IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: "ZUZU" ACTRESS KAROLYN GRIMES, OUR SPECIAL HOLIDAY GUEST

At age of 4, Karolyn Grimes began memorizing lines & acting in the fantasy world of cinema. She worked with John Wayne, Cary Grant, Bing Crosby, Loretta Young, Fred MacMurray, Betty Grable, Danny Kaye & Jimmy Stewart. She already had appeared in 4 films when the part of Zuzu came along. It was just another small part, but one that has made an indelible imprint on the American consciousness. Her Hollywood career ended in her teens when her mother died from early-onset Alzheimer's disease & her father was killed in an automobile accident. An only child, Karolyn was sent by the court to live in tiny Osceola, Mo. Living in a less than desirable home, she found support from townspeople, &, through their love Karolyn decided to get an education & became a medical technician.  She married and had two girls. The marriage ended in divorce, & 2 years later her girls' father was killed in a hunting accident. Karolyn then married a man who had 3 children. They had two more together, so Karolyn raised a family of seven. Her youngest child committed suicide at age 18. Karolyn describes this time in her life as devastating. As she climbed out of that despair, her husband of 25 years died from lung cancer. At the time, the rebirth of interest in "It's a Wonderful Life" had begun, and Karolyn soon found a new life's focus. She serves as the unofficial ambassador for the film, traveling the world. www.zuzu.net

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