‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ Turns 65: Celebrating a Holiday Classic

It's a holiday staple and a family-friendly tradition for generations. The iconic movie "It's a Wonderful Life" turned 65 years old in 2011, and with decades of annual television airings under its belt, it will probably never be retired. A TV ratings press release showed that NBC's recent 31st primetime telecast of the 1946 classic movie nabbed the network the top 18-49 rating for a non-sports Saturday night in nearly a year. That last time that happened was during last year's "It's a Wonderful Life" telecast in December 2010.

So while the film turned annual television staple is still getting plenty of viewers, the 65^th anniversary of the beloved film was even more special. And birthday #70 is just around the corner.

In Seneca Falls, New York, which is dubbed the real Bedford Falls, the two actresses who played Zuzu and Janie Bailey in the film paid tribute to the big screen classic in 2011. Karolyn Grimes (Zuzu) and Carol Coombs-Mueller (Janie) attended a special 65th anniversary screening  event in the modern-day Bedford Falls.

Hollywood heavyweights Annette Bening, Bryan Cranston and Peter Gallagher participated in readings of the movie at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, in the style of the old radio shows of the 1930s and 1940s. Of the original film, Bening said, "It is one of the great classics, isn't it? There is no way you can't be moved at the end of that."

And according to Pittsburgh Magazine, memorabilia from the classic movie was on display at Kennywood Amusement Park, courtesy of the Jimmy Stewart museum, which is located in the nearby hometown of the late movie star.

In an interview with My Fox Phoenix, actor Jimmy Hawkins (he played little Tommy Bailey in the film) said that the message that producer Frank Capra was trying to get across is that "each man's life touches so many others.” Hawkins also recounted that the film lost $500,000 when it was first released and said he was glad that Capra and star Jimmy Stewart lived long enough to see all their hard work come to fruition.

Indeed, the movie was initially considered a flop and, sadly, many of its stars didn't live to see the film's resurgence in the 1980s when it became a public domain free-for-all, with multiple television airings during the holiday season. Lionel Barrymore (Mr. Potter), Beulah Bondi (Ma Bailey), Gloria Grahame (Violet Bick), Thomas Mitchell (Uncle Billy) and Henry Travers (Clarence the angel) were some of the actors who died well before the film's second "wonderful life."

Of the film's enduring popularity, child star Karolyn Grimes told Studio, "People can watch this movie all year round and really enjoy the message that it conveys. It gives people hope and inspiration, and how many movies do that today?"