In the 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life, George Bailey's guardian angel is called Clarence.
Clarence Oddbody is an angel who has not yet earned his wings. He is assigned to help George Bailey after George becomes overwhelmed by financial trouble and despair on Christmas Eve. Clarence observes George's life and then shows him what Bedford Falls would have been like if George had never been born.
The film presents Clarence's intervention as a dramatic way to reveal George's influence on his family, friends, and community. George learns that his ordinary acts of kindness have shaped many other lives, even though he has often felt trapped by his responsibilities.
Henry Travers played Clarence, while James Stewart played George Bailey. Clarence's famous phrase, “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings,” is associated with the film, although the character does not receive his wings until the story's conclusion.