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Other "lost" Christmas Specials (1 Viewer)

JamesSmith

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Dear Guys:
While another individual brought up the Rankin Bass specials that haven't come out on DVD yet. I'd like to mention a few other RB seasonal telefilms that haven't come out yet, and I really wish would come out.
A Christmas Carol --Richard Willliams 1971 Oscar Winning short that has garnered nothing but praise since it's been seen last. It did come out on VHS in the eighties and is now worth hundreds of dollars on ebay. Williams followed the orignal Leech drawings that accompanied the original version of Dicken's Christmas Carol, and the effort shows. It's just plane beautiful, and might be too intense for younger children.
The Santa Clause Switch ---starring Art Carney and the muppets. An oddity I haven't seen yet, but it's on youtube. Wish the general public saw. It was made in 1969, only aired once. And since it had both Carney and the Muppets it has too be good.
Yes, Virgina, There is a Santa Clause. Sixties version starring Jim Backus as the voice to Santa and the newspaper editor who writes the famous lettter back in the early years of twentieth century New York.
The Night the Animals Talked. Sixties version of the famous children's tale. Aired on only twice on ABC during the early seventies. An Italian production. The animation isn't very good, but some people still recall it, and try to trace it down.
Noel--One of the latter Christmas specials. Narrated by Charlton Heston, and is the story of a little Christmas ornament, who comes out every year to light up the Christmasn Tree.
The Bear Who Slept Though Christmas--- Tommy Smothers and Barbara Feldon lend their voices to this excellent special about a teddy bear who desparately wants to experience Christmas, but you know bears hibernate through the winter.
More later
 

Ethan Riley

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Santa Claus Switch is technically an episode of the Ed Sullivan Show and you'd have to figure out who owns the rights to that show. I dont think it's part of the Henson/Disney catalog.
 

Yes Virginia is an Emmy Winner..It is from 1974. It is on dvd from an obscure label. I bought it last year...not bad, but not great either. Paramount owns this. I'm the King of Christmas Specials! I have all of the ones you have listed! I own hundreds!
 

Brian Himes

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I remember The Night The Animals Talked. I saw it when in aired in the early 70s but I have not seen it since. Until you mentioned it, I had totally forgotten about it.
The version of A Christmas Carol that I would like to have on DVD aired as part of the CBS Famous Classic Tales series in the early 70s. It is animated and it is a bit scary and not for young children.
In fact, I'd love to have both animated early 70s adaptations of A Christmas Carol.
 

Ockeghem

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Brian Himes said:
I remember The Night The Animals Talked. I saw it when in aired in the early 70s but I have not seen it since. Until you mentioned it, I had totally forgotten about it.
My family and I watched this a few months ago. It was enjoyable sharing it with them. I too hadn't seen it since the 1970s until I watched it recently.
 

NY2LA

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JamesSmith said:
The Bear Who Slept Though Christmas--- Tommy Smothers and Barbara Feldon lend their voices to this excellent special about a teddy bear who desparately wants to experience Christmas, but you know bears hibernate through the winter.
More later
I was literally just now playing this on Streaming Netflix when I found this thread... lots of topical references and bear puns "Beautiful Downtown Bearbank." I'm just waiting for Tommy to turn to his brother bear and say "Mama Bear always licked you best!" ...so at least this one is not totally lost.
 

PatrickGoodluck

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I purchased A Christmas Carol and Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus on VHS back in the 80’s. Although I agree A Christmas Carol was scary watching as a kid, I think the same about the “Scrooge” movie versions also. Having said that, I don’t think it was “too scary” for children….much the same as watching “The Wizard of Oz” as a kid. I found the witch scenes scary but I still have fond memories watching all these shows, most probably because they all had a happy ending. Would love to see all these specials available on dvd!
 

Regulus

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I scrounged up some money and purchased Mouse on the Mayflower and the movie Plymouth Adventure from The Big River on VHS. Both of these used to be Staples on Thanksgiving TV, today nobody shows them anymore. :confused:
 

JamesSmith

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Thanks for the comments, friends.
A few others:
"The Night Before Christmas". This version was done by Hanna Barbara, and really,, really has a sixties feel to it. Olan Seoule (who originally voiced Batman in the sixties Batman and sevenies SuperFriends) played the father who wrote the poem for his sick daughter, and the poem is visualized as he reads it to her as her fever breaks. I liked it.
"Silent Night." Another version which supposedly tells the story of the song. Still has that sixtiesh feel to it and possibly done by HB, This one and "The Night Before Christmas" sort of had a "cheap" feel to them, by today's standards and were shown before prime time on some cable channels. Again, this was syndicated in the seventies. I liked it.
The CBS Family Films version of A Christmas Carol, which ran for about ten years on Saturday Afternoon. It was produced by an Australian company, and wasn't half. bad. I remember one Christmas Carol reviewer gave it a very negative review, but I grew up with it, and I still remember the music.
It would be great if these forgotten specials could come out once a year.That some kind researcher would put the time and effort to try to dig up excellent copies and have get legal, offical, professionally done copies done.
It would be nice if one of these came out once a year. Goodness knows, I prefer them to what's coming out now.
James
 

There is a Hanna-Barbera collection being released this season with three specials included. Check it out!
 

Ron Lee Green

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The Tiny Tree, a 1975 made-for-television animated special.
I watched this special when I was a kid in the 1970s.
I had forgotten the title, but I remembered that it was about a little girl in a wheelchair who talked to animals and a christmas tree came to life. I googled it and found the title.

It was produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises (Pink Panther, Dr. Seuss).
 

Gary OS

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Good stuff, guys. I've generally concentrated my collections of holiday themed TV to Christmas episodes of shows, not specials. But you folks have listed some great Christmas Specials that would be worthy of anyone's collection! I can't think of any titles to contribute to the thread, but I'll enjoy reading what others are adding.


Gary "keep up the great work" O.
 

KPmusmag

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My favorite Christmas special of all time is JULIE ANDREWS - THE SOUND OF CHRISTMAS which was on ABC in 1987. Julie was joined by Placido Domingo and John Denver. It was beautifully done, shot in gorgeous Salzburg locations and the music was glorious. A few bits of tasteful humor as well. There was a version shown in Europe that was a few minutes longer accompanied by a "Making of". It would make a terrific DVD.
 

MattPeriolat

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What about two non-animated Christmas specials?
I remember a live action special called "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever". Remember it being aired a few times during the early 80s and always remembered it since it was a late aunt's favorites. Given its short repeat cycle, does not surprise me that it's not exactly well remembered.
The other is the other version of Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus starring Charles Bronson. Remember it airing once as a CBS special then repeated on Lifetime a few times.
Anyway, anyone have any clue who might have the rights to these specials and if we might ever see them on DVD?
 

NY2LA

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MattPeriolat said:
What about two non-animated Christmas specials?
I remember a live action special called "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever". Remember it being aired a few times during the early 80s and always remembered it since it was a late aunt's favorites. Given its short repeat cycle, does not surprise me that it's not exactly well remembered.
The other is the other version of Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus starring Charles Bronson. Remember it airing once as a CBS special then repeated on Lifetime a few times.
Anyway, anyone have any clue who might have the rights to these specials and if we might ever see them on DVD?
I remember the first one starred Lorretta Swit and was around for a few years. I suggest you check out the IMDB page for each, which should list who made them or owns them now, and there may be some more info in the message boards there for each title.
The cast of M*A*S*H did several Christmas movies. Gary Burghoff was in one with Fred Astaire called The Man in the Santa Claus Suit, and Wayne Rodgers played the husband of Marlo Thomas in It Happened One Christmas.
 

Charles Ellis

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I'm shocked no one has mentioned an Emmy-winning classic that has never made it to home video: the original 1960s version of Truman Capote's A Christmas Memory starring Geraldine Page, directed by Frank Perry!!! Where is it??? This should be a no-brainer for a DVD/Blu-Ray release: it was filmed in color and as far as I know still exists as it was being shown on PBS stations in the 1980s. Why is only the Patty Duke remake available as everyone else remembers the original, which was narrated by Mr. Capote himself? Does anyone out there know who has the rights to the original 1966 special?
 

Another favorite animated special is "A Very Merry Cricket" by Chuck Jones. It is a sequel to "A Cricket in Times Square." Awesome special from the early 1970s. I remember them replaying this a lot on Christmas afternoon in the early 1980s. The title is horrible, but the animation is beautiful..often abstract. Really captures New York City in varying ways. I HIGHLY suggest it.
 

Matt Hough

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Originally Posted by Charles Ellis /t/325051/other-lost-christmas-specials#post_4000957
I'm shocked no one has mentioned an Emmy-winning classic that has never made it to home video: the original 1960s version of Truman Capote's A Christmas Memory starring Geraldine Page, directed by Frank Perry!!! Where is it??? This should be a no-brainer for a DVD/Blu-Ray release: it was filmed in color and as far as I know still exists as it was being shown on PBS stations in the 1980s. Why is only the Patty Duke remake available as everyone else remembers the original, which was narrated by Mr. Capote himself? Does anyone out there know who has the rights to the original 1966 special?

I bought the special on VHS, but it was in black and white even though I knew it was broadcast in color. I later was able to tape a color broadcast from a local station, but it's a shame the show has never been brought over to DVD/Blu-ray. It's a lovely show, and both Geraldine Page and Truman Capote won Emmys for it.
 

JamesSmith

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Okay. I just saw one of Dean Martin's Christmas specials at Wal Mart this morning, alongside Carol Burnett's Christmas episodes (3 from the Gary Moore show). If those can come out on digital, so can all the ones' on this thread.
James
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