Favorite Christmas Episodes (1 Viewer)

[JamesSmith]

Feel bad that the Rankin Bass specials, the Grinch, and Charlie Brown get all the attention. But what about those poor little seen sixties ones? Christmas just isn't fair. How can I bring more attention to these lost goodies to the general public?

--jthree

 

[ScottRE]

Feel bad that the Rankin Bass specials, the Grinch, and Charlie Brown get all the attention. But what about those poor little seen sixties ones? Christmas just isn't fair. How can I bring more attention to these lost goodies to the general public?

--jthree

Well tell us what they are and I'll be happy to look at 'em.

Question if anyone knows. When The Honeymooners did their Christmas episode, Gleason stepped out of character to speak with the audience and brought out Carney and Meadows so they can all say Merry Christmas. But it ends before anyone gets to say anything...



Was it always like this or was the rest of it cut for syndication?

 

[Jack P]

It was always like that. It was just meant to be a quick curtain call of them bowing to the audience. I remember more growing up how as syndicated cuts grew deeper they not only cut this tag (ending when the kiss between Ralph and Alice ends) but they also cut the entire opening when Trixie visits Alice and this ends up making the punchline regarding Ralph's replacement gift for Alice incomprehensible (the fact that Ralph has gotten Alice the same thing Norton got Trixie).

Since this was in my most recent set of viewing, here's my up-to-date report on what I've seen:

Adam-12-Seasons 1,3,7 Christmas Episodes.

Bob Newhart Show-Seasons 1,2,3,4,6 Christmas Episodes. I'll just get in a note that Season 4 with Bob in the hospital to get his tonsils out and the "Conelrad Alert" gag may be one of the funniest things I have ever seen and always puts me on the floor. I'm not a fan of the Season 6 "Pie Before Christmas" episode though because it shows how things really got a bit too silly in Season 6 (which had been an unplanned season to begin with). Howard, who had been a lovable man-child before now becomes truly DUMB, spouting Gracie Allen type lines like having to be reminded that Christmas is on December 25th. And I get the feeling that the fact Dick Martin was now the house director and creative consultan kind of shifted the show more into this mode.

Mister Magoo Christmas Carol (1962)

The Honeymooners-'Twas The Night Before Christmas

Honeymooners Christmas Special (1978)
-This was the very last original Honeymooners special made (the last special Gleason and Meadows did in 1985 was just a clipfest show when the "Lost Episodes" debuted). The "Christmas" theme is really superficial as it's more of a conventional Honeymooners story of Ralph deciding to mass-buy lottery tickets in a get-rich quick scheme. Not a particularly impressive story and I can see why there were no new specials with new sketches/stories after this to be honest.

 

[KPmusmag]

I definitely get your point about Bob Newhart season 6 - but I kind of enjoy the farcical tone of The Pie Before Christmas. I remember watching that episode when it was on originally and my brother and I laughed and laughed. So my affection for it definitely overwrites a rational "this doesn't fit the parameters" kind of argument even though I agree with it LOL

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I watched the first of the All In The Family Christmas episodes the other night in honor of both the season itself and the passing of Norman Lear. My wife and I also kicked off our annual revisit of the Frasier Xmas episodes following the revival’s Christmas themed episode which aired earlier this week.

It’s funny I’m feeling the spirit for watching these things but not as much for blabbing about them this time around.

For Christmas music fans, I have a recommendation: “Creole Christmas” from jazz trumpeter Etienne Charles. I had never heard of Mr. Charles before but he was giving a performance at a theater a few minutes from my home as part of an outreach program from Jazz At Lincoln Center - the flier made it seem like it could be fun and anytime you can get city quality programming in the suburbs here is a big win. As soon as Charles and his musicians started performing, I realized that this was the Christmas music show I had been waiting my whole life for. Just outstanding!

 

[ScottRE]

It was always like that. It was just meant to be a quick curtain call of them bowing to the audience. I remember more growing up how as syndicated cuts grew deeper they not only cut this tag (ending when the kiss between Ralph and Alice ends) but they also cut the entire opening when Trixie visits Alice and this ends up making the punchline regarding Ralph's replacement gift for Alice incomprehensible (the fact that Ralph has gotten Alice the same thing Norton got Trixie).

Okay great, thank you. I also remember the tag missing in later reruns. It was easy enough to cut and losing it doesn't impact the story. But it IS a lovely addition and really retains that "live TV" feeling, when everyone was watching the same few channels.

 

[Jack P]

These next six items watched are three categories with two each.

From the sitcom category:
Donna Reed Show, S1
Dick Van Dyke Show, S3 (A certain TV historian who shall remain nameless will no doubt be infuriated!)

Two cop drama Christmas shows:
Naked City, S1
Kojak, S3
-This was Edward James Olmos's first ever TV part. He recalled this in an Academy Interview and how he risked Telly Savalas's wrath by suggesting a key change which did make it into the episode. Also an early bit part for John Larroquette as a sailor.

Two more "Christmas Carol" adaptations.
Scrooge (1970)
-Movie musical version. A good score that really needed a better script since many parts of the adaptation fall flat in terms of what they left out and what they altered (basically, the lesson Scrooge seemed to learn is that Christmas is all about partying and getting giddy with drink). Alec Guinness after a scary entrance as Marley's ghost ends up being annoyingly foppish and the less said about the awful "Hell" sequence the better.

A Christmas Carol (1971)
-The best animated version I've ever seen though it's frustratingly short at just 25 minutes. Alastair Sim does Scrooge again as does Michael Hordern as Marley. Even with the too short running time we at least get to hear Sim meet the men of charity again which was missing in the 1951 film.

 

[Gary OS]

I've been watching my fair share of episodes, TV specials and films. But I've not been finding the time to report as much as I'd like.

Over the past week I've seen:

Miracle on 34th Street (original film)

Addams Family (1965) "Christmas with the Addams Family"

Alias Boston Blackie (1942) - This is a fun film with multiple references to and elements of Christmas interwoven throughout.

Arnie - (1970) "Let Them Eat Cookies" & (1971) "The Gift of the Majors"

Dr Kildare (1961) "Season to be Jolly" - As many of you know, I consider this the very best of Christmas TV episodes. It has everything. Both secular and sacred elements are interspersed throughout. The entire episode takes place on Christmas Eve (always a plus in my book). It has drama, fun, and the appropriate uplifting end. Add Christmas music galore from the opening note to the closing one and you have a masterpiece that provides a template on how a seasonal TV episode should be done. As we strive to do every year, we shared this one with a person that's never seen the show and they were very touched and impressed.

Dragnet (1953) "The Big Little Jesus" - Just a half-step below it's color seasons counterpart. But still quite good.

Fall Guy (1984) "The Winner"

Wonder Years (1988) "Christmas" (1990) & "A Very Cutlip Christmas" & (1991) "Christmas Party" & (1992) "Let Nothing You Dismay"

Trail of Robin Hood (1950) - A nice little Roy Rogers film that involves dastardly bad guys trying to drive Jack Holt out of the Christmas tree business. Lots of western stars at the end! Great fun!!!

Rescue 8 (1958) "The Bells of Fear"

The People's Choice (1958) "The Christmas Story" - A great episode. Was so hoping that ClassicFlix could release this series.

That's enough to list for now (I've watched a few others, but have to run).


Gary "a little less than 2 weeks until Christmas!!!" O.

 

[MartinP.]

Arnie! That was on more than one season? Where did you find those?

 

[Josh Steinberg]

But I've not been finding the time to report as much as I'd like.

Now I don’t feel so bad!

I’m getting a kick out of listening to the radio show version of Our Miss Brooks and those versions of the Christmas episodes - at least two of them were directly adapted by the TV show, but it’s fun to listen to the subtle differences.

The Frasier revisit continues. I had somehow forgetting about Niles climbing a Christmas tree until it started happening and it still cracks me up.

Saw the first of the Bob Newhart Show Christmas episodes. Probably gonna leave it there but nice to revisit a show I know more by reputation than experience.

I’ve also been indulging in revisiting some movies that aren’t Christmas movies in the literal sense, but that were originally released in theaters on or close to Christmas, so they sort of unconsciously remind me of the holiday season and seem to fit right. The other night was Tron Legacy in 3D, which I saw a bunch of times back in December 2010.

 

[Gary OS]

Arnie! That was on more than one season? Where did you find those?

16mm for the first season episode, and over-the-air recording for the second. Both acquired many years ago.

 

[Gary OS]

Prepping for some Ozzie & Harriet Christmas fun in the coming days. The wonderful thing about that show is that it has many to choose from!

 

[Jack P]

Latest round was some more versions of Christmas Carol (straight and satirical) plus my first forays into old variety specials.

Bob Hope Christmas Special (1965)
-Bob's first color special. A couple great sketches with Bing and Jack Benny respectively (the camaraderie of these giants from the Golden Age of Comedy is why it was always special to keep seeing them perform all the way into the 70s).

Julie Andrews Hour (1972)
-The Christmas show from her 72-73 ABC variety series with Jimmy Stewart guesting and cameos from Joel Grey, Cass Elliott, Sergio Franchi, Dan Dailey, Carl Reiner and Steve Lawrence. Rich Little was a regular and seeing him doing Jimmy Stewart while talking to Jimmy is hilarious.

Rich Little Christmas Carol (1978)
-Rich did this special for Canadian TV in 1978 with the gimmick of playing all the major characters of Christmas Carol as a celeb he was impersonating. So we get to see W.C. Fields as Scrooge, Paul Lynde as Cratchit etc. It's a bit of a reminder that while Rich Little was the greatest impressionist on a technical level, you can only take so much watching the routine and undoubtedly the need to give us a barrage of celeb impressions is what manages to make the whole hour watchable, though the comedic writing isn't always sharp. However some moments like having Columbo as the Ghost of Christmas Present introducing himself with his classic, "I'm sorry to bother you, Mr. Scrooge but there's just one more thing I've got to show you....." etc. is inspired.

A Christmas Carol (1977)
-A BBC-TV production with Michael Hordern who was Marley in the 1951 film and the 1971 animated version. The limitations of a videotape production are evident though it manages to cover the bases reasonably well in just an hour. But only worth seeing if you're doing a binge sampling of different versions and not if you want to watch just the very best versions.

The Stingiest Man In Town (1978)
-Animated Rankin-Bass remake of the 1956 live-TV musical production. Walter Matthau voices (and sings!) as Scrooge with other vocals by Theodore Bikel (Marley) and Dennis Day (Fred) while Tom Bosley narrates as an animated "Humbug". You can tell that the Rankin-Bass workshop was running out of steam on some levels by this point since all the animation work was being done in Japan and the designs of the children are recycled from the animated "Twas The Night Before Christmas" of a few years before. Nice to see an alternate take on what had by this point become a forgotten production (I was unaware of its live-TV origins when I saw it on its first airing).

And finally to top this group off:

The Odd Couple, S1-"Scrooge Gets An Oscar"

And I even listened to a 1975 radio version from the "CBS Radio Mystery Theater" in which series host E.G. Marshall played the part (The only time he ever acted in one of the stories during the six years he hosted this cult radio series)

I know I'll do the Six Million Dollar Man's wonderful "Bionic Christmas Carol" next, and the 1984 George C. Scott "Christmas Carol" always gets a viewing. I have to debate whether to access somehow the Patrick Stewart version which I only saw once over 20 years ago. I've always used the Scott version as my cut-off point for the versions I go through, though I'll also probably listen to an early 90s BBC radio version of the 1970 "Scrooge" musical with Anthony Newley that I also have on-hand.

 

[timk1041]

Prepping for some Ozzie & Harriet Christmas fun in the coming days. The wonderful thing about that show is that it has many to choose from!

Over half a dozen Christmas episodes for O&H I believe.

 

[Gary OS]

Watched several Ozzie & Harriet Christmas episodes - "Late Christmas Gift", "The Christmas Miracle", and "Lost Christmas Gift".

Also watched:

Bachelor Father (1961) "Deck the Halls" - A solid series that desperately needs to be released, this episode is a somewhat generic trope. John Forsythe thinks the family focuses too much on Christmas shopping and decides to impose a 'no gift' rule. It's a solid outing and one that I enjoy watching every so often.

This is Alice (1959) "Christmas Story" - This lesser known one season series also needs to be released, imho. The yuletide offering is quite good, mixing some drama and comedy. Some surprisingly poignant moments at the end. Like Dr Kildare and A Charlie Brown Christmas, this one adds profoundly spiritual elements that would never be seen in a TV show today.

Amos & Andy (1952) "Andy Plays Santa" - A wonderful series that will, unfortunately, likely never see a release. This second season Christmas episode is a classic with Andy playing a department store Santa to earn enough money to buy his Goddaughter the present she really wants. It ends with Andy reciting and explaining 'The Lord's Prayer' to his daughter on Christmas Eve.


Gary "enjoying this year's viewing so far" O.

 

[Jack P]

And more. Some old favorites and a couple items revisited for the first time in decades.

A Christmas Carol (1999)
-The Patrick Stewart version which I had not seen since about a year or two after it was made. This is a version that for the most part just seems to lay there with a listless quality that only comes to life twice. First, when for the first time we see depicted in the live action medium Christmas Present take Scrooge out to the lighthouse and the ship at sea (though the 90s special F/X are to say the least quite poor) and then after Scrooge reforms we finally see Stewart's performance come to life whereas before that he's been much too low-key mumbling along with the rest of the cast who are intruding that annoying "naturalistic" quality of acting that I really hate and comes off more as mumbling to me. Whereas weak versions of the story made in the 30s, 40s etc. always have a certain charm to keep them watchable with their flaws, this one really doesn't fall into that category for me.

Six Million Dollar Man, S4-"A Bionic Christmas Carol"
-My favorite TV series knockoff of the tale because it wisely doesn't try to overly parallel the story too much and instead tries to make the story work on its own merits as a story. Ray Walston as the "Scrooge" figure is the greedy industrialist who tries to cut down on the safety margins for a Mars flight vehicle is good. So is Dick Sargent as "Bob Crandall" a role that combines the characters of Cratchit and the nephew but gives us a dramatically legitimate reason for his uncle's poor treatment of him because he once embezzled funds to pay for his wife's medical treatment. While there are children there is no Tiny Tim parallel, and Antoinette Bower is for me the real pleasant surprise in the "Mrs. Cratchit" role. Most of us only know Bower for the raw feral beauty she displayed in her "Twilight Zone" and "Star Trek" episodes or her capacity to play a pure villainess or total shrew. But here she gets to show a soft side as loving wife and mother and she is quite good in the part. She in fact possessed a lovely speaking voice that she also used to good effect in radio dramas on the 1979 "Sears Radio Theater" series (a west coast counterpart to the "CBS Radio Mystery Theater") several times. And the episode isn't devoid of traditional Christmas references unlike what we'd see from the 80s on pretty much.

Julie Andrews Christmas Special (1973)
-After Julie's weekly variety series was cancelled she did this one-shot Christmas special for British TV that also aired in the US. Whereas the previous year was a traditional type special this one is a more avant-garde piece that also features Peggy Lee and Peter Ustinov. But any special hearing her sing Christmas carols is worth seeing since she had the most angelic of voices when it came to performing them.

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
-Truthfully this was my first viewing in maybe 20 years minimum and it could even have been as long as 40. I just seemed to grow out of watching the puppet style Rankin-Bass specials once I entered my teens in the mid-80s because they just seemed geared to the more child audience which I felt I was no longer part of by then. It's funny how all these years I thought the dentist elf's name was "Herbie" as opposed to "Hermie." Was interesting to revisit once but I don't think this is going to become a habit again for me!

Frosty The Snowman (1969)
-This is a restored version I found on YT of the original first broadcast version in which June Foray voiced Karen. For the second viewing, her voice and the voices of the other children were replaced by real child voice actors while Foray's voice was only kept for the brief role of the teacher (Though they never changed the end credits where her vocal billing is prominent). The traditional animated take is a lot easier for me to revisit than the puppet style ones to be honest. I also realized for the first time that "Twas The Night Before Christmas" a special I did stay in the habit of watching over the years, recycled a couple underscore cues from this special.

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1966)
-This is a battered version found on-line of the original first broadcast version which retains the sponsorship billboard for Coca-Cola that one saw at the beginning and end (and once it was removed that explains why in all subsequent airings there was a fadeout during the end credits). This workprint version also has a scene that never made the actual broadcast when after the "catch snowflakes on your tongue" scene we see the kids try to throw snowballs to knock a tin can off a fence until Linus does it by hurling snowballs with his blanket. Then we come to the scene of Schroeder telling Lucy "I think you have a customer." There are also some missing sound F/X in some spots and some scenes where close-ups were used instead of a full wide-shot. I'll be rewatching one of the regular broadcast versions later.

 

[MartinP.]

Last night I watched a Christmas episode I'd never seen before.
The Partridge Family: "Don't Bring Your Guns to Town, Santa"

With that title I couldn't imagine what it would be about. The basic plot synopsis is: After performing in Vegas on Christmas Eve, the Partridges start the drive home. The bus breaks down in a western ghost town with one inhabitant. Disappointed about being away from home for Christmas, the prospector tells them a Christmas story.

It's basically a fantasy story where the Partridge's play the roles in the story the prospector tells. It's not a bad episode, but it sure is hokey. For the record, growing up I was never interested in this series.

Until the end credits, I didn't know the prospector was played by Dean Jagger, who'd won a Supporting Actor Oscar for 12 O'Clock High twenty years earlier. Two Oscar winners in the episode!

 

[MartinP.]

^^^
I'll note that this episode must have cost a lot more to film. They had to dress the western town as a ghost town and also a thriving town from the past. Lots of extras in colorful costumes as well. I'm assuming they used the western street on the Columbia Ranch, where High Noon and The Wild One were filmed. This backlot is also where the Partridge's house was located. (And dozens more TV families. Also, the Griswold's lived on the street in Christmas Vacation.) It's now called the Warner Bros. Ranch, but this year the whole backlot has been demolished. Warner Bros. is building new soundstages and two office buildings. No more backlot.

 

[KPmusmag]

Last night I watched a Christmas episode I'd never seen before.
The Partridge Family: "Don't Bring Your Guns to Town, Santa"

With that title I couldn't imagine what it would be about. The basic plot synopsis is: After performing in Vegas on Christmas Eve, the Partridges start the drive home. The bus breaks down in a western ghost town with one inhabitant. Disappointed about being away from home for Christmas, the prospector tells them a Christmas story.

It's basically a fantasy story where the Partridge's play the roles in the story the prospector tells. It's not a bad episode, but it sure is hokey. For the record, growing up I was never interested in this series.

Until the end credits, I didn't know the prospector was played by Dean Jagger, who'd won a Supporting Actor Oscar for 12 O'Clock High twenty years earlier. Two Oscar winners in the episode!

I did watch PF back in the day, and while I enjoyed this episode, as a "family" series, I wish there had been at least one or two more Christmas episodes over their four seasons.

Speaking to the theme of Christmas, it worth mentioning that Dean Jagger also played the General in White Christmas.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

A Christmas Carol (1999)
-The Patrick Stewart version

I wish there was a filmed version of Stewart’s one man show of the Carol rather than the full cast TV adaptation they made instead.

There is Stewart’s audiobook reading at least. I often listen to it around this time of year while I’m doing meal prep for the holiday.