Zuzu brings Bedford Falls to Lewiston
Child actor appeared in ‘It's a Wonderful Life’

Lewiston Porter Sentinel, December 15, 2007
Photos and story by Michael J. Owen
U.S. Navy Journalist (Ret.)

Karolyn Grimes spoke Sunday at the Barton Hill Hotel. (photo by Mike Owen)

“Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings,” said then little Zuzu in the 1946 holiday classic “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

Zuzu, played by actress Karolyn Grimes, spoke that famous line again last Sunday during a special Christmas appearance at the Barton Hill Hotel and Spa in the Village of Lewiston. In the Frank Capra film, she plays daughter Zuzu Bailey to Harry Bailey (Jimmy Stewart). Now age 67, she was 6 in the film and is still known as Zuzu today.

“I don’t mind being called Zuzu, even my grandchildren call me Grandma Zuzu,” said Grimes, still shinning with that little girl’s spirit and charm. She also helped bring that charm of the movie and mythical town of Bedford Falls to the Niagara Frontier.

“There’s a lot of people that believe, or want to believe, that Bedford Falls is somewhere around here,” said Allen Gundlach, 51, originally from West Seneca. “Being that Buffalo and Rochester are mentioned in the film as close by, it could be based on Lewiston or even West Seneca. We all want to believe that we live in this warm little town, especially at Christmas time.”

John Mencl, working with Zuzu, believes it’s based on Seneca Falls in the Finger Lakes due to references of Genesee. Mati Ortiz of Youngstown feels it could be her town.

“My daughter’s middle name was almost Zuzu, and Youngstown could be Bedford Falls,” she said.

Her children are Nicholas, age 9, and Gabriella Gigi Ortiz, 7.

“I’m only seven and Zuzu was six in the movie,” said Gabriella as she received an autograph and repeated the famous line with Zuzu.

Gabriella Gigi Ortiz and her brother, Nicholas, of Youngstown meet
actress Zuzu from the 1946 holiday classic film “It’s A Wonderful Life.”

Diane Finkbeiner, who co-owns Barton Hill with her husband, Ed, said when they first saw Lewiston at Christmas time, it looked just like Bedford Falls.

“We asked Zuzu to come and help us with our grand Christmas opening,” said Finkbeiner, formerly of Southern California.

When originally released just after World War II, “It’s a Wonderful Life” didn’t fare well at the box office until accidentally released into the public domain in 1971, at which time it became a huge hit. The film, named one of the greatest pictures of all time by the American Film Institute, is now a family favorite every holiday season. In the movie, George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) wrestles with life’s struggles of growing up and wanting to leave Bedford Falls and see the world. Instead, George is forced to take over the Bailey Building and Loan Association after his father dies. He lives in constant fear of losing his business, especially to the mean-spirited banker, Mr. Potter, after George’s Uncle Billy loses an $8,000 bank deposit. Assuming the world would be a better place without him, George tries to take his own life and meets his guardian angel, Clarence. He then sees firsthand what his life and Bedford Falls would be like without him. Realizing his worth to family, friends and the community, George becomes a new man with a new appreciation asking God for his life back.

“That scene at the end of the movie brings a tear to your eyes when George realizes he really did have a wonderful life,” added Gundlach. We all get discouraged at times. But, seeing that movie always helps me realize I have a wonderful life also with my wife Laurie and daughter Emily.”

For Lisa McCausland of Wilson, it was a wonderful experience to meet Zuzu.

“How often do you get to meet Zuzu? We watch it on TV every year. If you missed her tonight in Lewiston, get the movie. It will bring that extra cheer to the holiday season for your whole family,” she said.

At the Lewiston appearance, Zuzu recalled her tales in the making of the movie, funny mistakes and the work under direction of Capra, Donna Reed and Stewart.

“As a child, making the movie was lots of fun, there were so many people around. Jimmy Stewart was a wonderful man. He went to church and was a war hero,” said Zuzu. She said that Stewart was humble and wouldn’t allow his position as a general in the military to help promote his films. “He had this put in his contracts,” said Zuzu.

Despite the small town charm, Zuzu said the movie was made in California. “We were having a heat wave and at times the temperatures ranged in the 90s, even during the snow scenes,” she said. There was some crushed ice brought in, but most of the snow was made of chemical mixture and soapsuds. “You can see this on Jimmy Steward’s face in the jumping off the bridge scene,” she said, grinning while showing the video image to visitors. She also added that the Sesame Street characters, Bert and Ernie, were named after Bert the cop and Ernie the taxi drive because the Muppets creator loved the movie. Capra was known for making corny movies, sometimes called Frank Capricorn films.

According to Zuzu, Donna Reed’s dresses cost $200 and the song ‘Buffalo Gal, Won’t You Come Out Tonight’ was in the movie a few times. Reed also insisted she could throw the rock and break a window, and did. Also, Mr. Gower in the drugstore scene really was intoxicated.

“Capra wanted it to look real,” she continued. It was rough on the little boy actor that played the part with the sore ear. “He told me it was a grueling experience for him,” said Zuzu. Additionally, Uncle Billy’s crash sound leaving the party was a mistake off camera, but the poor stagehand, thinking he’d be fired, got a $10 bonus instead. Capra kept it in the movie.

A little more trivia: The last adult star alive from the movie is the actress that played Harry Bailey’s new wife. She was 17 in the movie. It was Grandma Walton that asked for the $17.50 at the bank and Stewart was surprised because it was $20 in the script. “This is how Capra kept it real,” said Zuzu. She also pointed out how we miss the background sounds in movies. The woman singing in Matinees' Bar was the original voice in Snow White. Zuzu was only in the movie for six minutes. “My petals were in it longer,” she added. The petals from her rose symbolize the values of family, friends and life itself.

Influenced by her mother, Grimes began acting at age five. In 1945, she debuted in “That Night With You.” Over the next seven years, she appeared in more than a dozen films, including “Pardon My Past” (with Fred McMurray) and the 1946 movie “Blue Skies” (with Crosby and Astaire) and “Sister Kenny” (with Rosalind Russell). In 1947, she starred in “Unconquered” (with Gary Cooper and Boris Karloff) and “The Bishop’s Wife” (with Cary Grant), and in 1950 it was “Rio Grande” (with John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara). Until a new twist in movie career as Zuzu in personal appearances, she was working happily as a medical technologist for 30 years.

Her favorite scene in “It’s a Wonderful Life” is when George is standing at the bridge near the end of the movie and says, “Please God, I want to live again,” and it starts snowing. Zuzu also signed autographs and movie covers for adoring fans and obviously won the hearts of those that came to find Bedford Falls on wintry Sunday night in Lewiston.