Jimmy Hawkins knows each year when the Christmas season is near because he finds himself doing interviews about "It's a Wonderful Life."

Hawkins played little Tommy Bailey, son of George (James Stewart) and Mary Bailey (Donna Reed), in the 1946 Frank Capra classic that has become a yuletide favorite for millions of movie lovers. No film portrays the seasonal theme of "good will toward men" better than "It's a Wonderful Life."

Stewart's character becomes so distraught that he wishes he had never been born and gets his wish. That's when he discovers just how many people his life has touched.

Although Hawkins has done many other things during his acting and producing career (such as playing Annie Oakley's brother Tagg in the TV series starring Gail Davis), he never tires of talking about "It's a Wonderful Life."

"I was very young, but I vividly remember Mr. Capra showing me where to walk and then stand for the scene where I say, 'Excuse me. Excuse me,' " Hawkins said during a recent telephone conversation. "He showed me how to pull on James Stewart's pants leg while I said my line.

"I remember sitting on Jimmy Stewart's lap and the touch of Donna Reed's hand. I'm happy I was a part of such a beloved movie."

Paramount Home Video has released a new two-disc edition of "It's a Wonderful Life" ($19.99), which includes the original back-and-white version as well as a colorized edition.

"You know, many kids today won't watch anything in black and white," Hawkins said. "So I'm glad Paramount has released the colorized version. If that gets today's youngsters to watch it, I'm all for it so they can enjoy the wonderful message of the film."

When first released, "It's a Wonderful Life" was considered a box-office failure. But years later, the movie fell in public domain and television stations all over the country started airing it multiple times each Christmas season. That's when so many people discovered it and decided it was a masterpiece.

Republic Pictures later gained the rights to the film's music and, thus, controlled the movie — which is why it now airs on television only a couple of times each holiday season. The Republic library has since been purchased by Paramount.

"I still get a lump in my throat when I watch the ending of 'It's a Wonderful Life,' " Hawkins said. "It's such an upbeat and joyful moment."

Hawkins had a "deju-vu moment" a dozen years after the release of the Capra movie. He was hired to play Scotty, the boyfriend of Shelley Fabares, on "The Donna Reed Show."

"I introduced myself to Donna and she said, 'Oh, I remember you. We used to call you Rip Van Winkle,' " Hawkins said. "She told me that when we were making the movie, I could sleep just about anywhere. When they'd wake me up to do a scene, she said I'd jump right up and be ready to go." Hawkins wrote the book "It's a Wonderful Life for Kids" (Dutton, $16.99), which serves as a fine children's primer for the movie.

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