December 7, 2023
It’s a Wonderful Life!

It’s a Wonderful Life!

It was such fun meeting Karolyn Grimes/Zuzu from It’s a Wonderful Life!
September 7, 2023

Dear readers, exactly where do I begin?!  Perhaps, it is best to first address the fact that I had intended to “pen” this particular blog post, months ago!  Or maybe, I should start with just how excited I was to meet Karolyn Grimes in person.  
But…
as it was so aptly expressed at the start in one of my very most favorite films,
The Quiet Man,

Well, then, now, I’ll begin at the beginning.
Father Peter Lonergan

You can hear Father Lonergan narrating this line, here.

So, I will, indeed, begin at the beginning… 
Deep breath…here it goes…

It Happened on 5th Avenue

To actually “begin at the beginning”, I must go back to the end of 2018.  I was doing a little research for my blog on the delightful classic Christmas film, It Happened on 5th Avenue, starring Don DeFore.  DeFore had grown up in Iowa, like myself, and I was hoping to find out more information than I was currently gleaning from my Google search.  Through the miracle of the Internet, and the kindness and generosity of Don’s son, Ron DeFore, I was able to get just that:  some fun information and tidbits for my December 2018 blog post,
What’s Slumgullion? (You can read that post, here.)

Delicious Slumgullion

It was through the emails that flew back and forth, as I finished up that blog post, that I learned that Ron DeFore was writing his soon to be published book,
Growing Up in Disneyland. (A truly enjoyable read! Yes, he really did spend a lot of his childhood in Disneyland!))

Fast forward to July 2019, and an interesting phone interview with Ron about his new book, for a blog post. (You can read that post, here.) To be honest, I do not remember if it was during this conversation, or an email later on, but Ron mentioned that he would be attending the September 2019 Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention to sell and sign his new book. My interest was piqued, but I was unable to attend. (I was later told that Ron’s attendance was a success, with his book being a popular item that year.) It was through this correspondence with Ron DeFore, that I was made aware of the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention.

Growing Up in Disneyland
By Ron DeFore

The Airport

It was now April 18, 2023.  I was at the airport waiting for my Southwest flight.  (Southwest was having a bad day.  You can read about that, here.) I had just settled down at my gate, to read my book, Surviving Cissy: My Family Affair of Life in Hollywood, by
Kathy Garver, and await my flight, when a gate change was announced. The mass of traveling humanity moved and settled into the next gate. But, it was not to be, as the moving gate scenario was soon repeated at the second gate. Then a short time later…you guessed it, yet another gate change.  Settling down for the third time, a fellow passenger, sitting next to me, glanced over and remarked, “I know her. I’m going to text Kathy, that you are reading her book.”
Well, you don’t hear that sort of comment every day! Just as I sputtered out, “Really?!”, there was yet another PA announcement, and the gate changing game commenced once more (shades of Musical Chairs).  

My fellow passenger made tracks to the next gate, leaving me to quickly gather my belongings (again), and mull over his comment. Now, anyone who knows me, can assure you that I am not one to allow a conversation end before its conclusion!  Spotting him ahead in the crowd of shuffling passengers, I headed in his direction, and asked if Kathy Garver might want a photo of me with her book, in hand. The rest, as they say, is history. A photo was, indeed, taken and texted (Ms. Graver’s photo response was, “Cool! Thanks for sharing.”), and our conversation continued as we waited at the gate. (Yes, this was our final gate shift of the flight!) I soon learned that my fellow passenger was, Martin Grams, the events coordinator of the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention!  It was through our brief, but interesting, airport visit that I learned that Karolyn Grimes would be in attendance in September. I wanted to meet Grimes, who had graciously granted me a phone interview for a blog post, in 2021. Yep, I now knew what I would be on September 7!

Catching up on my reading at the airport with
Surviving Cissy: My Family Affair of Life in Hollywood, by Kathy Garver.
Thank you for the photo, Martin, and for your extreme helpfulness and kindness!

The Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention, September 2023

I attended the first day of this three-day, non-profit convention.  I had an absolute blast!
 I share a few photos from the day, below.
For more information on The Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention, go here.

I was able to say “hello”, and get a quick (and blurry) photo with Martin,
the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention events coordinator.

There were several authors, including David Krell with his book
1962: Baseball and America in the Time of JFK.

There was an array of merchandise, much of it from yesteryear. 

There were seminars, like this interesting one with writer/actor Jim Rosin,
who wrote and starred in Quincy, M.E.(1976-1983)

   
There were fans dressed up in character.
It was so fun!

Not to mention, being able say hello to the charming
George Hamilton, and other stars at the event! 
Photo is courtesy of Martin Grams

Karolyn Grimes

Okay, I am assuming that all of you are familiar with the classic Christmas tale,
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946).  If you have, somehow, never seen it, make this the year that you do! Karolyn Grimes was six years-old when she played the sweet Zuzu opposite James/Jimmy Stewart, as her father. Having had the pleasure of doing a phone interview with Ms. Grimes in 2021, for my blog, I was anxious to meet her in person.(You can read that blog post, here.)  She was such a treasure.  I enjoyed chatting with her, and her husband. We discussed movies, of course, the colorizing of movies (We both agreed that the newest colorized version of It’s a Wonderful Life is enjoyable.), Annette Funicello (Annette beat out Karolyn for the original The Mickey Mouse Club with her dancing.), and our similar midwest roots. I was eager to purchase a few items that were for sale at her booth. After all, I just couldn’t go home without a Zuzu ornament!

Meeting Karolyn Grimes was a pleasure.

There was a steady stream of fans at the Karolyn Grimes booth.

How cool is it to have a Christmas bell ornament signed by Zuzu?!

Two new, and signed, Karolyn Grimes cookbooks joined my Karolyn Grimes collection that day! :o)

It’s a Wonderful Life

Now you have it, my story (or Godwink) of how reading a certain book at the airport, began a conversation and awarded me the opportunity to meet the events coordinator of the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention (of which I was familiar), and how that, in turn, afforded me the opportunity to meet, the sweet, Karolyn Grimes. This story makes me smile, and I feel so fortunate to have enjoyed being a part of it.
It really is a wonderful life, isn’t it?
Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!
   I purchased these two
It’s A Wonderful Life
books for this Christmas season.

Some Related Previous Posts

Zuzu’s Petals: An interview with Karolyn Grimes, and Racing with Bagpipes, The Celtic Solstice Five-Miler

What’s Slumgullion?!

Growing Up in Disneyland: a Conversation with Author, Ron DeFore

Christmas in August/December in Switzerland, Part 1

Christmas in July August September/December in Switzerland,Part 2

12 Days of Christmas…Goodies

Thank you for reading I’m Annette!
May your days be blessed, and your taste buds happy!
Merry Christmas,
AND
always remember,
Every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings!

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 A 2007 Zuzu’s Petals ornament signed by Karolyn Grimes,
that I once ordered,
and (behind) a 1997, 50-year It’s a Wonderful Life ornament.