Jimmy Boyd facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jimmy Boyd
Publicity photo of Jimmy Boyd
Born	Jimmy Devon Boyd (1939-01-09)January 9, 1939 McComb, Mississippi
Died	March 7, 2009(2009-03-07) (aged 70) Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor musician singer
Years active	1951–1983
Spouse(s)	Yvonne Craig ​ ​ (m. 1960; div. 1962)​ Anne Forrey ​ ​ (m. 1980; div. 1984)​
Children	1

Jimmy Devon Boyd (born January 9, 1939 – died March 7, 2009) was an American singer, musician, and actor. He became famous for his 1952 Christmas song, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus."

Early Life and Talent

Jimmy Boyd was born in 1939 in Mississippi. He came from a musical family. His family later moved to Southern California when he was very young.

Jimmy started singing early. He won a local talent show, which led to him appearing on TV. He even performed on famous shows like The Ed Sullivan Show and The Frank Sinatra Show.

The Christmas Hit Song

When Jimmy was just 13 years old, he recorded "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" in 1952. This song became a huge hit! It sold over two and a half million copies in its first week. Jimmy Boyd became known all over the world.

He received two special "gold records" for selling so many copies. The song became number one on the music charts again the next Christmas. By 1966, it had sold more than 11 million copies!

Jimmy loved horses. So, his record company gave him a special silver saddle. It had a message on it, celebrating his 3 million record sales for the song.

When the song first came out, some radio stations banned it. This was because some people thought it was too cheeky. But Jimmy went to Boston to explain that Santa Claus and Daddy were the same person. The ban was then lifted the next Christmas.

Other Popular Songs

Jimmy's next big song was "Tell Me a Story" in 1953. He sang this song with Frankie Laine, and it reached number 4 on the music charts.

That same year, he sang "Dennis the Menace" with Rosemary Clooney. This song also became popular. You can still find videos of him performing with Betty White on The Betty White Show from the 1950s.

Acting on TV and in Movies

Jimmy Boyd was also a talented actor. He was a regular on the TV comedy show Date with the Angels, which starred Betty White.

After that show, he joined the cast of Bachelor Father. He played Howard Meechum, a sometimes-boyfriend to the character Kelly. This show was very popular and ran for five years.

Jimmy also appeared in several movies. One famous role was as a schoolboy named Howard in the 1960 movie Inherit the Wind. This movie was about a famous court case from 1925.

In 1960, Jimmy joined the US Army. Later in the 1960s, he went to Vietnam. He didn't go as a soldier, but as a celebrity. He performed for troops with other actors and singers.

Later Life and Family

In 1960, Jimmy married actress Yvonne Craig, who later became famous as Batgirl on TV. They divorced in 1962.

He married a second time in 1980 to Anne Forrey. They had a son together, but they divorced in 1984. Jimmy remained single after that. He once said that the most exciting thing that ever happened to him was the birth of his son.

Jimmy Boyd passed away in 2009 from cancer. He was 70 years old.

Awards and Recognition

In 1959, Jimmy Boyd received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His star is located at 7021 Hollywood Blvd.

At 20 years old, he was the youngest person ever to get this honor for 45 years! Later, in 2004, actress twins Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen received a star when they were 18.

Selected Movies