At 66, 'Zuzu' Thinks Life Is Wonderful

MSNBC ^ | 12/23/2006 | MICHAEL HILL

[Hadean]

SENECA FALLS, N.Y. - Zuzu has a cold again. She sniffles and sucks on a cold pill as she signs autographs for fans lined up to the door in a coffee shop.

Karolyn Grimes jokes that she left her coat open, like her character Zuzu Bailey in "It's a Wonderful Life." A more likely culprit is the holiday crunch of appearances by the former child actress _ from a Victorian festival in Puyallup, Wash., to the Colorado Country Christmas Show and now to Seneca Falls, which claims to be the inspiration for director Frank Capra's mythical Bedford Falls.

Around Christmas, this Finger Lakes village is gussied up like the snowy movie town with white lights and wreaths strung across the main street. And the 66-year-old Grimes has come for a weekend celebration.

Everyone who saw the movie remembers Zuzu. She gets to say, "Every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings." And the petals from Zuzu's rose _ stuffed into a pants pocket by Jimmy Stewart's George Bailey as he comforts his sickly daughter _ become a symbol of life.

Grimes laughs about the petals getting more screentime than she did. But she has parlayed her six minutes in the beloved 1946 film into a late-life career. After enduring heartaches that make George Bailey's troubles look small, she has become a feel-good ambassador for the film and one of its last living links.

[Hadean]

Merry Christmas.

[battlegearboat]

Old man Potter had something to do with it. That's for sure.

[martin_fierro]

ZUZU'S PEDALS!

[Northern Yankee]

We were just watching that last night until we lost power due to a snow storm.

[visualops]

She sure has had some misfortune with family; both parents dead by the time she was 15, then she went on to bury her son and 2 husbands.

"You have a choice," she says. "You can drown in your sorrows, be the grumpy old Mr. Potter and be hurt and be in pain ... but I think you need to put that behind you because, my gosh, life is a wonderful gift."

Grimes, one of about seven surviving actors from the movie, says she's had troubled souls approach her sobbing at her appearances. She inspires smiles when she passes out a rose petal.

"I really feel like Zuzu is kind of a mission maybe, I don't know," Grimes says. "I think that there is a higher power at work and that I had to go through a lot of adverse situations in my life to understand other people's pain."

She sounds like a nice lady, God Bless her.

[mware]

[BallyBill]

I wonder if her dad will get punched in the face, like last time she got a cold? ; )

[L98Fiero]

Come now, Zuzu would use Shimano knock-offs. :)

[pissant]

We bought a signed ornament from this nice lady last year for our daughter.

This movie will be loved for centuries to come.

[sergeantdave]

Finger Lakes

One of the prettiest locations in America.

[Utah Binger]

Just thinking about that great movie makes me well up. And...She's still a cutie!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM SOUTHERN UTAH!

[mware]

I remember when I heard about Jimmy Stewards death. It felt like I had lost an uncle or grandfather.

[wizr]

Now that's a gift from God, if I ever saw one. Merry Christmas!

[Moonmad27]

I bought her cookbook at a recent Hollywood Collectors Show and was surprised by her age-defying youthfulness and enthusiasm. Her cookbook is full of good recipes (hearty stuff, not fancy fare) and filled with memories and photos of It's A Wonderful Life. She was also the daughter in Bishop's Wife, and she signed an original magazine ad for the film I'd found recently. I mentioned the 30 Second Bunny version of "Life", which she also liked. What a refreshing personality she has!

[Squat]

Anybody got a copy of the color version? I'd love to see it.

[poinq]

She is also the Daughter, Little Debbie, in "Bishop's Wife" which also has the young actor who played the young George Bailey.

[rudy45]

lol don't get me started. You are aware, of course, the original was B&W? The colorized version is fake lol.

[Chode]

no argument here.

SenecaFalls is up on the Erie canal(and it is very pretty) just 45 minutes from here on the south end of SenecaLake

[fieldmarshaldj]

Nice story.

Anyone remember the SNL skit where the townsfolk get revenge on Mr. Potter for stealing the Bailey S&L deposits that Uncle Billy accidentally left behind at the bank ? ;-)