RIP JIMMY GARRETT

1954-2021

James Coleman Garrett was born in Los Angeles, California, on September 23, 1954. Garrett is best known for playing Jerry Carmichael, the son of Lucille Ball’s Lucy Carmichael on “The Lucy Show”.  

Before being cast by Lucy, a six year-old Garrett made his screen debut on a December 1960 episode of “The Twilight Zone” (a show that began on “The Westinghouse-Desilu Playhouse) as a child who begs a down-and-out street corner Santa (Art Carney) for “a big turkey pot Christmas dinner”.

A year later he was seen in the feature film The Second Time Around playing Debbie Reynolds’s son. The film also featured Andy Griffith.  

In March 1962, he played the son of Shirley Mitchell (Lucy’s Marion Strong), new neighbors on “Mr. Ed.”

In early 1962 Desilu purchased the rights to “Suzuki Beane”, a book written in 1961 by Sandra Scoppettone. A television pilot was made, with Katie Sweet as Suzuki and Jimmy Garrett as Henry, but the series was not picked up. It was to be part of a Victor Borge-hosted anthology series. No doubt this pilot was instrumental in Garrett being cast on “The Lucy Show.”  

During the summer of 1962, Garrett was cast as Lucy Carmichael’s son, Jimmy.  He was a regular character for seasons one and two, a recurring character in season three, and then disappeared from the series. During Garrett’s audition, Ball loved the way Garrett delivered his lines. Vivian Vance once noted that Jimmy had the “Fred Mertz” lines! 

Garrett’s image appeared on the box cover for “The Lucy Show” Game. The game was suggested for ages 9 to adult, so technically Garrett was not old enough to play when it was first issued. 

His character was even in “The Lucy Show” Gold Key Comic Books, although Jerry was given blue hair!  

Paper dolls!  Here his hair color is correct, but the pose is odd! 

Garrett was immortalized by legendary illustrator Robert Thompson. 

Garrett did 54 episodes of the series from 1962 to 1965.  

• During season 1, he does not appear in episode 27. 
• During season 2, he does not appear in episodes 1, 2, 5, 9, 11, 16, 17, 20, 24, 25, 27 and 28. 
• During season 3, he does not appear in episodes 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25 and 26. 
• During season 4 he appeared in two episodes. 

BEING ‘JERRY’ WITH A CAPITAL ‘B’! 

Breakfast with the Brood! 

Biking through the living room!

Beethoven! 

Big voices “buzz around buzz around”! 

“I’ll bet we’re the only people in the world two have two Christmas trees. One is green and one is – you’ll pardon the expression – white.” ~ Jerry Carmichael

Baby New Year 1962!

Badge Boys! Junior Firefighters finding poor wiring. 

Buy this! Doing an ‘in character’ commercial for Jell-O with Vivian Vance and Ralph Hart. 

Biding their time while the plumber installs a shower in their room, Jerry says that at the YMCA, “They frown on filth!”

Boxing Pip Corn!

Black Eyes & Bruises!

Band of Boy Scouts! 

A back and forth brew-ha-ha about how to measure rocket fuel!  (Seriously!) 

Baseball!  (Although this is the first time Garrett is on the series in color, CBS aired the episode in black and white.)

His Best Buddy! With Barry Livingston as Arnold Mooney #1.  

Bedtime!

Blue boy in a blue uniform!

Big time sub fans!

Bandages! Lucy and Viv practice their nursing skills on the boys. 

Broadway Birdies go “bob-bob-bobin’ along” with Ethel Merman. 

Borscht Belt Boy Scout!  Telling a joke during the Boy Scout Show.

Blaring the Beatles!  

Bunkhouse at camp! 

Boy in the band!  With Ted Eccles as Arnold Mooney #2. 

Book Look! 

Boo Blaster! 

Beau Brummels! For the entrance of the Countess!

When Lucy and Mr. Mooney relocate to California in season 4, Jimmy Garrett is in the first episode, but then Jerry is packed off to Boarding school – this time for good.  Well, almost…

Jerry comes home for the holidays in 1964 to join Mr. Mooney and the Bank’s choir, conducted by Lucy. This is Garrett’s final appearance in the role.

As Garrett’s commitment to Lucy came to an end, he did a day playing a paper boy on “Burke’s Law” (1963-66) an ABC crime drama starring Gene Barry and Sal Mineo. 

During this same time, he appeared on an episode of “My Three Sons” (1960-72) appearing opposite his Barry Livingston, who played Jerry Carmichael’s best friend Arnold Mooney, and Don Grady, who played Chris Carmichael’s boyfriend Bill in “Lucy is a Chaperone” (TLS S1;E27), although Garrett did not appear in that episode.  The series was filmed on the Desilu lot. 

In 1966, Garrett’s character came back in name only – although it wasn’t the right name!  

When Lucy receives a letter from her son in the beginning of this episode, she calls him ‘Jimmy’ instead of correctly calling him ‘Jerry.’ According to Geoffrey Mark Fidelman’s The Lucy Book, when Lucille Ball was handed the script for the first time, she complained that they had used the wrong name. She was reminded that it was ‘Jimmy’ Garrett who played ‘Jerry’ Carmichael. Ball still insisted that she was right and the reference was left as ‘Jimmy.’ However it came about, it certainly is one of the biggest mistakes of the series.

In 1966, Garrett played a British Hooligan in the feature film Munster Go Home. 

His final acting credit, also in 1966, was courtesy of Desi Arnaz. He was cast in the pilot of “The Carol Channing Show,” but the show was not picked up for series. It was then – at age 12 – he left acting for good. But not show business….

As an adult, he worked first as a talent agent, and then a production accountant. He has been behind the scenes in such popular shows as “America’s Next Top Model,” “The Apprentice” and “Shark Tank.” 

Garrett was profiled in the 2016 book X Child Stars: Where Are They Now? by Kathy Garver and Fred Ascher. He often attends various meet and greets and collectibles shows, giving interviews and signing autographs. An interview with adult Garrett is a bonus feature on the season one “Lucy Show” DVDs. 

In 2015 he was recognized by the Southern California Motion Picture Council for his contributions to the entertainment industry. 

Jimmy Garrett died of complications from diabetes at age 66. He was father to two children, Amelie and Spencer, from his marriage to ex wife, Laura Johansen.