Reader SOS

I wrote earlier this month about the death of former child actor Bob Anderson, who portrayed the young version of Jimmy Stewart's character George Bailey in the Christmas classic "It's a Wonderful Life.

It never ceases to amaze me how much audiences love this holiday film favorite, as evidenced by the number of e-mails and telephone calls I received after writing about in connection with Anderson's death.

I also mentioned that Anderson's memories are included in the great book by author Stephen Cox, "It's a Wonderful Life: A Memory Book" (2003 Cumberland Press $18.95), which includes a chapter that I contributed about our own region claim-to-fame, actress Beulah Bondi.

I also received a letter from Judy Kish of Munster asking me to help her answer an ages-old question she has always wondered about connected with this movie.

I'd like to think it doesn't happen often, but despite contacting a number of my own sources who are experts about the film, including Cox and actress Karolyn Grimes, 67, who played little Zuzu, the daughter of Stewart's character, and actor Jimmy Hawkins, 66, who played his son Tommy and both of whom have their original scripts, so far I'm not having much luck with Kish's query.

So, I'm going to print her letter here and online at www.nwitimes.com to ask for some help on this one.

Dear Mr. Potempa:

Your article in Tuesday's publication regarding the death of Bob Anderson made an impression on me. Thank you for reading my letter.

I needed to write to you as you may be the only person able to help me in my search for an answer surrounding the movie, "It's a Wonderful Life."

My husband, Kevin Kish, built a new funeral home in Munster, Ind., Kish Funeral Home, 10000 Calumet Ave., which opened in November 2007. Our funeral home, built with love and care for our community families, was dedicated to the memory his father, Frank Kish, also a funeral director in Munster, who died tragically in 1988. We have been married 17 years, and each year during Christmas, Kevin will watch "It's a Wonderful Life," a tradition his father started, watching it each season with his family before Kevin was born and continuing it until he died.

This movie clearly reminds Kevin of his father and the tremendous impact his father had on friends, family and the families he took care of at his own funeral home during his lifetime.

When we began getting ready to open our funeral home, I began searching for the words on the plaque George Bailey Sr. had on his office wall at the Bailey Savings and Loan office. This plaque is what I desperately wanted to give to Kevin when we opened to put up in his new office. I cannot locate this information.

If you can, Mr. Potempa, would you please e-mail the words on this plaque to me so I can get them engraved for Kevin to put in his office?

I have stopped our own copy of the movie several times to take better looks with a magnifying glass, went online to try to find someone with this information, wrote e-mails to various companies that I thought would have it, but no one has come up with an answer.

So, please, can you at least help me find out WHERE I can search for this information?

Funeral Directors have few desires in their lifetime. But I am sure my husband would put this up near the top of his list of all-time wishes.

I am sure he would proudly display this saying in his office and point it out many times to people coming in. It would mean a lot to him.

I know you are busy, but I would love to give it to him as a belated Father's Day gift.

I love reading your column and wish you continued success. Thank you for reading my e-mail.

Best Wishes, Judy Kish, Munster, Ind.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at ppotempa@nwitimes.com or 219.852.4327.

celebBirthdays

Actor Louis Jourdan ("Gigi") is 88. Actress Gena Rowlands is 78. R&B singer Al Wilson is 69. Singer Spanky McFarlane of Spanky and Our Gang and Ralna English ("The Lawrence Welk Show") are 66. Actress Jennifer Darling ("The Bionic Woman" and "Eight is Enough") is 62. Author Salman Rushdie ("The Satanic Verses") is 61. Actress Phylicia Rashad is 60. Singer Ann Wilson of Heart is 58. Actress Kathleen Turner is 54. Country singer Doug Stone is 52. Singer Mark DeBarge of DeBarge is 49. Singer-dancer-choreographer Paula Abdul is 46. Actor Andy Lauer ("Caroline in the City") is 45. Singer-guitarist Brian Vander Ark of The Verve Pipe is 44. Actor Andy Lauer ("Caroline in the City") is 43. Guitarist Brian "Head" Welch is 38. Actress Robin Tunney is 36. Actress Poppy Montgomery ("Without a Trace") is 33. Actress Zoe Saldana ("Drumline,"

"Crossroads") and cartoon feline Garfield the Cat are 30. Actor Paul Dano ("Little Miss Sunshine") is 24.