Christmas is the busiest time of the year for Karolyn Grimes as she travels across the country, warming the hearts of those with her behind-the-scenes memories of the eternal “It’s a Wonderful Life” holiday season and her life-affirming message.
Grimes, 81, played the role of the adorable Zuzu Bailey, the daughter of Jimmy Stewart’s character George Bailey, at the age of 6. Viewers know her for uttering one of the most memorable phrases: “Listen, Dad. The instructor says, “Every time a bell rings, an angel takes its wings. “
Last week, she in the small town of Finger Lakes, Seneca Falls, in western New York, is a position that is like a house of moments for her.
The city is believed to have encouraged director Frank Capra’s Bedford Falls in the film.
Grimes, who lives on Lake Shastina in Siskiyou County, has been traveling to and from Seneca Falls since 2002. The film celebrates 75 years since it was in 1946.
During lunch last Monday, a day after the city concluded a five-day festival to celebrate the anniversary, Grimes spoke with Record Searchlight about the lasting effect the film has had on his life.
“There are a lot of other people who would like to see a sequel, but you can’t play with genuine art,” Grimes said. “A new version would not be a success. “
She is one of the few actors alive. Two others are Carol Coombs, 86, who played Janie Bailey, and Jimmy Hawkins, 80, who played Tommy Bailey, 4. The three, Grimes, were played as the Bailey children.
Grimes explained in an excerpt from her e-book “Zuzu Bailey Cookebook ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ how Hawkins and Coombs approach her, as brother and sister. Bailey’s other young men in the film had productive lives.
Hawkins is an actor and manufacturer and co-starred with Elvis Presley in two musicals, “Girl Happy” and “Spinout,” according to IMDb, an online database. Coombs has been married since 1957 and has reunited with Hawkins and Grimes for “It’s a Wonderful. “Life”fan occasions since the 1990s.
Grimes has a program full of occasions and tours from September to Christmas Eve, and makes appearances in at least 16 towns across the country to commemorate the film that made her famous.
“I go all over the country to do other places, yet this one in Seneca Falls is the only one I do every year,” Grimes said.
The only other movie Grimes says comes close to “It’s a Wonderful Life” is the Christmas movie he starred in, titled “The Bishop’s Wife,” starring Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven.
It was shot the summer in Los Angeles and required a Hollywood hoax to create a winter setting.
While “It’s a Wonderful Life” is set in a small snowy town, the film was shot in various locations in Los Angeles. The visual effects used to create a snowy village on the East Coast are the explanation for why “It’s a Wonderful Life” won its only Academy Award for technical achievement.
“Everyone was wearing wool coats and they were sweating,” Grimes said. “When I was a kid, I hadn’t noticed. There’s a lot of interest in those stories because it’s Christmas and enthusiasts should listen to them and I’m thrilled percentage because I’m proud to be in this movie. “
Grimes didn’t know she ran with prominent Hollywood actors.
Walking on set and watching famous Oscar winners like Stewart, Donna Reed and Lionel Barrymore didn’t intimidate Grimes, who credited her mother, Martha, with helping her enjoy running on set with a star-studded cast.
“I was just a little kid and my mother kept me from knowing I was running with the stars,” Grimes said. “I didn’t even know what a movie star was. They I of all that. I just saw them as ordinary other people. “and I enjoyed them very much. “
Stewart starred in his first film since serving as a fighter pilot in World War II in Germany.
“He’s George Bailey in genuine life and therefore it’s a simple role for him,” Grimes said. “He has helped many other people in difficult times that no one knows. Nothing like this was made public, yet it did. “a lot of smart things for other people who needed help. “
The film did not receive an early positive reception when it was released in 1946.
“It took many years for it to be done,” Grimes said.
But what would possibly have replaced the direction of the film when it entered the public domain in 1974, gained popularity after being able to be broadcast loosely through television channels throughout the country.
Grimes believes the serious tone hampered the film’s rapid potential.
“People weren’t in a position for this story,” Grimes said. “Immediately after World War II and other people were looking to entertain themselves. They were looking to laugh and this movie is a dark movie, if you think about it. he’s a guy who’s contemplating suicide. “
75 years later, the film’s message continues to resonate with audiences. Grimes said the presentation is a lesson in how small acts of kindness can have a big, lasting impact.
She has seen the movie many times and is still crying. His favorite phrase is when George’s brother Harry raises his glass and says “Tomy, the brother, George, the richest guy in town” in the last scene of the movie. how it is a moment of self-realization for Bailey, as he observes the other people whose lives have come to his aid.
Inspired by the film’s classes and those of his own life, Grimes gave motivational speeches. He now uses Facebook to mentor others facing emotional stress.
Grimes’ online site tells how her acting career was cut short as a teenager after the deaths of her mother and father and sent her to live in Osceola, Missouri. Her youngest son committed suicide at the age of 18, and her husband at one point. A marriage that lasted 25 years, he died of lung cancer, according to the online biography.
She uses “It’s a Wonderful Life” to cheer up other people during the holidays.
“I use the film as a backdrop to make them feel better about themselves,” Grimes said. “I’m grateful to have that and I’m grateful to have the opportunity to communicate with other people and make a difference in their lives. “
Three years ago, he moved to Siskiyou County.
Grimes explained how she saw a resemblance between neighbors and first responders who evacuated her and the characters who were depicted in the circle of relatives when the lava chimney burned near her home on Lake Shastina last summer.
The lightning fire, fueled by strong winds and drought in California, destroyed more than a dozen homes and burned 26,400 acres.
“It’s like a small town where other people get together and it’s great to live here,” Grimes said. “There is a camaraderie where everyone cares about everyone and this summer has been terrible with the fires. People care about their neighbors and that was beautiful. “
Grimes is expected to return to California for Christmas with her husband, Chris Brunell, who works as a clinical psychologist for local American tribes in Siskiyou County.
The couple moved to the northern state in 2018 after being in Seattle for 20 years.
“If you think about the struggles that George Bailey went through, they’re none other than the ones we’re all going through,” Grimes said. “We don’t realize how people’s lives and how we can make a difference.
“So when we watch this movie, we realize we can make a difference. We sit down, watch this movie and realize we have a glorious life. “
Ethan Hanson is running for the Redding Record Searchlight after 4 years with the Los Angeles Daily News as a freelancer. Her policy includes participating in the NCAA women’s basketball tournament in South Bend, Indiana, and writing about the St. Rams. Louis in Los Angeles with Ventura County Star. Il began his career as a play-by-play announcer for LA Pierce College from 2011 to 2017. Follow him on Twitter in @EthanAHanson_RS.