"It's a Wonderful Life" Trivia

[tv star collector]

There is a marvelous, out-of-print book, "IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: THE 50TH
ANNIVERSARY SCRAPBOOK," by Jimmy Hawkins (who played one of George
Bailey's sons in the 1946 classic motion picture), published in 1996.

The idea for the story first came to Philip Van Doren Stern, on Feb. 12, 1938,
while he was shaving. An accomplished writer and historian, he shared the
idea with friends, and they encouraged him to write more. When he added
the Christmas theme and titled it "The Greatest Gift," he sent the story to
various magazines but received only rejections. Then he revised it and made it
into a pamphlet, which he sent to 200 friends as a Christmas card.

One friend, Hollywood agent Shirley Collier, called him after receiving the card
and told him the story had the makings of a movie. In 1943, RKO Pictures
bought the rights to "The Greatest Gift" for $10,000. The story appeared in
GOOD HOUSEKEEPING magazine later that year under the title "The Man Who
Never Was" and was also published as a small book titled "THE GREATEST
GIFT." After RKO purchased the rights, though, Van Doren Stern's involvement ended. He was disappointed that Frank Capra always referred
to his story as "this little Christmas card," and felt he should have received
more credit from Capra.

Carl Switzer, best known for his role of Alfalfa in "The Little Rascals" comedies,
has a brief cameo in the high school reunion scene of the picture.

Many familiar faces appear among the cast: James Stewart, Donna Reed,
Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers, Beulah Bondi, Frank
Faylen, Ward Bond, Gloria Grahame, H.B. Warner, Mary Treen, Lillian
Randolph, Sheldon Leonard, Charles Lane, Larry Simms (Alexander in the
"Blondie" films), and Ellen Corby (among others).

"It's a Wonderful Life" premiered on Dec. 20, 1946, at New York's Globe
Theatre. A ticket cost $1.25, plus tax.

Although the picture received five Oscar nominations, it won none. Capra
did however win a Golden Globe for Best Director. The movie lost $480,000
and was ranked 27th on Variety's list of 1946-1947 releases.

Now, over fifty years later (and thanks in large measure to television and home video), "It's a Wonderful Life" has become (in Hawkins' words) "as
much a holiday classic as Christmas shopping and baking cookies."

The movie was colorized in 1986. I have been watching it every year now
for the past eleven years. It never gets old.

[AB]

What an interesting story!

[Mikado]

This year, I havent seen it on anywhere, this year, usually its been on TV 8 times by now!

[AB]

^ I believe NBC is supposed to air it again Dec 24th at 8 pm.

[Zebra 3]

It will and on the CBC at 7pm.

[catlover79]

Very cool! Maybe I'll see if my local library has it or if they can order it for me.

[Mikado]

yeah I was hoping it would play earlier than the 24th...thats the big night here, I shant have time to watch it