Jimmy Hawkins (born November 13, 1941) is an American former

actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...

, producer and writer. He is best-known for his TV roles in shows like ''

Annie Oakley Annie Oakley (born Phoebe Ann Mosey; August 13, 1860 – November 3, 1926) was an American marksman, sharpshooter and folk heroine who starred in Buffalo Bill's Wild West. Oakley developed hunting skills as a child to provide for her impoveris ...

'', ''

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet'' is an American television sitcom that aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from October 3, 1952, to April 23, 1966, and starred the real-life Nelson family. After a long run on radio, the show was b ...

'', ''

Leave It to Beaver ''Leave It to Beaver'' is an American television sitcom that follows the misadventures of a suburban boy, his family and his friends. It starred Barbara Billingsley, Hugh Beaumont, Tony Dow and Jerry Mathers. CBS first broadcast the show ...

'', ''

Petticoat Junction ''Petticoat Junction'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from September 1963 to April 1970. The series takes place at the Shady Rest Hotel, which is run by Kate Bradley; her three daughters Billie Jo, Bobbie Jo, an ...

'', and ''

The Donna Reed Show ''The Donna Reed Show'' is an American sitcom starring Donna Reed as the middle-class housewife Donna Stone. Carl Betz co-stars as her Pediatrics, pediatrician husband Dr. Alex Stone, and Shelley Fabares and Paul Petersen as their teenage childr ...

''; and as Tommy Bailey, son of George Bailey in the 1946 film '' It's a Wonderful Life''.

Early life and career

Born on November 13, 1941 in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

,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. . "Jimmy Hawkins was born on November 13, 1941 in Los Angeles, California. He states, 'My grandfather, Rudy Unholtz ic 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." Hawkins was the middle child of three born to Elizabeth K., née Unholz, and Thomas J. Hawkins, and the grandson of German-born

prizefighter Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional fights are supervised by a regulatory auth ...

and onetime Keystone Cop, Rudy Unholz. 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, and the latter as either Susan or Susie. Hawkins attended Notre Dame High School in

Sherman Oaks, California Sherman Oaks (founded in 1927) is a neighborhood of the city of Los Angeles, California within the San Fernando Valley region. The neighborhood includes a portion of the Santa Monica Mountains, which gives Sherman Oaks a lower population density ...

, participating in sports activities, and he was a leader of the

Junior Achievement JA (Junior Achievement) Worldwide is a global non-profit youth organization. It was founded in 1919 by Horace A. Moses, Theodore Vail, and Winthrop M. Crane. JA works with local businesses, schools, and organizations to deliver experiential ...

group in Burbank. In addition to Hawkins's acting, he made personal appearances that featured his roping and trick riding.

Personal life

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. In celebration of the

Frank Capra Frank Russell Capra (born Francesco Rosario Capra; May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991) was an Italian-American film director, producer, and screenwriter who was the creative force behind Frank Capra filmography#Films that won Academy Award ...

film, Hawkins and other cast members appear annually at the "It's A Wonderful Life Festival" in

Seneca Falls, New York Seneca Falls is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 9,027 at the 2020 census. The Town of Seneca Falls contains the former village also called Seneca Falls. The town is east of Geneva, New York, in the north ...

, the town thought to be the inspiration for the movie's setting of Bedford Falls.

Filmography (selection)

* '' It's a Wonderful Life'' (1946) as Tommy Bailey * '' The Ruggles'' (1949-1952) (TV series, 137 episodes) as Donald Ruggles * ''

'' (1954-1957) (TV series, 81 episodes) as Tagg Oakley * '' Dennis The Menace'' (1961) (TV series) (Season 2 Episode 33: "Dennis' Newspaper") as Chuck Long * ''

'' (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 ''Ichabod and Me'' is an American sitcom television series starring Robert Sterling and George Chandler that aired in the United States during the 1961–62 United States network television schedule, 1961–62 television season. It depicts the l ...

'' (1961-1962) (TV series, 11 episodes) as Jonathan Baylor * ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 ...

'' (1962) (Season 7 Episode 15: "The Door Without a Key") as Dewey Sims * ''

My Three Sons ''My Three Sons'' is an American television sitcom that aired from September 29, 1960, to April 13, 1972. The series was filmed in black-and-white and broadcast on ABC during its first five seasons, before moving to CBS for the remaining seve ...

'' (1963) (TV series) ** (Season 3 Episode 26: "High on the Hog") as George ** (Season 4 Episode 4: "Dear Robbie") as John Carter * ''

'' (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 ''Girl Happy'' is a 1965 American musical romantic comedy and beach party film starring Elvis Presley in his eighteenth feature. The movie won a fourth-place prize Laurel Award in the category Top Musical of 1965. It featured the song " Puppet ...

'' (1965) as Doc * ''

'' (1958-1965) (TV series, 20 episodes) * ''

'' (1963-1967) (TV series, 9 episodes) * '' Spinout'' (1966) as Larry * '' Gidget'' (1966) (TV series) (Season 1 Episode 19: "Gidget's Career") as Paul

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hawkins, Jimmy 1941 births Living people 20th-century American male actors American male child actors Actors from Los Angeles Notre Dame High School (Sherman Oaks, California) alumni