ALL-AMERICAN FATHER

American Movie Classics bills its Jimmy Stewart marathon as a salute to “filmdom’s favorite father.” But Stewart classics such as “Night Passage” and “Winchester ‘73” could hardly be labeled family films.

That’s because it wasn’t until the 1960s that he regularly played a dad, often struggling to bridge the generation gap with his kids, in films such as “Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation.” In this 1962 wholesome fare, directed by Henry Koster, Stewart and Maureen O’Hara take their brood to a seaside summer house and tackle family problems.

“Some of these titles are a stretch for Father’s Day,” admits Nick Clooney, but after meeting Stewart at one of sister Rosemary’s parties in the 1950s, the AMC host is convinced: “He’s a great father in real life.”

Here are the films showing in the 27-hour Father’s Day Stewart marathon that begins at 9 a.m. Sunday (most of the movies repeat):

“Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation” (1962): Sunday at 9 a.m. and 11:05 p.m.

“Night Passage” (1957): Sunday at 11 a.m., early Monday at 1 a.m.

“Dear Brigitte” (1965): Sunday at 12:30 p.m. and early Monday at 2:30 a.m.

“Thunder Bay” (1953): Sunday at 2:15 p.m., early Monday at 4:30 a.m. (and Saturday at 2 and 8:45 p.m.)

“Made for Each Other” (1939): Sunday at 4:30 p.m.

“The Far Country” (1955): Sunday at 6:05 p.m. and Monday at 6:30 a.m.

“Take Her, She’s Mine” (1963): Sunday at 7:45 p.m. and Monday at 8:30 a.m.

“Winchester ‘73” (1950): Sunday at 9:30 p.m. and Monday at 10:30 a.m.