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Jimmy Hawkins

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Hawkins in 2021 at the 75th anniversary festival for It's a Wonderful Life in Seneca Falls, NY.
Jimmy Hawkins
Born (1941-11-13) November 13, 1941 (age 83)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actor
  • producer
  • director
Known forIt's a Wonderful Life

Jimmy Hawkins (born November 13, 1941[1]) is an American former actor, producer and writer. He is best-known for his TV roles in shows like Annie Oakley, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Leave It to Beaver, Petticoat Junction, and The Donna Reed Show; and as Tommy Bailey, son of George Bailey in the 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life.

Early life and career

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Born on November 13, 1941 in Los Angeles, California,[2] Hawkins was the middle child of three born to Elizabeth K., née Unholz, and Thomas J. Hawkins,[3] and the grandson of German-born prizefighter and onetime Keystone Cop, Rudy Unholz.[2][4] Each of Hawkins' siblings—Thomas Jr., the eldest, and Susan, the youngest—was also a child actor of film and/or television, the former billed as either Tim, Timmy, or Timmie,[2][5] and the latter as either Susan or Susie.[6][7] Hawkins attended Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California, participating in sports activities, and he was a leader of the Junior Achievement group in Burbank.[8]

In addition to Hawkins's acting, he made personal appearances that featured his roping and trick riding.[9]

Personal life

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Hawkins is the author of five books about the film It's a Wonderful Life, served on The Jimmy Stewart Museum Advisory Board, and for 20 years served on the board of directors of the Donna Reed Foundation for the Performing Arts.[10]

In celebration of the Frank Capra film, Hawkins and other cast members appear annually at the "It's A Wonderful Life Festival" in Seneca Falls, New York, the town thought to be the inspiration for the movie's setting of Bedford Falls.[11]

Filmography (selection)

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  • It's a Wonderful Life (1946) as Tommy Bailey
  • The Ruggles (1949-1952) (TV series, 137 episodes) as Donald Ruggles
  • Annie Oakley (1954-1957) (TV series, 81 episodes) as Tagg Oakley
  • Dennis The Menace (1961) (TV series) (Season 2 Episode 33: "Dennis' Newspaper") as Chuck Long
  • Leave It to Beaver (1961) (TV series) (Season 4 Episode 25: "Wally and Dudley") as Dudley McMillan
  • Bringing Up Buddy (1961) (TV series, 3 episodes)
    • (Season 1 Episode 17: "The Education of Nicky Marlo") as Fennimore
    • (Season 1 Episode 24: "Buddy and Fennimore") as Fennimore Cooper
    • (Season 1 Episode 34: "Buddy and the Teenager")
  • Ichabod and Me (1961-1962) (TV series, 11 episodes) as Jonathan Baylor
  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1962) (Season 7 Episode 15: "The Door Without a Key") as Dewey Sims
  • My Three Sons (1963) (TV series)
    • (Season 3 Episode 26: "High on the Hog") as George
    • (Season 4 Episode 4: "Dear Robbie") as John Carter
  • The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1962-1964) (TV series, 6 episodes) as Jimmy
  • The Fugitive (1963) (TV series) (Season 1 Episode 8: "See Hollywood and Die") as Carl Emery
  • Girl Happy (1965) as Doc
  • The Donna Reed Show (1958-1965) (TV series, 20 episodes)
  • Petticoat Junction (1963-1967) (TV series, 9 episodes)
  • Spinout (1966) as Larry
  • Gidget (1966) (TV series) (Season 1 Episode 19: "Gidget's Career") as Paul

References

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  1. ^ "Today's Birthdays". The Macon Telegraph. November 13, 2013. p. D 1. Retrieved May 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b c Goldrup, Tom; Goldrup, Jim (2002). Growing Up on the Set: Interviews with 39 Former Child Actors of Classic Film and Television. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 113. ISBN 0-7864-1254-2. "Jimmy Hawkins was born on November 13, 1941 in Los Angeles, California. He states, 'My grandfather, Rudy Unholtz [sic], was one of the orginal Keystone Cops. My mom was raised around studios and always wanted her kids in the picture business. So I just naturally followed in my brother Tim's footsteps. We would always go on interviews together. If they said, 'We need somebody a little older,' she would bring my brother in, and if they needed somebody younger, they's bring me in."
  3. ^ "United States, Census, 1950", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6XG9-BRWV : Tue Mar 18 02:44:15 UTC 2025), Entry for Thomas J Hawkins and Elizabeth K Hawkins, April 8, 1950.
  4. ^ Angus, Howard (June 15, 1916). "UNHOLZ TAKES FINAL COUNT; Famous Little Lightweight Loses His Last; Checkered Career Ended by Long Sickness; Game Fighter has Lengthy String of Victories". The Los Angeles Times. p. . Retrieved May 7, 2025. "Rudy Unholz died at 8:30 o'clock last night at his residence, No. 1664 Glendale Avenue. [...] He was 34 years of age. [...] He was born at Mannhelm-on-the-Rhine, Germany, October 5, 1881. [...] He boxed all of the best lightweights until his fatal match with Stanley Yoakum in Boise, Idaho, in October of 1912. Yoakum hit Unholz in the throat and the Boer took the count. After that his throat hurt him and a cough began. [...] It was his bout with Ad Wolgast in 1914 that first told Rudy the truth. Wolgast knocked him out in the second round, or rather Rudy dropped from sheer weakness. He came West and tried farming and later joined the Keystone Moving Picture Company."
  5. ^ "Timmy Hawkins Filmography". AFI Catalog.
  6. ^ Terrace, Vincent (2024). Experimental Television, Test Films, Pilots and Trial Series, 1925 through 1995; Seven Decades of Small Screen Almosts. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 85. ISBN 978-0-7864-4096-2. "370. Carolyn Pilot, (Comedy), 30 min., NBC, 8/7/56. Carolyn Daniels is an actress who becomes the guardian to three children after the death of her best friend. Her efforts to raise the children (Elizabeth, Candy and Buster) was to be the focal pint of the series. Cast: Celeste Holm (Carolyn Daniels), Patricia Morrow (Elizabeth), Susan Hawkins (Candy), Jimmy Hawkins (Buster), Parley Baer (Smattering, the butler)."
  7. ^ "TV Castings". TV Castings. November 8, 1956. p. 8. ProQuest 2338225379. Sam Buffington, Charles Tannen and Joseph Crehan for 'Iron Trail' segment of 'Cheyenne' at Warners. Susie Hawkins and Lei Lani for the Christmas episode of 'West Point Story. Edward Everett Horton to guest on the George Gobel Show Nov. 17. See also:
    • "TV Castings". TV Castings. December 11, 1958. p. 8. ProQuest 2610419778. Anne Dore was cast yesterday in a segment for the 'Bat Masterson' TV series; Reba Waters, 'Peck's Bad Girl'; Bobbie Crawford and Susie Hawkins, 'Donna Reed Show'; John Vivyan, '77 Sunset Strip.'
  8. ^ "Home Show Signs Boy Actor Tagg Oakley and His Horse". The Spokesman-Review. August 21, 1957. p. 12. Retrieved May 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Western TV Actor, 12, Gets Contract OKd". Los Angeles Times. April 12, 1954. p. 16. Retrieved May 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Kelly, Ray. "'It's (Still) a Wonderful Life' for former child actor Jimmy Hawkins". The Republican. Springfield, Mass. Archived from the original on 2019-12-08. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  11. ^ "2019 Festival Schedule of Appearances". It's A Wonderful Life Museum. 2017-10-08. Retrieved 2020-09-04.
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