LEW AYRES BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Lew Ayres was born with the birth name Lewis Frederick Ayres III on December 28th, 1908 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  His family raised him in San Diego and he did attend college at the University of Arizona with the original intent to study medicine, but droped out shortly and chose to work in a nightclub.  He was a big band pianist when he was performing at the Coconut Grove Nightclub in Los Angeles, a talent scout discovered him and he began to get small jobs in Hollywood.

He worked on the film, "The Kiss" (1929) and then in 1930 he got his starring role on, "All Quiet on the Western Front" which was his real break into the industry.  Large roles began to come his way such as another starring role on, "Servant's Entrance" (1934) followed by the title role on, "Young Dr. Kiladare" (1938).  He also worked with Joan Crawford and James Stuart on, "The Ice Follies" (1939).

His career faded during WWII after he declared himself a conscientious objector, however during the War, Ayres wanted to join the Medical Corps but the United States Arm forces would not offer him any guarantee.  Soon after realizing that such a well known public figure could cause them to be looked down upon, he was then given the chance to serve as a medic in the South Pacific, New Guinea and the Phillipines.   

After the war, Ayres, like many other male actors returned to his profession and portrayed a Doctor in, "The Dark Mirror" (1946) and  on the film, "Johnny Belinda" (1948) which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.   He was offrred the chance to play Dr. Kiladare in a television show, but because he requested a no cigarette sponsorship the network refuse to honor that, and therefore, he turned down the role. 

Alongside his film career, he also worked on television.  He hosted eleven total episodes of a Western television series that aired on CBS titled, "Frontier Justice" (1958) and also worked on a pilot television show, "Hawaii Five-O" but he chose not to continue as a cast member of this show since he did not want to relocate to Hawaii for filming.   

In 1971, Ayres portrayed the Vice President of the United States of America in, "Advise and Consent" (1962) and again in, "The Man" (1972) and then he portrayed the President in, "Earth II" (1971).  Film roles were not so available to him, but he put his experience into a special project for a film called, "Altars of the World" (1976).  This film was not a high ticket box office success but it did earn a Golden Globe Award.  His final film appearances were in 1978 on, "Battlestar Galactica" and "Damien-Omen II".  He also worked on, "Salem's Lot" (1979), where he played a resident who lived in the Vampire town.

Ayres was a series regular for a short lived ABC adventure series, "Lime Street" (1985) and his final television role was on a film called, "Hart to Hart: Crimes of the Heart" (1994). 
 
Throughout his lifetime, he married three times.  First to an actress, Lola Lane from 1931 to 1933 and then to another actress, Ginger Rogers from 1934-1940.  His third marriage was to Diana Hall which lasted from 1964 until Ayres passed away.  The couple had one son together, Justin who was born in 1968.

Lew Ayres passed away at the age of 88 on December 30th, 1996 from complications while in a coma in Los Angeles, California.  He not only received a nomination for the Academy Award Best Actor, but also an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Series in Kung Fu episode, "The Vanishing Image".   He was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contribution to the Motion Picture Industry.  Lew Ayres is  buried next to Frank Zappa in Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California.
 

Filmography

1994   Hart to Hart: Crimes of the Hart
1989   Cast the First Stone
1985-1989  Highway to Heaven
1989   L.A. Law 
1988   Cagney & Lacey 
1987   Outlaws
1985-1987  Lime Street 
1986   The A-Team
1986   Simon & Simon
1986   Under Siege
1984   Finder of Lost Loves 
1984   The World of Don Camillo
1984   Hotel  
1984   Fame 
1983   Savage in the Orient 1
1979-1983  Fantasy Island 
1983   Quincy M.E. 
1982   Little House on the Prairie
1982   Trapper John, M.D.
1982   Knots Landing 
1981   Of Mice and Men
1981   Magnum, P.I.
1981   The Love Boat
1980   Reunion
1979   Letters from Frank
1979   Salem's Lot
1978   Suddenly, Love
1978   Flying High 
1978   Greatest Heroes of the Bible 
1978   Battlestar Galactica 
1978   Damien: Omen II
1977   The New Adventures of Wonder Woman 
1977   End of the World
1977   The Fantastic Journey 
1977   Mary Tyler Moore 
1977   The Bionic Woman
1976   Francis Gary Powers: The True Story of the U-2 Spy Incident
1975   McMillan & Wife
1974   Kung Fu 
1974   The Magician
1974   Columbo
1974   Heat Wave!
1974   The Questor Tapes
1973   Hawkins 
1973   Battle for the Planet of the Apes 
1973   The Streets of San Francisco 
1973   The Stranger
1972   Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law 
1972   The Man
1972   The Biscuit Eater
1972   She Waits
1971   Earth II 
1971   The Interns
1970   San Francisco International Airport
1970   The Virginian
1970   My Three Sons
1969   Marcus Welby, M.D.
1969   Here Come the Brides 
1967-1968  The Big Valley 
1967   Gunsmoke
1966   ABC Stage 67
1966   The F.B.I. 
1966   I Spy
1965   Slattery's People
1965   Kraft Suspense Theatre
1964   Ben Casey
1964   The Carpetbaggers 
1962   Laramie
1962   Saints and Sinners
1962   Advise & Consent
1962   Bus Stop
1961   The Barbara Stanwyck Show 
1956-1961  Zane Grey Theater 
1960   The DuPont Show with June Allyson 
1960   Route 66 
1958-1959  Alcoa Theatre
1958   Pursuit
1958   Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
1958   Frontier Justice
1958   Climax!
1957   Cavalcade of America
1956   Schlitz Playhouse
1956   Playhouse 90 
1956   The Ford Television Theatre
1956   Screen Directors Playhouse 
1954   Omnibus 
1953   Donovan's Brain 
1953   No Escape
1951   New Mexico 
1950   The Capture
1948   Johnny Belinda  
1947   The Unfaithful 
1947   The Way of Peace
1946   The Dark Mirror  
1942   Fingers at the Window  
1942   Dr. Kildare's Victory  
1941   Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day  
1941   The People vs. Dr. Kildare 
1941   Maisie Was a Lady  
1940   Dr. Kildare's Crisis 
1940   Dr. Kildare Goes Home  
1940   The Golden Fleecing
1940   Dr. Kildare's Strange Case 
1939   Remember? 
1939   The Secret of Dr. Kildare 
1939   These Glamour Girls 
1939   Calling Dr. Kildare 
1939   Broadway Serenade 
1939   The Ice Follies of 1939 
1938   Spring Madness 
1938   Young Dr. Kildare
1938   Rich Man, Poor Girl 
1938   Holiday 
1938   King of the Newsboys 
1938   Scandal Street 
1937   Hold 'Em Navy 
1937   The Last Train from Madrid 
1937   The Crime Nobody Saw 
1936   Murder with Pictures 
1936   Lady Be Careful 
1936   Shakedown 
1936   Panic on the Air 
1936   The Leathernecks Have Landed
1935   Silk Hat Kid 
1935   Spring Tonic 
1935   The Lottery Lover 
1934   Servants' Entrance
1934   She Learned About Sailors 
1934   Let's Be Ritzy 
1934   Cross Country Cruise 
1933   My Weakness 
1933   Don't Bet on Love 
1933   State Fair 
1932   Okay, America!
1932   Night World 
1932   The Impatient Maiden 
1931   Heaven on Earth
1931   The Spirit of Notre Dame
1931   Up for Murder
1931   Iron Man 
1931   Many a Slip 
1930   East Is West
1930   The Doorway to Hell 
1930   Common Clay
1930   All Quiet on the Western Front  
1929   The Kiss 
1929   Big News 
1929   The Sophomore