlestar Galactica1978IMDb rating 6.8as President Adar
Damien: Omen II1978IMDb rating 6.2as Bill Atherton
End of the World1977IMDb rating 3.2as Com. Joseph Beckerman
The Questor Tapes1974IMDb rating 6.8as Vaslovik
Battle for the Planet of the Apes1973IMDb rating 5.4as Mandemus
The Carpetbaggers1964IMDb rating 6.5as Mac McAllister
Advise & Consent1962IMDb rating 7.7as The Vice President
Donovan's Brain1953IMDb rating 5.9as Dr. Patrick J. Cory
New Mexico1951IMDb rating 5.7as Capt. Hunt
Johnny Belinda1948IMDb rating 7.7as Robert Richardson
The Unfaithful1947IMDb rating 6.8as Larry Hannaford
The Dark Mirror1946IMDb rating 7.0as Scott Elliott
Maisie Was a Lady1941IMDb rating 6.7as Bob Rawlston
Dr. Kildare's Strange Case1940IMDb rating 6.0as Dr. James 'Jimmy' Kildare
The Secret of Dr. Kildare1939IMDb rating 6.4as Dr. James 'Jimmy' Kildare
Holiday1938IMDb rating 7.7as Ned Seton
Spring Madness1938IMDb rating 5.1as Sam Thatcher
State Fair1933IMDb rating 6.6as Pat Gilbert
All Quiet on the Western Front1930IMDb rating 8.1as Paul Bäumer
The Doorway to Hell1930IMDb rating 6.5as Louie Ricarno
Big News1929IMDb rating 5.4as Copyboy
The Kiss1929IMDb rating 6.8as Pierre

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

All Quiet on the Western Front1930 Drama, Waras Paul Bäumer
IMDb rating 8.173K votes
Salem's Lot1979 Horroras Jason Burke
IMDb rating 6.832K votes
Damien: Omen II1978as Bill Atherton
IMDb rating 6.240K votes
Holiday1938as Ned Seton
IMDb rating 7.720K votes
Johnny Belinda1948as Robert Richardson
IMDb rating 7.75.9K votes
Battle for the Planet of the Apes1973as Mandemus
IMDb rating 5.438K votes
The Dark Mirror1946as Scott Elliott
IMDb rating 7.06.4K votes
Donovan's Brain1953as Dr. Patrick J. Cory
IMDb rating 5.91.9K votes

Most often with

Richard A. Colla directed two of these films, Harold S. Bucquet two. Eighteen actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Bess Flowers

Burgess Meredith

Lionel Barrymore

John Hoyt

Samuel S. Hinds

Hans ConriedRichard A. CollaDirector, 2 films Harold S. BucquetDirector, 2 films

Films together

Bess Flowers2 films together, 1938 to 1946
Bess Flowers's page
- The Dark Mirror1946IMDb rating 7.0Ayres as Scott ElliottFlowers as Nightclub Patron
- Holiday1938IMDb rating 7.7Ayres as Ned SetonFlowers as Party Guest
Burgess Meredith2 films together, 1938 to 1962
Burgess Meredith's page
- Advise & Consent1962IMDb rating 7.7Ayres as The Vice PresidentMeredith as Herbert Gelman
- Spring Madness1938IMDb rating 5.1Ayres as Sam ThatcherMeredith as The Lippencott
Lionel Barrymore2 films together, 1939 to 1940
Lionel Barrymore's page
- Dr. Kildare's Strange Case1940IMDb rating 6.0Ayres as Dr. James 'Jimmy' KildareBarrymore as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
- The Secret of Dr. Kildare1939IMDb rating 6.4Ayres as Dr. James 'Jimmy' KildareBarrymore as Dr. Leonard Barry Gillespie
John Hoyt2 films together, 1947 to 1951
John Hoyt's page
- New Mexico1951IMDb rating 5.7Ayres as Capt. HuntHoyt as Sgt. Harrison
- The Unfaithful1947IMDb rating 6.8Ayres as Larry HannafordHoyt as Det. Lt. Reynolds
Samuel S. Hinds2 films together, 1939 to 1940
Samuel S. Hinds's page
- Dr. Kildare's Strange Case1940IMDb rating 6.0Ayres as Dr. James 'Jimmy' KildareHinds as Dr. Stephen Kildare
- The Secret of Dr. Kildare1939IMDb rating 6.4Ayres as Dr. James 'Jimmy' KildareHinds as Dr. Stephen Kildare
Hans Conried2 films together, 1941 to 1951
Hans Conried's page
- New Mexico1951IMDb rating 5.7Ayres as Capt. HuntConried as President Abraham Lincoln
- Maisie Was a Lady1941IMDb rating 6.7Ayres as Bob RawlstonConried as Georgie Porgie
Richard A. CollaDirector, 2 films, 1974 to 1978
All films by Richard A. Colla
- Battlestar Galactica1978IMDb rating 6.8Ayres as President Adar
- The Questor Tapes1974IMDb rating 6.8Ayres as Vaslovik
Harold S. BucquetDirector, 2 films, 1939 to 1940
All films by Harold S. Bucquet
- Dr. Kildare's Strange Case1940IMDb rating 6.0Ayres as Dr. James 'Jimmy' Kildare
- The Secret of Dr. Kildare1939IMDb rating 6.4Ayres as Dr. James 'Jimmy' Kildare
Also two films together12 more actors
- Maureen O'SullivanMaisie Was a Lady (1941) and Spring Madness (1938)
- Nat PendletonDr. Kildare's Strange Case (1940) and The Secret of Dr. Kildare (1939)
- Frank OrthDr. Kildare's Strange Case (1940) and The Secret of Dr. Kildare (1939)
- Emma DunnDr. Kildare's Strange Case (1940) and The Secret of Dr. Kildare (1939)
- Walter KingsfordDr. Kildare's Strange Case (1940) and The Secret of Dr. Kildare (1939)
- Laraine DayDr. Kildare's Strange Case (1940) and The Secret of Dr. Kildare (1939)
- Robert FoxworthDamien: Omen II (1978) and The Questor Tapes (1974)
- Alma KrugerDr. Kildare's Strange Case (1940) and The Secret of Dr. Kildare (1939)
- Ida MooreJohnny Belinda (1948) and The Dark Mirror (1946)
- Marie BlakeDr. Kildare's Strange Case (1940) and The Secret of Dr. Kildare (1939)
- Nell CraigDr. Kildare's Strange Case (1940) and The Secret of Dr. Kildare (1939)
- George ReedDr. Kildare's Strange Case (1940) and The Secret of Dr. Kildare (1939)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.