Columbus moviegoers will get an early look at the Jimmy Stewart biopic “Jimmy” this week, and the guest list includes a direct link to Stewart's most beloved role: Karolyn Grimes, who played little Zuzu Bailey in “It's a Wonderful Life,” is set to attend the local premiere on October 16 at Lennox Town Center 24 on Kinnear Road.
Grimes was just 6 years old in 1946 when she delivered the line that became a holiday touchstone — “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings” — in the Frank Capra classic starring Stewart as George Bailey, according to The Columbus Dispatch. Tickets for the event are already on sale, and the evening arrives as “It's a Wonderful Life” approaches its 80th anniversary.
What's Planned for the Columbus Screening
Doors open at 6 p.m. for a red carpet and refreshments, with a live conversation featuring Grimes, actress Kara Killmer and the film's producers set to begin at 6:45 p.m., per the same report. The movie screening follows at 7 p.m., offering what the event's official website describes as an early look at the film before its theatrical release.
Grimes's planned appearance at the Columbus screening adds a direct through-line between the 1946 film and the new biopic. The Columbus stop is one of several advance screenings happening around the country ahead of the movie's nationwide theatrical launch; in Fort Worth, “Jimmy” is scheduled to screen November 4 as the Lone Star Film Festival's opening-night selection, as detailed in Hoodline's earlier Texas premiere coverage.
Inside the Film's Story and Cast
Directed by Aaron Burns, “Jimmy” follows Stewart's career arc from his Oscar-winning turn in “The Philadelphia Story” through his World War II service as a combat pilot and his eventual return to Hollywood as George Bailey, according to Wikipedia. KJ Apa stars as Stewart, joined by an ensemble that includes Jason Alexander as MGM chief Louis B. Mayer, Max Casella as director Frank Capra, and Sarah Drew as gossip columnist Hedda Hopper.
The film screened on October 8 as the opening-night selection of the 35th Heartland International Film Festival in Indianapolis. That Indianapolis debut places the Columbus screening within a broader midwestern tour of preview events leading up to the wide release.
Real Combat History Behind the Role
Stewart's wartime story depicted in the film is drawn from his actual service record. He enlisted in 1941, became a B-24 bomber pilot, and flew 20 combat missions over Nazi-controlled Europe as a squadron commander with the Eighth Air Force, according to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. He later stayed active in the Air Force Reserve for decades, earning a promotion to brigadier general in July 1959 before retiring in May 1968 after 27 years of military service.
That military connection extended into the film's production. The Department of the Air Force Entertainment Liaison Office provided official technical support, while active-duty musicians from the U.S. Air Forces in Europe Band performed on the soundtrack and appeared on screen portraying Major Glenn Miller's orchestra, per Crossmap. Separately, the Vet Tix Foundation announced it is distributing $1 million worth of free movie tickets for “Jimmy” to active-duty service members, veterans, first responders and their families, according to a report from the TODAY Show.
Family Oversight and Grimes's Own Story
Stewart's daughter, Kelly Stewart-Harcourt, served as an executive producer on “Jimmy” to help safeguard her father's legacy, and she personally encouraged the inclusion of his real combat experiences and his charitable work with organizations like The Salvation Army, according to War Cry. The family had reportedly declined earlier film proposals over concerns about sensationalized personal drama.
Grimes's own path after Hollywood took a difficult turn. She was orphaned at 15 after losing her mother to Alzheimer's disease and her father to an auto accident, forcing a move from Hollywood to rural Missouri and a later career as a medical technologist, according to Wikipedia. Despite playing Zuzu in 1946, Grimes reportedly did not watch “It's a Wonderful Life” in its entirety until 1980, at age 40, after fans and journalists tracked her down following the film's resurgence on television, per the Northwest Prime Time anecdote circulating among coverage of her appearances.
“Jimmy” is scheduled to open nationwide in commercial theaters on November 6 through a distribution partnership between Burns & Co. Entertainment and Fathom Entertainment, according to Wikipedia. For Columbus audiences, the October 16 event at Lennox Town Center 24 offers a chance to see the film — and meet a living piece of “It's a Wonderful Life” history — weeks before it reaches theaters everywhere else.
