labeled "religious fanatics."
The couple who took her in didn't believe in dancing, singing, watching movies, and laughing, so she was forced to retire from acting. Later in life, Grimes welcomed seven children who guessed she'd once been a child actress.
Karolyn Grimes at Jimmy Stewart's wax figure unveiling of George Bailey at Madame Tussauds on November 29, 2010, in Hollywood, California | Source: Getty Images
The offspring would take a photo of the star to their school's show-and-tell sessions, but they didn't comprehend or know the level of influence "It's a Wonderful Life" had back then, with Grimes confessing:
“I didn't raise them to think it was anything special. They were involved in sports. I cooked all the time. I lived in the car, the laundry room, and the kitchen."
Karolyn Grimes at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presentation of "It's A Wonderful Life" on December 12, 2011, in New York City | Source: Getty Images
The actress even watched Johnny Carson's "The Tonight Show" when she had time to relax. The movie she was famous for didn't perform well at the box office, and the Academy Awards shut it out despite having five nominations.
However, one day a reporter knocked on Grimes' door and asked if she'd played the role of Zuzu before asking for an interview. The following week, the same thing happened and continued happening until the actress began receiving fan mail!
The star loved the letters and described them as "incredible." The mother of seven noted how her fans loved the film and would thank her for being in it, and she felt it was a "great gift" she was given that wasn't taken for granted, and she's since kept busy in Hollywood.
Grimes welcomed her children through two marriages. After leaving Hollywood and its glamour, the star became a medical technologist, and she once revealed what she believed in the most, stating:
"I believe in the possibility of miracles.”
Karolyn Grimes at the Chiller Theatre Expo Fall 2019 on October 25, 2019, in Parsippany, New Jersey | Source: Getty Images
Some recipes were movie-related, like the Harry Bailey Hero Sandwich or the Henry Potter Pot Pie. In 2021, she lived with her third husband in Seattle and returned to television as an actress.
The first movie Grimes starred in after 68 years was "Canaan Land." The former child star received the role of a talk show guest in the 2020 film, featuring other big names like Louis Gossett Jr. and Lynda Carter.
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