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<i> Arts and entertainment reports from The Times, national and international news services and the nation's press</i>

Jimmy Stewart hasn’t acted in about 5 years, but the 81-year-old actor says he’s ready for another movie, if the right script comes along. “Can’t play cowboys anymore,” he adds, however. After he came back from the Army in 1941, he returned to Hollywood fearful of his future, with his contract expired and wondering if the public would still remember him. “That’s why I thank (director) Frank Capra in prayers every day,” he said. “ ‘Cause he just, out of the blue, called me up and said, ‘I got an idea for a story, and why don’t you come down to the house?”’ The result was “It’s a Wonderful Life” which was not successful when it came out but has since become a much-loved Christmastime perennial. “Looking back over it, I can just see that the picture meant more to me than any other,” Stewart said.

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