Karolyn Grimes, Zuzu in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ Looks Back on a Life That Wasn’t Always Wonderful (Uplifting, poignant article)

The Hollywood Reporter ^ | 25 December 2024 | Scott Feinberg

[PghBaldy]

The 84-year-old, who was six when she played Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed's daughter, was orphaned at 15 and later lost a son to suicide, didn't even see the Christmas classic until she was 40.

For most of each year, Karolyn Grimes leads the sort of quiet, family-centric life that one might expect any retired 84-year-old grandmother to lead — but come December, that all changes. Indeed, when The Hollywood Reporter connected with her by telephone last week, the Seattle resident was, for the 22nd time, being celebrated at a festival in Seneca Falls, New York, and she would soon be rushing off to Detroit, where she would be a guest of honor at a similar gathering. Christmas was coming, and like Santa Claus, she had many places to go and people to see before the 25th.

[PghBaldy]

Wonderful article from Hollywood, of all places.

[Glad2bnuts]

Thank you for posting it. I loved it.

[PghBaldy]

You are very welcome. Merry Christmas.

[MayflowerMadam]

Bittersweet story. I enjoyed it!

[Captainpaintball]

I wondered, just last night, what happened to the kids in the movie.

[unlearner]

“It’s a Wonderful Life” is my favorite movie.

Thanks for sharing this article. It’s very good.

[telescope115]

Thank you for posting this, it’s a wonderful story!

[Empireoftheatom48]

Beautiful love the article. Watched it last night.

[Autonomous User]

Thanks for posting this.

[wgmalabama]

Jimmy Stewart was a real American first and an actor second. His WW2 history is an interesting read. It about killed him physically, mentally and emotionally.

[smokingfrog]

Thanks for posting.

[irishjuggler]

Thank you for posting this. I hate to admit it, but this story brought tears to my eyes in several places. My family attended the same parish church as Frank Capra for a while in the 80s, and he was a wonderful gentleman. Until now, I never really thought about actual, real-world impact of the anti-suicide message of the movie. Frank, Jimmy and the cast saved real people’s lives with this film, and that’s an amazing thing.

[ratzoe]

By far, one of my favorite movies. I always wondered why I wasn’t aware of it until the late 1970s and this article cleared that up. I’d always heard that it bombed when released, and to this day, I don’t know why. It was a great movie. Thank you for posting this link.

[exPBRrat]

I read that earlier in the Hollywood reporter, a wonderful story too.

[rlmorel]

I have read posts by a number of FReepers over the years who don’t like the movie, and are irritated by what they view as a anti-Capitalist tenor.

I understand their point of view, but I believe that is mistaken, because that means you have to accept Old Man Potter as the definition of a “Capitalist”, and I don’t believe it is an accurate definition.

But I watched it again the other night, and there were some parts that really stuck out at me.

One of them was the scene where a young George Bailey working in the Drug Store realizes that the old man (Gower) compounding things has accidentally put poison instead of medicine in some pills for a young girl. I have seen the movie a few times now, but somehow that scene presented to me in a different way this time. A very deep and moving scene. One of the strongest components of that whole scene is where George Bailey is trying to find a way to tell him he has made a mistake, but is told by Mr. Gower to get those pills to the girl. Then, he is rebuffed and put off trying to tell his father about the mistake. Finally he goes back, and is slapped around by Mr. Gower before convincing him of the mistake.

What got me watching this time was the acting by the character playing the young George Bailey (and the obvious good direction of Frank Capra) where he is frantic with the kind of frustration that can only be felt by someone who sees with a certainty the terrible thing that will happen, only to find nobody either sees it or cares to know.

A very powerful, and emotional scene.

[PghBaldy]

Very true. I cry everytime I see this movie.

[Kentfromohio]

Thanks for posting this story. Great movie by a great director, Frank Capra. His movies all celebrated the best virtues of America. And Jimmy Stewart was the perfect humble hero to play the lead roles. Some movies you can watch over and over and they still make you think and thank God for all the many things we have been given.

[AmericanMermaid]

My husband and I just watched this yesterday before the kids came over for Christmas dinner. It’s a tradition of ours to watch it, one of our favorite movies. It’s timeless and beautiful! Also, I always loved Jimmy Stewart.

[UMCRevMom@aol.com]

Thank you for the post. I enjoy watching “It’s a Wonderful Live” every year.

[irishjuggler]

The script and direction are genius.