Jimmy Boyd (January 9, 1939 – March 7, 2009) was an American singer, musician, and actor. He was best known for his recording of the novelty song "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus".
A classmate, Molly Bee , who also recorded the hit song "I saw Mommie Kissing Santa Claus," died on 7 February 2009.
Son with Anne Forrey, Devon Boyd.
His recording of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" was #1 on the Billboard pop music chart for 2 weeks (27 December 1952 - 3 January 1953).
Recorded the Christmas novelty hit "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" in 1952 when he was 13. Three weeks after the Yuletide kiss-and-tell was released, the song was #1 on the Billboard charts. It sold 2 million records in less than 10 weeks. Recorded at the urging of Columbia record executive Mitch Miller , the tune made "something of an overnight national musical figure" of the vocalist, a "freckle-patch" who lived in Van Nuys, CA, Time magazine reported in 1952. Even Boyd himself was surprised by the songs success. "I like it personally," he told Time, "but I didnt think anyone would buy it." From a big musical family - Boyds grandfather was known in Mississippi as Fiddler Bill.
He was born to a struggling farm family in the Depression. His family eventually moved to California.
His father started giving him guitar and harmonica lessons when he was 4. A few years later, Jimmy was performing at barn dances.
A country-western band-leader, Texas Jim Lewis , heard Jimmy sing and hired him for his Saturday-night radio show. Jimmy won a radio talent show in Los Angeles and got the contract to record "I Saw Mommy...".
He was an avid tennis player and enjoyed sailing. For years he lived in Marina del Rey on a sailboat he named "Unplugged".
He met first wife, actress Yvonne Craig , while making the Bing Crosby film High Time . The marriage lasted only two years.
A fair-haired child actor who turned into an awkward, freckle-faced young suitor on film and TV, often in goofy, bucolic roles.
After winning a TV talent contest, Boyd appeared as a singer on "The Frank Sinatra Show" and was signed to a recording contract with Columbia. His first recording success was the country song "(The Angels Are Lighting) Gods Little Candles". He also appeared on Ed Sullivan s variety show several times.
Boyds recording career, which lasted until 1967, included the song hits "Dennis the Menace," sung with Rosemary Clooney , and several duets with Frankie Laine , including "The Little Boy and the Old Man," "Poor Little Piggy Bank" and "Tell Me a Story".
Drafted into the Army in the early 1960s. He performed in a couple of USO shows in Vietnam.
Toured the U.S. in his own music and comedy show.
Born in a shack in McComb, Mississippi to Leslie and Winnie Boyd. His father, Leslie, was a carpenter. His grandfather, a musician named "Fiddler Bill," sired 21 children.
First performed as a singer at age 7 at a country-western dance with the Texas Jim Lewis troupe. The young boy went on to appear with Lewis band on radio broadcasts.
From 1958 to 1961, he portrayed the recurring role of Howard, Noreen Corcoran s goofy-voiced high school boyfriend on "Bachelor Father" . He also played the teenage nephew of Betty White on "Date with the Angels" .
