Jimmy Hawkins - Other Acting Roles

Other Acting Roles

From 1949-1952, Hawkins was cast as young Donald Ruggles in the early ABC sitcom, The Ruggles. Hawkins’ other film roles included Caught (February 17, 1949), Love That Brute (May 26, 1950), The Blue Veil (October 26, 1951), and two films with Elvis Presley: Girl Happy (April 7, 1965) and Spinout (October 17, 1966).

On Annie Oakley, he portrayed Tagg Oakley, the younger brother of a fictionalized Annie Oakley in the ABC Western of the same name, a Gene Autry production. In one episode, however, the part of Tagg was played by Billy Gray, who then was cast as James "Bud" Anderson, Jr., in the sitcom Father Knows Best. Hawkins' costars were Gail Davis (1925–1997) as Annie and Brad Johnson (1924–1981) as Deputy Lofty Craig. Hawkins starred in all but one of the eighty-one episodes of the series, now available on DVD and a favorite of western television buffs. In the series, Hawkins rode a Pinto pony called Pixie and often used the childhood expression "Holy Toledo".

From 1963-1967, Hawkins was Orville Miggs in the first four seasons of Petticoat Junction, starring Bea Benaderet and Edgar Buchanan.

Jimmy starred in various TV pilots and won the role of Andy Hardy in the MGM/NBC pilot. He went on to star in the MGM/NBC pilot See Here, Private Hargrove, also based on an MGM motion picture.

Hawkins guest starred in many series, particularly comedies, including Margie with Cynthia Pepper, Leave It to Beaver with Jerry Mathers, My Three Sons with Fred MacMurray, Bachelor Father with John Forsythe and Noreen Corcoran, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and The Fugitive with David Janssen. His last role on television was on November 1, 1974, as Father James Jay Remy on NBC’s Kolchak: The Night Stalker starring Darren McGavin.