On top of that one of the actors who made the film special died this past Summer. Robert J. Anderson played the young George Bailey in the start of the film, rescuing his brother from the frozen lake, getting slapped around by the drunken pharmacist, and then telling Mr. Potter off in defense of his Dad. Anderson died on June 8th of cancer at his home in Palm Springs at the age of 75.
The story of George Bailey and the intervention of the angel was loosely based on the short story, "The Greatest Gift," written by Philip Van Doren Stern...and coincidentally I've been reading a book by him this year. Van Doren Stern was also a Civil War Historian, and his Pictoral History of the Confederate Navy includes the story of Mobile's Raphael Semmes.I don't watch IAWL every year, but I've seen it enough to know many of the lines by heart. And enough to still be moved.
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Dec 13, 2008
Is It A Wonderful Life?
Tonight's broadcast of "It's a Wonderful Life" on NBC struck an even more somber note than usual, at least for me. Watching the run on Bailey Savings and Loan felt more like a current newscast than something from 1956. The tough economic times are back, but this time the bankers are asking the taxpayers to save them!
On top of that one of the actors who made the film special died this past Summer. Robert J. Anderson played the young George Bailey in the start of the film, rescuing his brother from the frozen lake, getting slapped around by the drunken pharmacist, and then telling Mr. Potter off in defense of his Dad. Anderson died on June 8th of cancer at his home in Palm Springs at the age of 75.
The story of George Bailey and the intervention of the angel was loosely based on the short story, "The Greatest Gift," written by Philip Van Doren Stern...and coincidentally I've been reading a book by him this year. Van Doren Stern was also a Civil War Historian, and his Pictoral History of the Confederate Navy includes the story of Mobile's Raphael Semmes.I don't watch IAWL every year, but I've seen it enough to know many of the lines by heart. And enough to still be moved.
On top of that one of the actors who made the film special died this past Summer. Robert J. Anderson played the young George Bailey in the start of the film, rescuing his brother from the frozen lake, getting slapped around by the drunken pharmacist, and then telling Mr. Potter off in defense of his Dad. Anderson died on June 8th of cancer at his home in Palm Springs at the age of 75.
The story of George Bailey and the intervention of the angel was loosely based on the short story, "The Greatest Gift," written by Philip Van Doren Stern...and coincidentally I've been reading a book by him this year. Van Doren Stern was also a Civil War Historian, and his Pictoral History of the Confederate Navy includes the story of Mobile's Raphael Semmes.I don't watch IAWL every year, but I've seen it enough to know many of the lines by heart. And enough to still be moved.
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It's a Christmas tradition with me. That end gets me every year.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know about Anderson's death and that it was based on a short story by Philip Van Doren Stern. That is a great book he wrote on the Confederate Navy and in my collection.
Thanks for the info.