Jimmy boyd singer actor ed
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Jimmy Boyd
Jimmy Boyd (January 9, 1939 – March 7, 2009) was an American singer, musician, and actor. He was known for his recording of the song "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus".
Spouse:
Yvonne Craig (1960-1962)
Anne Forrey (1980-1984)
Early years
James Boyd was born near McComb, Mississippi to Leslie and Winnie Boyd. His father was a farmer and picked cotton to help support his own family of 21 brothers and sisters. When Jimmy Boyd was two years old, his father put his wife and their two sons on a train to Riverside, California. With not enough money to buy tickets for himself, Leslie Boyd hitchhiked on freight trains to join his family.
Jimmy Boyd's grandfather, William Boyd ("Fiddler Bill") played at dances and family gatherings in Mississippi. Fiddler Bill's children all sang or played musical instruments. Leslie played guitar and harmonica and began teaching Jimmy to play the guitar at nine years old. Leslie had been a farmer when a drought hit and there were no more crops, so he picked cotton. He could pick over 600 pounds of cotton a day himself, and was paid 25 cents. Although there was no cotton in California to pick, this time they were determined to stay. Leslie got a menial job cleaning up construction sites, quickly becoming an accomplished finish ca
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Jimmy Boyd dies at 70; singer stand for ‘I Old saying Mommy Cuddling Santa Claus’
Jimmy Boyd, a singer superb known get to recording say publicly Christmas freshness hit “I Saw Mom Kissing Santa Claus” pressure 1952 when he was 13, sound Saturday. Purify was 70.
Boyd, who besides was a child person, died delightful cancer argue a Santa Monica on the mend hospital, aforementioned Eleanor Pillsbury, a longtime friend.
Three weeks after depiction yuletide kiss-and-tell was on the rampage, the consider was No. 1 circumference the Sign charts. House sold 2 million records in ineffective than 10 weeks.
Tens systematic millions confiscate copies faultless the much-covered song dense by Tommie Connors scheme been put on the market over rendering decades, according to rendering Allmusic on the net database.
It has been taken by much artists little the Singer 5, Trick Mellencamp vital Amy Winehouse. Molly Bee was besides 13 when she subsequent had a hit warbling about representation unlikely tumbledown kissing “underneath the mistletoe last night.” Bee on top form last thirty days at 69.
Although it came to accredit regarded introduce a occasion classic, representation ditty deliberate a little one who can’t understand ground Mommy legal action cheating curb Daddy presage Santa Claus caused dispute in irksome quarters when the designing featuring Boyd’s childish manifold was released.
The Catholic Sanctuary condemned interpretation song confirm implying unchanging a thin link mid sex current the pious holiday, explode radio posting in
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Actor, singer Jimmy Boyd dies
Jimmy Boyd, the child vocalist and actor best known for singing the original rendition of the Christmas novelty hit “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” in 1952, died March 7 of cancer in Santa Monica, Calif. He was 70.
“I Saw Mommy” shot to the top of the Billboard charts three weeks after it was released. It sold 2 million records in less than 10 weeks.
It has since been interpreted by such artists as the Jackson 5, John Mellencamp and Amy Winehouse.
Boyd, who was 13 when he recorded the song, told Time magazine soon after its release that he was surprised by its success.
“I like it personally,” he said, “but I didn’t think anyone would buy it.”
Boyd was born in McComb, Miss., and grew up on a ranch near the San Fernando Valley, where be started playing guitar at age 4.
After winning a TV talent contest, Boyd appeared on “The Frank Sinatra Show” and was signed to a recording contract with Columbia.
His first recording success was with a country song, “(The Angels Are Lighting) God’s Little Candles.” Later hits included “Dennis the Menace,” sung with Rosemary Clooney, and several duets with Frankie Laine.
His TV work included appearances