Photo: Photographer Carl Dial - Fox Film / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Lew Ayres is one of those rare figures I admire as much for his conscience as his craft. He broke through playing a disillusioned German soldier in All Quiet on the Western Front, then charmed audiences as Dr. Kildare and earned an Oscar nod for Johnny Belinda across a 65-year career. But what truly stays with me is that the man who became famous in a war film refused to bear arms as a conscientious objector, weathering public backlash without bending. To hold both a thriving acting life and an unshakable principle is no small feat, and it makes his legacy quietly heroic to me.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Lew Ayres
- Name (Japanese)
- リュー・エアーズ
- Reading
- りゅー・えあーず
- Born
- December 28, 1908 – December 30, 1996
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Monkey
- Origin
- Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- actor / banjoist / film actor / television actor / film director
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 1960 star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Lew Ayres born?
December 28, 1908 – December 30, 1996.
Where is Lew Ayres from?
Lew Ayres is from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States.
What does Lew Ayres do?
Lew Ayres works as actor, banjoist, film actor, television actor, film director.
Actor — see all → · Banjoist — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-20
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.