CLEVELAND, Ohio –For nearly eight decades, movie fans have fallen in love with 6-year-old Zuzu Bailey. Her most famous line in the 1946 classic film “It’s a Wonderful Life,” is “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.”
That wide-eyed little girl was played by Karolyn Grimes. Now in her 80s, she’s still spreading the film’s timeless message of hope, faith, and human kindness. This month, Northeast Ohio fans will have an opportunity to meet her in person.
Grimes will be at the Cleveland Christmas Connection, November 21-23 at the I-X Center. Throughout the three-day holiday shopping fest, she’ll greet fans, sign autographs, and share behind-the-scenes stories from the making of the beloved Frank Capra film.
Visitors can find her in the South Hall, booth 2020, where she’ll sell movie-themed ornaments and her cookbook, “Zuzu Bailey’s It’s a Wonderful Life Cookbook.”
The cookbook, published to celebrate the film’s 75th anniversary, was co-written with author and publicist Franklin Dohanyos. It blends family-style recipes with stories from the cast, interviews, film trivia, and rarely seen photos.
Though she filmed the movie in 1946, Grimes said she didn’t actually watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” until 1980.
“When I finally saw it, I was sorry I hadn’t shared it with my children,” she said. “My mother taught me not to be prideful, and I just never thought about it.”
She didn’t realize how deeply the movie had touched people until decades after it was released.
“It wasn’t until 1993, when Target used ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ for a holiday theme and the Bailey kids were reunited for a tour,” she recalled.
“People would come through the autograph line and tell us the movie saved their life. They’d say that they’d been on the bridge like George Bailey. I couldn’t believe how it had impacted people. That’s when I decided to go on the road, and I’ve been doing it ever since.”
The most common question Grimes gets from fans? What it was like working with legendary actor Jimmy Stewart, who played her father George Bailey in the movie and became a friend later in life.
“He was gentle, taller than God and sweet as he could be,” she said. “I really enjoyed him.”
Her favorite part of the film remains George Bailey’s turning point on the bridge.
“When he says, ‘Please, God, I want to live again,’ and it starts to snow — that moment is everything,” Grimes said. “It’s about faith, family, and friends. That’s what makes life wonderful.”
As for her famous screen name, Zuzu came from an early 1900s gingersnap cookie made by the National Biscuit Company (later Nabisco).
For those who are attentive to detail, Grimes noted, “In the movie, George says, ‘Zuzu, Zuzu, my little gingersnap.'”
“Now I get emails almost every day from people who’ve named their pets or children Zuzu. There are a lot of Zuzus out there.”
More than a nostalgic actress, Grimes has become a living ambassador for the movie’s uplifting message: Every life matters.
“Each person takes something different from the film,” she said. “It gives us the chance to reflect on our own lives — what we can give, or do, for others. That’s the secret to a happy life.”
Fans can meet Grimes, hear her stories, and take home a piece of “It’s a Wonderful Life” during the Cleveland Christmas Connection, November 21-23 at the I-X Center.
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