Back in 1952, James Stewart – who would have been 115 as we speak – starred in Bend of the River, an adaptation of Bill Gulick’s novel Bend of the Snake.

The Western adopted his powerful cowboy Glyn McLyntock, who dangers his life to ship confiscated meals and provides to homesteaders after gold is found within the space.

The half was an enormous turning level within the star’s profession, seeing him start to play extra violent and ruthless characters – which he hadn’t been recognized for through the Nineteen Forties.

The film was additionally the final time Stewart, who was 44 on the time, sported his personal head of hair in a film. The middle-aged star shared billing with Arthur Kennedy and Julie Adams who performed McLyntock’s pal Emerson Cole and pioneer Laura Baile respectively.

Meanwhile, fourth on the poster behind their names was a rising star in his late 20s known as Rock Hudson (actual title was Roy Harold Scherer Jr), within the function of knowledgeable gambler known as Trey Wilson.

READ MORE: It's A Wonderful Life 'James Stewart refused to work with star again'

The film was one of many closeted actor’s closing movies in a supporting half earlier than hitting stardom as a Hollywood main man. This is hardly stunning given the response from the viewers to Hudson in comparison with Stewart, despite the fact that the film initially acquired poor opinions earlier than its important acclaim in later years.

When Bend of the River premiered in 1952, the It’s A Wonderful Life star was so upset that the supporting actor acquired extra cheers and applause than he did. As a end result, he vowed by no means to speak to him or work with him once more, which ended up being the case.

Hudson went on to get pleasure from a profession as a number one man in motion pictures like Scarlet Angel, The Lawless Breed, Seminole, Magnificent Obsession and Giant. Over the course of his Hollywood profession, the reality of his sexuality was recognized amongst his colleagues within the movie trade and sadly he would go on to die from an AIDS-related sickness in 1985 on the age of simply 59.

As for Stewart, regardless of his confidence wobble for the Bend of the River premiere, he continued to have a formidable profession. Following his Western with Hudson, he collaborated with director Anthony Mann on 4 extra motion pictures over the following couple of years. The Nineteen Fifties additionally noticed work with Alfred Hitchcock within the likes of Rope, Rear Window and Vertigo. The star died in 1997 on the age of 89 from a coronary heart assault brought on by an embolism.