Jimmy Boyd | 1950s child singer, 70

Jimmy Boyd, 70, the child singer and actor best known for the original rendition of the Christmas novelty hit "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" in 1952, died Saturday of cancer in Santa Monica, Calif.

"I Saw Mommy" shot to the top of the Billboard charts three weeks after it was released. It sold two million records in less than 10 weeks. It has since been interpreted by such artists as the Jackson 5, John Mellencamp, and Amy Winehouse.

Mr. Boyd, who was 13 when he recorded the song, told Time soon after its release that he was surprised by its success.

His TV work included appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show in the early 1950s and roles in the situation comedies Bachelor Father from 1958 to 1961 and Date With the Angels in the late 1950s.

- AP