Larry Lee Simms (October 1, 1934 – June 17, 2009) was an American child actor who appeared in 36 films between 1937 and 1951.

Life and career

Larry Simms was born October 1, 1934. He worked as a child model from the age of two and was discovered by a Hollywood talent scout when he appeared in a 1937 Saturday Evening Post advertisement. His first film was ''

The Last Gangster ''The Last Gangster'' (also called ''Another Public Enemy'') is a 1937 American crime drama film directed by Edward Ludwig and starring Edward G. Robinson and James Stewart. The supporting cast features Rose Stradner, Lionel Stander and John C ...

'' (1937), where he played Edward G. Robinson's young son. Simms became known for his appearances as Alexander "Baby Dumpling" Bumstead in the popular '' Blondie'' film series starring

Penny Singleton Penny Singleton (born Mariana Dorothy McNulty, September 15, 1908 – November 12, 2003) was an American actress, singer, dancer and labor leader. During her 60-year career on stage, screen, radio and television, Singleton appeared as the ...

and Arthur Lake. Between 1938 and the end of the series in 1950, Simms appeared as Alexander in 28 films earning at one point $750 a week. In 1946, Simms joined the cast of the '' Blondie'' radio program, portraying Alexander there as he had in movies. Simms occasionally acted outside of the ''Blondie'' series, most notably in two Frank Capra films. He played one of the sons of Governor Hopper (

Guy Kibbee Guy Bridges Kibbee (March 6, 1882 – May 24, 1956) was an American stage and film actor. Early years Kibbee was born in El Paso, Texas. His father was editor of the ''El Paso Herald-Post'' newspaper, and Kibbee learned how to set type at age ...

) in '' Mr. Smith Goes to Washington'' (1939) and Pete Bailey, the oldest son of James Stewart's George Bailey in ''

It's a Wonderful Life ''It's a Wonderful Life'' is a 1946 American Christmas fantasy drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra, based on the short story and booklet ''The Greatest Gift'', which Philip Van Doren Stern self-published in 1943 and is in turn loos ...

'' (1946). He retired from show business to join the Navy (he appeared in uniform as himself in the Columbia Screen Snaphots short ''Hollywood Grows Up''), then studied aeronautical engineering at California Polytech. He later worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California and around the world as an engineer until his retirement from aeronautical engineering. Simms and his wife resided in Thailand prior to his death (on June 17 at age 74) in 2009."Where are they now?"
article about Larry Simms

Filmography

* ''

'' (1937) - Joe Krozac Jr. as a Baby (uncredited) * '' Blondie'' (1938) - Baby Dumpling * ''

Blondie Meets the Boss ''Blondie Meets the Boss'' is a 1939 American comedy film directed by Frank R. Strayer and starring Penny Singleton and Arthur Lake. Based on the Chic Young comic strip of the same name, the film is the second in the '' Blondie'' series, which ...

'' (1939) - Baby Dumpling * '' Blondie Takes a Vacation'' (1939) - Baby Dumpling Bumstead * '' Mr. Smith Goes to Washington'' (1939) - Hopper Boy #4 * '' Blondie Brings Up Baby'' (1939) - Alexander 'Baby Dumpling' Bumstead * '' Blondie on a Budget'' (1940) - Baby Dumpling Bumstead * '' Blondie Has Servant Trouble'' (1940) - Baby Dumpling * '' Blondie Plays Cupid'' (1940) - Baby Dumpling * '' Blondie Goes Latin'' (1941) - Baby Dumpling Bumstead * '' Blondie in Society'' (1941) - Baby Dumpling * ''

Blondie Goes to College ''Blondie Goes to College'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Frank R. Strayer. The film is a part of the ''Blondie'' series, starring Penny Singleton in the title role. It is the tenth of twenty-eight Blondie movies starring Penny Sing ...

'' (1942) - Alexander 'Baby Dumpling' Bumstead * '' Blondie's Blessed Event'' (1942) - Baby Dumpling (Alexander) Bumstead * '' The Gay Sisters'' (1942) - Austin * '' Blondie for Victory'' (1942) - Baby Dumpling * '' It's a Great Life'' (1943) - Alexander Bumstead / Baby Dumpling * '' Footlight Glamour'' (1943) - Alexander Bumstead * '' Leave It to Blondie'' (1945) - Alexander Bumstead * '' Life with Blondie'' (1945) - Alexander Bumstead * ''

Blondie's Lucky Day ''Blondie's Lucky Day'' is a 1946 American comedy film directed by Abby Berlin and starring Penny Singleton, Arthur Lake, Larry Simms, Marjorie Ann Mutchie. It is the 17th of the 28 Blondie films. Plot summary While his boss, Mr. Dithers, is o ...

'' (1946) - Alexander Bumstead * '' Blondie Knows Best'' (1946) - Alexander Bumstead * ''

'' (1946) - Pete Bailey * ''

Blondie's Big Moment ''Blondie's Big Moment'' is a 1947 American comedy film directed by Abby Berlin and starring Penny Singleton, Arthur Lake, Larry Simms, and Marjorie Ann Mutchie. It is the 19th of the 28 Blondie films. Plot Dagwood is eager to make a good imp ...

'' (1947) - Alexander Bumstead * '' Blondie's Holiday'' (1947) - Alexander Bumstead * ''

Golden Earrings ''Golden Earrings'' is a 1947 romantic spy film made by Paramount Pictures and starring Ray Milland and Marlene Dietrich. It was directed by Mitchell Leisen and produced by Harry Tugend from a screenplay by Frank Butler, Helen Deutsch and Ab ...

'' (1947) - Horace - Pageboy (uncredited) * ''

Song of Love Song of Love may refer to: * Song of love or love song, a song about falling in love * ''The Song of Love'' (1923 film) * ''Song of Love'' (1929 film), a film starring Belle Baker and Ralph Graves * ''The Song of Love'' (1930 film) * ''Song of ...

'' (1947) - Prince Albert (uncredited) * '' Blondie in the Dough'' (1947) - Alexander Bumstead * '' Blondie's Anniversary'' (1947) - Alexander Bumstead * '' Blondie's Reward'' (1948) - Alexander Bumstead * '' Blondie's Secret'' (1948) - Alexander Bumstead * '' Blondie's Big Deal'' (1949) - Alexander Bumstead * ''

Madame Bovary ''Madame Bovary'' (; ), originally published as ''Madame Bovary: Provincial Manners'' ( ), is a novel by French writer Gustave Flaubert, published in 1856. The eponymous character lives beyond her means in order to escape the banalities and emp ...

'' (1949) - Justin * '' Blondie Hits the Jackpot'' (1949) - Alexander Bumstead * '' Blondie's Hero'' (1950) - Alexander Bumstead * '' Beware of Blondie'' (1950) - Alexander Bumstead * ''Her First Romance'' (1951) - Military Boy (uncredited) (final film role) * '' Screen Snapshots Series 33, Hollywood Grows Up'' (1954, Documentary short) - Himself

References

Bibliography

* John Holmstrom, ''The Moving Picture Boy: An International Encyclopaedia from 1895 to 1995'', Norwich, Michael Russell, 1996, p. 190.

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Simms, Larry 1934 births 2009 deaths American male child actors American male film actors 20th-century American male actors Male actors from Los Angeles