# Did studio boss really \*order\* Jimmy Stewart to use prostitutes to prove his manhood?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-studio-boss-really-order-jimmy-stewart-to-use-prostitutes-to-prove-his-manhood/378720>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [November 1, 2006, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-studio-boss-really-order-jimmy-stewart-to-use-prostitutes-to-prove-his-manhood/378720 "2006-11-01T13:19:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-studio-boss-really-order-jimmy-stewart-to-use-prostitutes-to-prove-his-manhood/378720/1 "2006-11-01T13:19:50Z")

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[In the article via fark this claim is made](http://www.pr-inside.com/stewart-was-forced-to-prove-heterosexuality-with-brothel-visits-r22161.htm). Is it true?

> [@](#):
>
> Late Hollywood star JAMES STEWART was forced to regularly visit a brothel by his Hollywood studio boss to prove he was not gay, according to a new biography.
> 
> In his book JIMMY STEWART, author MARC ELIOT claims MGM executive LOUIS B MAYER believed actors over the age of 25 who were single were closet homosexuals, and set up a house of ill repute next to the studio to weed out gay actors so he could cancel their contract.
> 
> The beloved IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE actor was raised in a strict Presbyterian household and had no desire to have sex with prostitutes, but his manager left him with no choice.  
> BILL GRADY is quoted in the biography as saying, "I had to lay down the law to him.
> 
> “I had to tell him, ‘Jim, if you don’t go and give a manly account of yourself at least a few times, Mayer and the others will think you’re gay. So get your a\*s over there and get those rocks off with at least two of those broads.’” According to Eliot, Stewart reluctantly complied.

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**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-studio-boss-really-order-jimmy-stewart-to-use-prostitutes-to-prove-his-manhood/378720/2 "2006-11-01T13:23:17Z")

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I hope so because I love Jimmy Stewart and it would make me admire him more if it were true.

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**Author:** ![UntouchedTakeaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d78d45/32.png) [@UntouchedTakeaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UntouchedTakeaway)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-studio-boss-really-order-jimmy-stewart-to-use-prostitutes-to-prove-his-manhood/378720/3 "2006-11-01T14:20:55Z")

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[QUOTE=astro]  
[In the article via fark this claim is made](http://www.pr-inside.com/stewart-was-forced-to-prove-heterosexuality-with-brothel-visits-r22161.htm). Is it true?  
[/QUOTE]

Wasn’t he a noted (but discreet & uber-gentlemanly) ladies’ man? I guess it wouldn’t surprise me - studios forced stars into abortions, yes?

VCNJ~

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**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-studio-boss-really-order-jimmy-stewart-to-use-prostitutes-to-prove-his-manhood/378720/4 "2006-11-01T16:27:02Z")

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RiiiiiIIIIIiiiight

I believe that there could have been a studio run whore house, but I doubt that anyone was forced to go.  
Was Stewart even an MGM contract player?