June 10, 2008
Bob Anderson, 75, Child Actor, Is Dead
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bob Anderson, who played the younger version of James Stewart’s George Bailey in the Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life,” died on Friday at his home in Palm Springs, Calif. He was 75.
The cause was cancer, said his wife, Victoria.
Robert J. Anderson grew up in Hollywood in a movie family. His father, Gene, was an assistant director and later a production manager. The directors William Beaudine and James Flood were his uncles, and his brothers and cousins were editors and production managers.
Mr. Anderson’s film debut came when relatives needed him to appear in a movie scene that called for a baby, his wife said.
When he was 7 he appeared in the Shirley Temple film “Young People” (1940), and had roles in other movies like “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” (1945).
But he was best known for playing the young George Bailey in Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946). As a despairing George Bailey contemplates suicide on Christmas Eve in fictional Bedford Falls, his life is told in flashback for the benefit of an angel assigned to watch over him.
In one flashback, young George spots a potentially fatal error made by a drunken druggist, played by H. B. Warner. (Later in the movie, George Bailey is shown what would have happened if he had not been there to catch the mistake.)
After Navy service in the Korean War, Mr. Anderson had production jobs in the film industry, rising to production manager for movies and television programs.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Anderson is survived by his sons, John, Bob Jr. and Joe; his daughters, Kathleen Inman, Deborah Gutierrez and Heidi Anderson-Robinson; and 11 grandchildren.