Bob Anderson on AllMovie

Some actors and actresses will remain forever tied to a single role; Bob Anderson is one such performer, forever remembered for his portrayal of the young George Bailey (played as an adult by Jimmy Stewart) in Frank Capra's holiday classic It's a Wonderful Life (1946). The scion of a well-respected Hollywood family, Anderson grew up in Southern California and debuted onscreen at age seven in the Shirley Temple outing Young People (1940), then followed it up with similar turns in such features as Tender Comrade (1943), A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945), and The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry (1945). Life, however, brought about his most beloved portrayal; his memorable scenes were those in which George Bailey prevents the Bedford Falls druggist from making a permanent and fatal error, and subsequently receives a declaration of love from wife-to-be Mary Hatch -- in his deaf ear. In subsequent years, Anderson stepped behind the camera and eked out a successful career in production, rising through the studio ranks from second assistant director to production manager on various projects. Anderson died of melanoma at age 75 in June 2008.