Christmas TV Companion

Betty White: The Golden Palace Christmas (1992)

2012-01-29T20:09:00.000-05:00

Betty White at her 90th birthday celebration, NBC's TV special

Happy Birthday Betty White! January 17th, Betty White celebrated her 90th birthday and I've been inspired to write several blog posts as a tribute to her wonderful legacy on television. I've already written about Date With the Angels, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Life With Elizabeth, Prep & Landing Stocking Stuffer: Operation: Secret Santa, the 1986 Golden Girls and the 1989 Golden Girls Christmas episodes.

The Golden Girls spin-off

How many of you remember watching The Golden Girls spin-off sitcom, The Golden Palace? In the final episodes of The Golden Girls, Dorothy marries Blanche's uncle Lucas, played by Leslie Nielsen. The story continues in The Golden Palace, the name of the hotel that Blanche, Rose and Sophia invest in with their retirement savings. With the restaurant's chef Chuy Castillos, played by Cheech Marin, and the hotel's manager, Roland Wilson, played by Don Cheadle, the girls struggle to keep the hotel in business. Sadly, the spin-off only lasted one season.

Rose orders Roland (Don Cheadle) to recite the names of the reindeer to prove his worthiness to play Santa Claus for a children's party

The Golden Palace's brief run included a Christmas episode: 1992's "It's Beginning to Look a Lot (Less) Like Christmas." Sophia accepts a large reservation for the holiday from a therapy group looking to escape from Christmas. That means the hotel must avoid hanging any decorations and ban any festivities. The friends agree to set aside their holiday for the sake of the business however, Chuy revels in this bit of humbug. Overnight, he is visited by three ghosts that convince him that he is missing out on the happiness of the holiday. Of course, these three ghosts take on the appearance of his three elderly female co-workers Blanche, Rose and Sophia.

Chuy (Cheech Marin) with the Ghost of Christmas Past (Betty White)

Meanwhile, Roland has volunteered to be Santa Claus for a children’s charity party and Rose gives him strict lessons on how to be a better Santa. Betty White is hilarious as Rose, demanding that Roland rehearse and perfect his characterization of Santa--you have to see Rose in her ridiculous elf costume as Nicodemus, Santa's head elf.

Rose Nyland in her elf costume

This episode from the rare sitcom can be found on Youtube. While it's not my favorite Christmas episode, it is noteworthy as yet another interpretation of A Christmas Carol. I'm not sure Charles Dickens ever could have imagined a Castillos walking Christmas cake as a part of his classic tale! I think it's also interesting to see the Academy Award-nominated Don Cheadle in this sitcom. I'm currently watching him in his new TV series House of Lies which airs on Showtime. Tell me what you think of The Golden Palace Christmas episode.

Betty White: Golden Girls Christmas (1989)

2012-01-27T12:05:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Betty White! Last week Betty White celebrated her 90th birthday and I've been inspired to write several blog posts as a tribute to her wonderful legacy on television. I've already written about Date With the Angels, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Life With Elizabeth, Prep & Landing Stocking Stuffer: Operation: Secret Santa and the first Golden Girls Christmas episode from 1986.

The second Golden Girls Christmas episode arrives in the fifth season and is titled "Have Yourself A Very Little Christmas." The girls spend their holiday at the church helping to prepare and serve meals to the needy.

However, they are surprised at the number of women and children among the homeless. Another surprise: Dorothy’s ex-husband Stanley Zbornak is one of the men in line for food! Stan confides in Dorothy that his novelty toy business suffered some bad breaks this past year and his current wife has thrown him out of the house, accusing him of infidelity. But Dorothy won't allow Stan to feel too sorry for himself, reminding him that he has the ability and resources to help himself out of his current crisis. Dorothy points out that the other people and families at the church this day are not so lucky.

Dorothy reminds Stan that he has friends and family to help him during his time of trouble

This story has a powerful social message: many people are just a paycheck or two from severe financial troubles or becoming homeless. The Golden Girls created many of these stories with social issues--remember the episodes where Dorothy confronts illiteracy, Rose suffers from age discrimination when looking for a job, and Blanche is sexually harrassed by her professor? One of the points I appreciate the most from this story line is that the girls are thoughtful enough to wonder how these needy people will get help with food after the Christmas holiday. This is a great reminder to all of us that charity and giving should be a year round activity.

Stan Zbornak is played by Herb Edelman

One of Rose's great jokes in this episode.

This 1989 Christmas episode can viewed on the fifth season DVD release on disc 2. The show is currently airing weekdays on the Hallmark Channel and WE. Are you a big fan of The Golden Girls? Which of the two Christmas-themed episodes is your favorite? Up next: The Golden Palace Christmas episode.

Betty White: The Golden Girls Christmas (1986)

2012-01-24T20:37:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Betty White! Last week Betty White celebrated her 90th birthday and I've been inspired to write several blog posts as a tribute to her wonderful legacy on television. I've already written about Date With the Angels, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Life With Elizabeth and Prep & Landing Stocking Stuffer: Operation: Secret Santa.

Now what you've been waiting for--Betty White also starred in two Golden Girls Christmas episodes, the first being 1986's "Twas the Nightmare Before Christmas."

The roommates successfully dodge Rose's story about the St. Olaf stage play of 'The Christmas Carol' with an all-chicken cast.

Hilariously, Blanche has a passion for men dressed in Santa Claus suits. Concerned with the commercialism of Christmas and overspending on each others' gifts, the four roommates decide to swap homemade presents this year. Blanche makes a photo calendar--The Men of Blanche's Boudoir.

Dorothy reacts to Mr. September in her new calendar from Blanche.

Everything seems to be going right this holiday, until...

A man in a Santa Claus suit holds the women hostage at Rose’s workplace, a counseling center. The stranger has no intention of hurting them, he's just desperately trying to avoid spending Christmas alone. Rose, Blanche, Sophia and Dorothy fear that this delay means that they have each missed their flights to go home to be with their loved ones for the holidays. At the airport, they learn their flights have been canceled due to stormy weather.

As usual, they discuss their troubles over cheesecake and coffee.

Feeling like their holiday has been ruined, the women end up at a roadside diner sharing their sorrows over cheesecake and coffee. Rose, Blanche, Dorothy and Sophia remind themselves that they are family and they belong together at Christmas time. They begin to feel better after they volunteer to cover the shift for the man running the restaurant, allowing him to go home to be with his family for a little while on Christmas Eve.

"Let's go surfin' now, everybody's learnin' how..."

It miraculously begins to snow in Miami. The episode ends with a joke when the ditzy Rose is inspired to select a Christmas song on the diner’s jukebox and ends up playing Surfin’ Safari.

This Christmas episode can be found on the second season DVD set's second disc. The Golden Girls is currently airing daily on the Hallmark Channel and WE.

Betty White: Prep & Landing (2010)

2012-01-21T20:25:00.000-05:00

Betty White from a Saturday Night Live bumper in 2010

Happy Birthday Betty White! This week Betty White celebrates her 90th birthday and I've been inspired to write several blog posts as a tribute to her wonderful legacy on television. I've already written about Date With the Angels, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Life With Elizabeth.

White also participated in 2010's TV special Disney's Prep & Landing Stocking Stuffer: Operation: Secret Santa giving voice to the animated character of Mrs. Claus. This follow-up to the first Prep & Landing TV special is a short film running less than seven minutes.

Magee, Wayne and Lanny

Elves Lanny and Wayne are at it again. This year they are asked by Magee to use their Mission: Impossible-style special ops skills to help Mrs. Claus.

Mrs. Claus's face is never fully visible as she instructs the special ops elves with their mission

Mrs. Claus wants them to retrieve a wooden box from Santa’s underground private workshop. A funny gag is that Mrs. Claus, like many of her age, is awkward using the latest technology in order to work with the elves. Of course, her instructions require Wayne and Lanny to perform their task without Santa’s knowledge.

Lanny and Wayne sizing up the situation

Their mission becomes more complicated when Lanny and Wayne find Santa napping at his desk when they break in. What magical secrets could this little wooden box hold?

Mrs. Claus receives conformation of the success of the elves mission

This short film aired on ABC in December 2010 as a teaser to hold viewer’s attention until the second half-hour Prep & Landing TV special could be released in 2011.

The voice cast: Sarah Chalke as Magee; Dave Foley as Wayne; Derek Richardson as Lanny; W. Morgan Sheppard as Santa; and, Betty White as Mrs. Claus.

Did you see this animated short? Have you seen the 2009 or the 2011 Prep & Landing half-hour specials? This 2010 short film was recently released as a bonus feature on the DVD release of the first Prep & Landing.

Betty White: Life With Elizabeth (1954)

2012-01-20T11:26:00.001-05:00

Betty White: the comeback queen of comedy

Happy Birthday Betty White! This week Betty White celebrates her 90th birthday and I've been inspired to write several blog posts as a tribute to her wonderful legacy on television. I've already written about her late 1950s sitcom Date With the Angels and a special Christmas episode featuring her character Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

Life With Elizabeth ran from 1953-55.

Here is another Christmas episode featuring Betty White in an early TV series. Life With Elizabeth is a domestic sitcom with gentle humor in which each half hour episode is comprised of three vignettes. This 1954 holiday story "Christmas Presents" is the second segment in the episode. In this story, Elizabeth and her husband Alvin promise each other they won’t peak into each other’s hiding places to see their wrapped gifts. But neither one can curb their curiosity. Do you ever sneak a peek at your Christmas presents?

This rare vintage television series can be difficult to find but I found an uploaded video of this Christmas segment on Youtube:

I love Elizabeth and Alvin's gestures surrounding their pact to not peek! Alvin is played by comedic actor Del Moore--do you recognize him? Among his many roles, I recognize him as the college dean in Jerry Lewis' movie The Nutty Professor. I wish there was a good clip of it on Youtube. Dr. Warfield (Moore) is tricked by Buddy Love into acting out a dramatic scene from Hamlet on top of a table. It's a classic.

Watching these old television shows is one of my great passions in being a researcher/writer about Christmas TV. I get a real thrill out of discovering and watching TV shows I've never seen before. Have you heard of Life With Elizabeth? What's the oldest TV show you still enjoy watching?

Betty White: The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1974)

2012-01-18T22:11:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday Betty White! This week Betty White celebrates her 90th birthday and I've been inspired to write several blog posts as a tribute to her wonderful legacy on television. Yesterday I wrote about her late 1950s sitcom Date With the Angels. Click here to see that again.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-77) Starting left: Sue Ann, Mary, Georgette, Ted, Lou and Murray.

Another program where Betty White shines is the fifth season episode "Not A Christmas Show" from The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Betty plays Sue Ann Nivens, the Minneapolis TV station's cooking show host. If you've seen the show, you know that Sue Ann is a hilarious mix of traditionalism and aggressiveness. Though this episode takes place in early November, this is one of those episodes that has become very closely associated with Christmas.

After several days of fighting amongst themselves, the staff at WJM become snowed in at the office. Sue Ann has taped her Christmas cooking show in advance of the holiday, preparing delicacies from all over the world. “Yuletide yummies for worldwide tummies.” She invites her newsroom friends to come to the studio to enjoy the food she cooked for the show but everyone declines the offer only to later accept the invitation after they are unable to leave the station. But the hurt feelings and anger prevent the co-workers from enjoying each other’s company as well as the delicious meal.

The cooking show set is still elaborately decorated for the taping of Sue Ann's Christmas show.

Sue Ann tries to force the Christmas spirit on them by making them wear funny international hats and sing Christmas carols.

"...four calling birds..."

Don’t miss this funny opportunity to see Mary wearing the ridiculous World War I Kaiser Wilhelm helmet and Lou looking silly while wearing a sombrero. Ar Sue Ann's request, they sing the popular holiday song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” but it's the angriest, most miserable rendition you've ever heard. It's hilarious. The bad mood and hurt feelings finally cease after Georgette sings a very tender rendition of “Silent Night.”

Georgette's beautiful but fragile singing voice reminds the staff to reflect on the spirit of the season.

This episode can be found on the second disc on the fifth season DVD set of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Check your local library or on-line rental queu for access. The series is also currently airing weeknights at 8pm (ET) on Me-TV.

Sue Ann catches Lou under the mistletoe!

Betty White: Date With the Angels (1957)

2012-01-17T12:42:00.000-05:00

Betty White at her 90th birthday celebration broadcast on NBC, Monday, Jan. 16th

Happy Birthday Betty White! Today is Betty's 90th birthday and I've been inspired to write several blog posts as a tribute to her wonderful legacy on television.

This black-and-white sitcom only lasted one season, 1957-58.

Betty White starred in a short-lived domestic sitcom Date With the Angels as Vickie, the wife of insurance salesman, Gus Angel.

Bill Williams and Betty White play newlyweds Gus and Vickie Angel

The 1957 yuletide episode "Santa's Helper" is also known by the title "The Christmas Show." Vickie's elderly neighbor, Mr. Finley, feels useless at home, spending each day alone. Vickie decides to help by getting him a job at Martindale's Department Store working as their Santa Claus. Mr. Finley's generosity as Santa brightens many children's Christmas spirits. Unfortunately, he accomplishes this by giving away the store's toys for free. Making matters worse, the well-intentioned Vickie is criticized by Mr. Finley's son for getting his father a job when he believes his father should be staying at home. Of course, this is a Christmas episode, so you can rest assured there will be a happy ending.

The funniest moment arrives at the start of the episode. The elderly character Mr. Finley, played by the perpetually aged Burt Mustin, sings the popular Christmas carol “The First Noel” with only one lyric: the single word ‘noel.’ I love this moment so much, I frequently find myself at holiday time singing "The First Noel" exactly as Mr. Finley does!

Actress Nancy Kulp as Dolly, the department store employee who hires Mr. Finley.

I also love this episode because it not only includes veteran TV actor Burt Mustin but character actors Nancy Kulp and Richard Deacon as well. Culp is better known for her comedic role as Miss Jane Hathaway on The Beverly Hillbillies and Deacon, among many outstanding roles, is well remembered as Mel Cooley on The Dick Van Dyke Show.

Richard Deacon plays Mr. Finley's son on Date With the Angels

I just love these old black-and-white sitcoms from television's past. This Christmas episode can be found on discount DVD sets as well as online. You can also watch it here:

The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol (2011)

2012-01-15T18:34:00.000-05:00

Did you see that the recent DVD release of last summer's theatrical movie The Smurfs included a bonus disc? Sony Pictures included a half-hour piece of animation on the bonus disc entitled The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol.

"Smurf the halls with boughs of holly..."

In this version of Charles Dickens’ classic tale, Grouchy Smurf is the curmudgeon that hates Christmas. Papa Smurf concocts a magical brew that gives Grouchy a life-changing dream of being visited by three special Smurfs.

Grouchy meets the Smurf of Christmases Past

Acting as the Smurf of Christmases Past, Smurfette shows Grouchy that his anger stems from not receiving the gift he's always wanted: a hang glider. Brainy visits Grouchy as the Smurf of Christmas Present to show him that his bad attitude at Christmas every year negatively affects the other Smurfs. And, Hefty, acting as the Smurf of Christmas Future shows Grouchy a dark future when all the Smurfs are captured by Gargamel while they are in the woods looking for a Christmas tree to inspire Grouchy with the Christmas spirit. In the end, Grouchy learns to appreciate the one gift he is given each year--a new hat especially handcrafted for him by Papa Smurf.

Brainy as the Smurf of Christmas Present--created to look like the traditional animation of the Saturday morning cartoon series

Original fans of the 1980s Smurfs TV series will appreciate this new story because it incorporates the flat animated look of that original Saturday morning cartoon show. Though the story begins and ends using the modern CG technology with the three dimensional visual appeal of the 2011 movie, Grouchy’s dream with the three Smurfs of Christmas is all done in the different style more like the appearance of traditional cel animation.

Grouchy receives a Christmas gift from Papa Smurf--using the CG three dimensional look of the movie

Don’t expect a faithful adaptation of Charles Dickens’ original story. This Smurf version of A Christmas Carol takes great license with the original text yet manages to create a feel-good story aimed at entertaining even the youngest of viewers.

I am antcipating that we will eventually see this animation on television, following the trend set by Dreamworks with Shrek the Halls (2007), Merry Madagascar (2009) and Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special (2010) as well as Blue Sky Studios' Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas (2011).

Did you watch Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas on TV in 2011?

Did you or a family member receive The Smurfs DVD release as a Christmas gift? Have you seen The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol yet? What do you think of the animated Christmas entertainments made from the successful film franchises such as Shrek the Halls and Merry Madagascar?

The House Without A Christmas Tree (1972)

2012-01-10T20:08:00.000-05:00

In the last several months, I've spoken and written a great deal about the Christmas TV movie The Homecoming and the TV series The Waltons and its Christmas episodes. When I was growing up, there were two TV movies that we looked forward to seeing again and again: The Homecoming of course, and The House Without A Christmas Tree. Last year may have been the anniversary of the debut of The Homecoming (click here to see what I wrote about that) however this year marks the 40th anniversary of The House Without A Christmas Tree.

This poignant and dramatic made-for-TV movie is based on the children’s book written by Gail Rock. It takes place in the small town of Clear River, Nebraska in 1946. Ten year-old Addie Mills doesn’t understand why she can’t have a Christmas tree. Her whole life, she’s never had one. She fears her unemotional father doesn’t love her.

Addie and her grandmother discuss why her father is so emotionally distant

Though Addie pesters him about it, her father explains to Grandma that Christmas trees are a painful reminder of his wife who died when Addie was a baby.

Addie doesn't understand why she can't have a Christmas tree like everyone else.

At school, Addie has the opportunity to bring home the classroom Christmas tree since she doesn’t already have one. After bringing it home and decorating it as a surprise, Mr. Mills becomes upset when he sees it.

James yells at his daughter Addie for defying him and bringing home a Christmas tree

James makes the excuse that he doesn’t want people to think they are too poor to have a tree. Later that night, Addie drags the precious tree over to the home of a classmate she knows is less well-off and whose family is without a tree for the holiday. Addie leaves the tree on their doorstep with a note marked "from Santa Claus."

The Cott family become the recipients of the 5th grade classroom tree

The next day, Mr. Mills recognizes the tree in the neighbor’s home and knows what Addie has done. Finally recognizing that Addie isn't responsible for his bitterness with Christmas, James brings home a Christmas tree. But Addie is uncertain how to react. When her father goes to the attic and retrieves a handmade star to place on the top of the tree, she finally gives in to her father's goodwill gesture. Addie learns that the star ornament is one her mother had made for Addie’s first Christmas tree before she died. Warning: don't even bother to resist it--this movie is definitely a tearjerker!

Addie's star handmade by her mother

The cast includes: Jason Robards as James Mills; Mildred Natwick as Grandma Mills; and Lisa Lucas as Addie. The House Without A Christmas Tree is directed by Paul Bogart.

Addie (Lisa Lucas) and her best friend Carla Mae (Alexa Kenin) in school.

Some viewers may recognize actress Alexa Kenin in the role of Addie's best friend Carla Mae. Kenin also appeared in numerous Afterschool Specials, the sitcoms Facts of Life and Gimme A Break!, as well as the teen movies Little Darlings and Pretty in Pink before her untimely death in 1985.

Molly Shannon's Mary Katherine Gallagher Christmas sketch also includes guest stars: (left) Rosie O'Donnell and (right) Whitney Houston

I'm not the only one who remembers this classic TV movie. It has cast a long enough shadow to become part of a comedy sketch on Saturday Night Live. In the 1996 Christmas episode, cast member Molly Shannon as her reoccurring character, Mary Katherine Gallagher, the klutzy Catholic school girl, steals the spotlight in the school's pageant rehearsal and quotes one of Addie’s monologues from this 1972 film.

Am I the only one to see a similarity in appearance between Lisa Lucas and Liz Lemon (Tina Fey)?

The House Without A Christmas Tree went on to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing Achievement in Drama - Adaptation by Eleanor Perry. It was so popular and critically acclaimed that three more TV movies based on the characters by Gail Rock were created: 1973’s The Thanksgiving Treasure, 1975’s The Easter Promise and 1976’s Addie and the King of Hearts.

The House Without A Christmas Tree is available for viewing on DVD as well as Youtube. It is one of my favorites on my Youtube channel: TistheSeasonTV.

Watching The Homecoming and The House Without A Christmas Tree were annual events in my house when I was growing up in the 1970s. What Christmas program do you remember looking forward to watching every year when you were a child?

TV Confidential

2011-12-31T14:41:00.003-05:00

This holiday season you may have heard me on the radio discussing Christmas on TV. I was lucky to have been a part of several interviews on TV Confidential. If you missed those pieces, you can still listen to the podcasts at TV Confidential's archives.

Show #118: Author Greg Ehrbar and I discuss our favorite Christmas programs along with the show's regular hosts Ed Robertson, Tony Figueroa and Donna Allen. Click here for the link to Show #118. Ed calls me "...the holiday TV guru..." I like that alot! Can you guess which are my own personal favorite Christmas specials? I was extremely impressed with Greg--isn't he sharp? I loved his reading of the TV special Santa Claus is Comin' to Town. In the audio, you can hear me tittering during Greg's reading of that classic Rankin/Bass Animagic special. I recently got two of Greg's books, Mouse Tracks: The Story of Walt Disney Records (2006) and The Cartoon Music Book (2002), which I'll be reviewing here on my blog soon.

Show #114: November was my first appearance on TV Confidential. Click here for the link to Show #114. I discuss my obsession with The Peanuts character Peppermint Patty, the inspiration for writing my two books, the common themes in Christmas TV stories, the sidebars in my encyclopedia and my love the Christmas episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show. I also spoke about my upcoming appearance at the screening of the Christmas TV movie The Homecoming and the Waltons cast reunion. Click the links to read my blog posts about those experiences: Waltons Part 1 and Waltons Part 2.

This was just a fantastic experience. Thanks again to TV Confidential for this opportunity and Ed Roberston, Donna Allen and Tony Figueroa. I also want to thank the other guest on Show 118, author Greg Ehrbar, for his generosity during the radio show. Don't forget: I was recently on two podcasts of Galactic Watercooler as well. Check it out! Do you regularly listen to podcasts? Which ones do you like? Let me know.

Galactic Watercooler

2011-12-28T19:22:00.001-05:00

In the hub-bub of the holidays, you may have missed the interviews I did with Galactic Watercooler (GWC), the "...community of friendly people who enjoy and participate in geekdom..."

From the GWC website:
"Each week (for five years running) GWC’s geek hosts jump into new material, becoming fans and passing on the experience with the help of what’s widely recognized as the friendliest community in science fiction and fantasy. Rolling Stone magazine called GWC “the NPR of BSG,” and Howard Stern agreed, describing GWC (and geeking in general) as a “guilty pleasure.” Past topics include The Guild, Alien, Eureka, Eve Online, Star Trek, Terminator, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, Serenity, Dr. Horrible, Tron, War Games, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Cosmos, Avatar, Batman, Transformers, X-Men, Iron Man, Mass Effect, SyFy and sci-fi programs, individuals such as Will Smith, Felicia Day, Joss Whedon, and many more!"

"We’re interested in TV shows, movies, comics, novels, gaming, science, and music. We’re interested in each other. We like to chat about just about any topic. We’ll listen and give informed feedback, and at the end of the day we think of GWC as a clubhouse for a (very large) group of friends."

I discuss Christmas on TV in two recent podcasts: #302 and #303

Podcast #302: I follow rock legends Donnie Iris and the Cruisers at about the 1 hr 22 min mark. Listen here. Highlights: Hear me blank when I'm asked about 1990s Christmas episodes. I don't know what was wrong with me? Remember our Christmas in July on this blog last year?--it was nothing but 1990s programming. I couldn't remember any of it. hahahaha. But I really love being called "a bad ass"--I think they get my Christmas geekness! To respond to Chuck who asked if there is an A-Team Christmas episode? Sorry to disappoint but I've never found one.

Podcast #303: in Christmas Part 2, I talk about sci-fi Christmas entertainments. My contribution starts at 1 hr 33 minutes in. Listen here. Highlights: I'm asked about the Star Wars Holiday Special, Futurama, Doctor Who and Make Your Own Marathons suggestions for Star Trek and The Big Lebowski from my book The Christmas TV Companion.

What a fun experience this was. I hope you enjoy listening to it. While you're at GWC's site, I hope you find other interesting stuff to join in on and check back with them again in the new year. Thanks again to D.X. Ferris for getting me hooked up with GWC.

This song STILL totally rocks out! And I love love love those glasses.

Proving what a small world we all live in, I'm laughing about a couple small coincidences here. The first is that I'm a big fan of Donnie Iris and though I've never met him, I've spent a good deal of time in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, the small industrial town nestled in the mountains outside of Pittsburgh area--the hometown of Donnie Iris. There's a restaurant there, Shakespeare's Restaurant and Pub, where I used to go quite regularly to celebrate my special occasions when I lived near there, in Youngstown, Ohio several years back. When we were in Ellwood City, we would always talk about Donnie and sing his back catalog. So I've always felt this connection to his music--and now I follow him on GWC. How awesome is that?

More proof of what a small world it is is that Joseph Minadeo created the GWC podcast intro and outro music they discuss at the very beginning of podcast #303. Joseph and his wife Kendra, performing as Bellows, created the trippy sounds and video installation for my last book signing in Akron, Ohio. Click here to see what I wrote about that experience. The video link below is an extension of that performance A Bellows Christmas. Click here for the video link. Thanks again Bellows!

My Christmas Card to You

2011-12-25T11:31:00.000-05:00

Saint (2010)

2011-12-21T18:58:00.001-05:00

English release: Saint, directed by Dick Maas

Some of the more interesting Christmas films in recent years have been overseas imports. Did you see the much talked about Finnish film Rare Exports in theaters last year? How about the 2010 Dutch film Saint? Here's your chance: Saint is showing at the Cedar Lee Theatre at a midnight screening on Friday Dec. 23rd.

Despite a decades long--perhaps centuries long--cover-up by police and governmental officials, one man predicts the inevitable return of a murderous ghost who seeks to punish during the holidays. This horror film with a sense of humor sees the ghost of Saint Nicholas return only upon the night of December 5th when the moon is full. Then, the angry saint atop a horse and accompanied by his unearthly minions roams the streets looking for chimneys to descend to find bloody vengeance against the living.

In 1968, young Goert is the sole survivor of a visit from St. Nick

The one man, Goert, who believes the legends of the vengeful St. Nick does so because he lost his entire family to this holiday violence when he was a young boy. Now grown up and working as a police officer, Goert is dismissed as a kook until it's almost too late. He finds another sympathetic soul willing to help him hunt down the murderous ghost--a teenager who has also seen and survived St. Nick's rage.

Who doesn't love a good ghost story at Christmas?

Fans of Christmas horror movies may be looking for similarities between Saint and the classics Christmas Evil and Silent Night, Deadly Night. However, this killing Santa Claus has always been a corrupt force--even as a member of the clergy over 500 years ago. In Saint, the legacy of this wicked member of the clergy has been re-written resulting in the modern mistaken belief that Saint Nick is a family-friendly do-gooder. The conspiracy by the police and society stems from an unwillingness to see their own hypocrisy. Unfortunately, this Christmas spirit can not be stopped by mere police weapons or a cover-up.

Up on the housetop, click-click-click

Don't worry if you're not really knowledgeable about the folklore of Sinterklaas or the Saint Nicholas legend of the Netherlands. This movie provides enough exposition to allow you to follow the story and then understand how it twists the legend in order to make it a frightening tale. There is some gore here though I would have preferred to see even more ribbons of red fill these Christmasy streets of Amsterdam.

If you don't live in Cleveland, don't fret: this movie can also be seen on DVD. I just saw it on my local video rental store's shelf last night under the title Saint Nick. Thanks to Bob at Cleveland Movie Blog for suggesting this title.

What scares you at Christmas time? (besides the opportunity for Aunt Agnes to give you yet another ugly Christmas sweater).

My Christmas Wish List

2011-12-20T14:11:00.000-05:00

"All I want is what I have coming to me. All I want is my fair share."

There are a few things I'm hoping to find under the tree on Christmas morning.

If you know me, you know what a James Garner fan I am. I NEED this book.

My Official James Garner Fan Club membership card--look at the date!

I also need this newly released DVD. It's the 1956 musical The Stingiest Man in Town--a lost TV special until a copy was recently found. I gotta see this!

I also need the new Black Keys album. And the new posthumous release for Amy Winehouse.

What's on your list of must-haves this holiday season? Have you been naughty or nice?

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

2011-12-17T14:44:00.001-05:00

Recently I was a guest contributor on the Cleveland Movie Blog. I wrote a review about the 1947 theatrical release movie Miracle on 34th Street. Click HERE to see my review. Last week, I also contributed an older post from my blog about the 1983 movie A Christmas Story. Click here to see that review.

Cleveland Movie Blog is a blog dedicated to reviewing the movies playing in Cleveland and the Northeast Ohio region, as well as providing news and information about local filmmakers and movie related events. Editor Bob Ignizio is a friend to this blog. Last July he wrote a review here for the Christmas scene in the 1997 movie Boogie Nights. Click HERE to see that review again.

Please feel free to check out my review of Miracle on Cleveland Movie Blog and while you are there, check out the reviews of other films on that site. And of course, you are welcome to check out past Christmas entertainment reviews on this site by utilizing the SEARCH feature along the right hand side of the blog.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Amends (1998)

2011-12-17T14:14:00.000-05:00

Today I'm the guest blogger on another site Authors By Authors. I wrote a review about the 1998 Christmas episode of the paranormal TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer entitled "Amends." Click HERE to see my review.

Authors By Authors is a blog dedicated to book reviews written by authors. It is owned by Kiki Howell, a friend to this blog. She has written several reviews here including one this past July of the TV movie A Season for Miracles. Click HERE to see that review again.

Please feel free to check out my review of Buffy on Authors By Authors and while you are there, check out the reviews of other books on that site. And of course, you are welcome to check out past Christmas entertainment reviews on this site by utilizing the SEARCH feature along the right hand side of the blog.

The Waltons Christmas Cast Reunion Recap--Part 2

2011-12-16T12:12:00.002-05:00

Marquee on Loews Jersey Theatre

Friday, December 2 at the Legendary Loews Jersey Theatre in Jersey City, NJ was the once-in-a-lifetime 40th anniversary screening of the Christmas TV movie The Homecoming and a 13 member cast reunion from The Waltons. I was there and a part of the event, serving as the reunion cast panel discussion moderator. Click here for Reunion Recap--Part 1.

during my interview with David Huddleston

The week before the Dec. 2nd event was filled with activities. On Monday, I interviewed actor David Huddleston. David portrayed Sheriff Ep Bridges in The Homecoming and the character A.J. Covington in the first season Waltons episode "The Literary Man." But the character actor has a long life filled with amazing roles including Jeffrey Lebowski in The Big Lebowski, Olson Johnson in Blazing Saddles and my favorite: Santa in 1985's Santa Claus: The Movie.

David signed an 8x10 for me.

After the Waltons cast arrived in New Jersey on Thursday, all of those involved in the production went to visit the newly opened 9/11 Memorial. If you go, bring twice as many tissues as you think you will need. It's very sad there but the Survivor Tree is inspirational.

The names of the deceased are engraved in the marble walls on both pools. Photo credit: Bootie Bell Chewning

On Friday morning, The Waltons cast appeared on the Today Show.

Friday afternoon, we had a sponsorship luncheon. A cake decorator, Candy Repsher Knappenberger and her crew from Pennsylvania, presented an amazing cake of the Waltons home, barn, shed and truck. Notice the lights within the cake in the windows! It was a sight to behold and an emotional moment for everyone there. The dedication that went in to making this cake was breathtaking.

As the lights in the cake windows go out, you can just hear "Goodnight John-Boy, Goodnight Elizabeth," etc.

Musician John Walmsley and Ellen Geer's husband, musician Peter Alsop performed a song.

I had a ring side seat for Walmsley and Alsop's humorous song

Friday night we had a red carpet arrival at the theater with limos, cameras and screaming fans for the Waltons cast. It was exciting.

The Waltons cast exit the limos and line up for photos--I'm dead center, trying to stay out of the melee. Photo credit: John J. Buxbaum

Waltons cast poses for photographers. Photo credit: John J. Buxbaum

After the event, I enjoyed a relaxing dinner with Radames Pera and his wife Marsha Mann. Of course, the conversation eventually turned to rock n' roll where we discussed the LA underground scene and Mann's band Cipher in the late 1970s-early 1980s, Sonic Youth, Love & Rockets, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, the Black Keys, the Killers and more.

Radames Pera and myself after the Waltons reunion

I'm with Marsha Mann after the reunion

The following day, on Saturday Dec. 3rd, a group of us went into Greenwich Village to see Richard Thomas in the off-Broadway comedy, Standing on Ceremony. I've been to the City several times but this was my first New York theater experience. It was amazing! The cast included Richard Thomas, Craig Bierko, Polly Draper, Harriet Harris, Mark Consuelos and Beth Leavel. Anderson Cooper was in the audience that night!

Richard Thomas after the performance on Saturday

Actress Harriet Harris after the performance

The whole week was whirlwind of activites and experiences. I'm very grateful to McCastmore productions for including me in the program and allowing me to be a part of the event.

Our group after the performance. Left: Kami Cotler, Richard Thomas, Ellen Geer, Peter Alsop, Lynn Hamilton

Taking the train into the City: Left: Lynn Hamilton, Bootie, JoAnne and myself

Goofing around while waiting for our train on Saturday night: Bootie, JoAnne, and Jason.

McCastmore Productions with David Huddleston. Left: Ray, Tim, David Huddleston and Jason.

Glee: Extraordinary Merry Christmas (2011)

2011-12-13T21:22:00.000-05:00

Glee Christmas 2011: Chris Colfer as Kurt Hummel with Chewbacca

This year's Glee Christmas episode included Artie directing his very own holiday TV special for his local PBS station. He decided to take his inspiration from 1978's Star Wars Holiday Special and 1963's Christmas special from The Judy Garland Show. How awesome is that? Not only did Artie insist on filming his variety special in black and white just like The Judy Garland Show but he incorporates costumes of the characters from the Star Wars Holiday Special. Have you seen these two classic Christmas TV specials?

The Judy Garland Show's Christmas Show (1963). Left: Mel Torme, Judy and Jack Jones.

The holiday episode of the short-lived variety series, The Judy Garland Show, stars singers Jack Jones and Mel Tormé, as well as Garland’s children, Joe, Lorna and Liza. The show opens with the camera looking through the windows of a home, focusing on the maternal Miss Garland singing the melancholy ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ while affectionately grasping Joe and Lorna. Of course, this is the memorable song that she made popular in the 1944 movie, ‘Meet Me in St. Louis.’ Judy invites the TV cameras into her home for this Christmas TV special, to share the holiday with her family as her good friends, Jack Jones and Mel Tormé informally drop by. Both young Joe and Lorna adorably sing off-key songs, and a seventeen year-old, Liza Minnelli is here entertaining too--the best is her song and dance jazz number to ‘Steam Heat.’

Liza Minnelli with her mother Judy in 1963's Christmas Show

Garland and her children sing and dance ever so casually, as if improvising, yet the choreography and the off-stage orchestration suggests otherwise. In fact, all the entertainment appears informal--as if a natural extension of the singer’s lifestyle, yet it’s so perfectly conceived and painstakingly arranged, it can’t be that natural. Twice when a team of stylized Santa Clauses raucously bursts through Garland’s front door to dance in the middle of her living room, the audience is once again reminded of how choreographed this improvised moment truly must be.

Despite her professional demeanor, Judy really seems to be uncomfortable, at times appearing to be forcing the Christmas spirit. She seems distracted and fidgety, not really focused during the entire show. And later, tension can be felt when Garland sits at the piano to sing with Tormé the song so synonymous with the holiday that it’s often overlooked that Tormé himself co-wrote it--‘The Christmas Song.’ Harmonizing along side the ‘Velvet Fog,’ Judy accidentally flubs a line and Tormé reacts jovially, laughing and making the aside comment, “Close....” But there is clearly some friction when Judy purposefully alters the next line to add a lyric from her signature tune ‘Over the Rainbow’ on top of his masterpiece. The first lyric change was a mistake but she’s clearly manipulated the lyrics vengefully the second time.

Judy (center) with son Joe (left) and daughter Lorna (right)

Although she shares the stage with her children, with everyone singing and enjoying each other’s company, at the end of the show when Judy sings ‘Over the Rainbow,’ you can feel the same uncomfortable feeling, much like the opening in ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.’ Judy has to belt out another of her signature songs, which undermines the small, intimate moment she’s sharing with her children.

However, even when Judy isn’t at her best, she’s still better than most. This explains why her Christmas special remains a very popular vintage favorite. This installment is currently available for viewing on DVD.

1978's Star Wars Holiday Special is a two-hour long TV special featuring much of the cast from the original film, including Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford, as well as Chewbacca, Darth Vader, the Stormtroopers, C3-PO and R2-D2. Airing only once, this special became the stuff of legend: creator George Lucas ignores its existence; fans debate the rumors that it was the worst thing to ever air on TV, let alone the fact that it was a disappointment for Star Wars disciples. For years, bootleg VHS copies floated around college dorms. Then, it was sold illegally on internet auction sites. Recently, it has become more accessible because of its instant availability over the internet. But this has only served to prove to a wider, more curious audience with expectant high hopes just how incredibly awful it truly is.

Chewie with his family: wife Malla, son Lumpy and father Itchy.

Within the mythos of this galaxy far, far, away, they do not celebrate our Christmas but their own holiday called Life Day. When the story starts, Han Solo and Chewbacca are delayed from returning for the Life Day celebrations on the Wookie planet, Kashyyyk, because they are forced to battle Imperial ships along their route. Meanwhile, Chewie’s family grows more worried with each passing hour of his absence, distracting themselves with mindless activities. His son Lumpy watches various entertainments on a hologram display. His wife Malla continues to prepare the holiday meal and watches a cooking demonstration on a video screen while Chewie’s aged father, Itchy, concerns himself with more ‘adult’ pursuits--indulging his fantasies with a virtual reality contraption, they call ‘a Mind Evaporator.’ Luke Skywalker checks in by way of a video screen as does Princess Leia to greet the Wookie family on the holiday, adding to growing tensions that Chewie and Han haven’t arrived yet.

Eventually, Darth Vader sends orders to catch the rebels by setting up a blockade around Lashyyyk, making it even more challenging for Chewbacca and Han Solo to return on Life Day. The Imperial guard turn up at the Wookie home and ransack the place looking for confirmation of their rebel sympathies, but Lumpy keeps himself busy watching an animated segment about his father and his friends on an adventure. When Chewbacca does finally return home, the family gathers to celebrate Life Day, where they each raise an orb to transport themselves to some enigmatic, celestial plane, reuniting with Luke, Han Solo, C3-P0, R2-D2 and Princess Leia, who sings a song about the holiday’s meaning.

Bea Arthur at Mos Eisley's cantina in Star Wars Holiday Special

In the tradition of television holiday spectacles, there are musical numbers and special guest stars, including: Art Carney, who plays the pro-rebellion, trading post owner and visitor to the Wookie home; comedic actor, Harvey Korman, appears in several roles, including the cooking instructor, transmitter assembly teacher and a fawning customer in the cantina. Singer/actress Diahann Carroll appears as the sexy, fantasy singer in Itchy’s Mind Evaporator; 1970s rock band Jefferson Starship (featuring Marty Balin) performs on a hologram display; and, singer/actress Beatrice Arthur appears as the bartender at Mos Eisley’s cantina and performs a boozy song.

This TV special is the first introduction of the bounty hunter Boba Fett, a character who goes on to appear in the later films and captures the imagination of many Star Wars fans. He can be found in the animated segment which was originally made by Canadian animators, Nelvana.

For more about both of these classic TV specials, see my book The Christmas TV Companion (2009) available for purchase on this blog or at Amazon.com.

The Waltons Christmas Cast Reunion Recap--Part 1

2011-12-13T19:02:00.000-05:00

It is the 40th anniversary of the Christmas TV movie The Homecoming: A Christmas Story. (Click here to see my review of this movie again). This 1971 TV movie adapted from the book by Earl Hamner received such high ratings and praise that it inspired the TV series The Waltons. The much beloved TV series ran on CBS for nine seasons followed by six more TV movies. As you know, last Friday December 2, in Jersey City, NJ, The Homecoming was screened at the Legendary Loews Jersey Theatre followed immediately by a 13 member Waltons cast reunion and panel discussion. As the Christmas TV expert, I was asked to be the panel discussion moderator.

Top row left: Eric Scott (Ben), Kami Cotler (Elizabeth), David Harper (Jim Bob), Mary McDonough (Erin), Jon Walmsley (Jason), Ellen Geer (Eva Mann), Radames Pera (Paul Mann). Bottom row left: David Huddleston (Sheriff Bridges/AJ Covington), Judy Norton (Mary Ellen), Joanna Wilson, Marsha Mann, Michael Learned (Ma Walton), and Lynn Hamilton (Verdie Foster).

Before the screening of The Homecoming, that night began with a reception/photo opportunity for the sponsors with the special guests. The above group photo was taken at that event and I grabbed Marsha Mann (Radames Pera's wife) to join me to slip in line to get my picture taken with the Waltons cast. Yes, Richard Thomas is not there--he would join the cast reunion panel discussion later in the evening. (That night he was performing in the Off-Broadway play Standing On Ceremony and joined us after his show was over). Actor Hal Williams who played Harley Foster on The Waltons is also missing from the photo but he would later join the panel discussion later that night.

Paul Hamner reading the introduction from Earl Hamner. Photo credit: John J. Buxbaum

After this reception, we were all seated in the theater and an introduction, written by Earl Hamner Jr., was read by his brother Paul Hamner. Paul has the same Virginia accent as his brother Earl--the rich tones that we've all heard in each of the Waltons episodes when Earl voiced the narrator's commentary. Also, Richard Duggan, the real-life son of actor Andrew Duggan who played the father John Walton in the TV movie, addressed the crowd and shared his appreciation for the event.

Michael Learned during her tribute to Patricia Neal. Photo credit: John J. Buxbaum

We also were treated to home movies from Kami Cotler's family who had recently found old Super 8 film they had taken from the location shoot in Jackson Hole, Wyoming during the production of The Homecoming in 1971. Seeing the children playing in the snow and behind-the-scenes frolics was a rare treat. After we watched a digital print of The Homecoming, the program included a tribute to actress Patricia Neal who played Olivia Walton in the movie. There was a video montage and Radames Pera and Michael Learned who had both worked with Neal shared their special memories of her.

The cast on stage singing Christmas carols--that's me still seated on the right. Photo credit: John J. Buxbaum

After an intermission, the cast were seated on couches with myself in the middle. They reminisced about the filming of The Homecoming and then they recalled their memories about working on The Waltons. Radames Pera and Ellen Geer who worked together in the first season episode "The Ceremony" shared those experiences and working with the Waltons cast. Lynn Hamilton spoke about the very special episode "The Scholar" from the first season where her character Verdie is first introduced, and Hal Williams who played Harley Foster from the second season until the ninth season also shared his experiences. David Huddleston spoke about being in both The Homecoming as Sheriff Ep Bridges and about the first season episode "The Literary Man" in which he plays A.J. Covington a writer who's life influences John-Boy.

Some of the cast during the panel discussion--I'm actually just to the left of Jon. left to right: Jon Walmsley (Jason), Richard Thomas (John-Boy), Judy Norton (Mary Ellen), Eric Scott (Ben).

It was when David Huddleston was sharing his personal memories that Richard Thomas arrived and walked on stage just as David mentioned the name John-Boy. It was perfect timing for Richard to join the cast discussion and the crowd leapt to their feet in applause!

Jon Walmsley and Judy Norton singing

After the cast reunion discussion, Richard Thomas read the poem "The Night Before Christmas" by Clement Moore for the audience. Then the evening's entertainment ended when all those on stage stood and sang Christmas carols led by musician Jon Walmsley, the musical brother Jason from the TV series.

The marquee outside the Legendary Loews Jersey Theatre in Jersey City, NJ

This once-in-a-lifetime event was amazing. I still feel giddy and exhausted from the week's events that lead up to the special event on Friday Dec. 2nd. Seeing this TV movie on the big screen was thrilling and emotional. When I was growing up, The Homecoming (1971) and The House Without A Christmas Tree (1972) were the two Christmas TV movies we most looked forward to watching. It really feels exciting to know that so many others still love and appreciate this movie as much as I do.

Stick around for Part 2--for more highlights from The Waltons cast reunion event.

**Special thanks to John J. Buxbaum who took many of the photos from the event. Obviously, I couldn't take photos during the event that I participated in. See more of his photos HERE.

Square Records Book Signing

2011-12-11T17:44:00.000-05:00

At Square Records on Saturday, Dec. 10th, 4-6pm

Thanks to everyone who came out to my book signing event yesterday, hosted by Square Records in Highland Square, Akron Ohio.

Bellows are Joseph and Kendra Minadeo

With trippy mood music and stunning visuals by Bellows, I was excited to greet friends and answer questions about Christmas on TV. Everyone asked about my recent adventures with the cast from the TV series The Waltons (last week I was the moderator for the panel discussion of the cast reunion of The Waltons in Jersey City, NJ).

still from the video installation, courtesy of Bellows' Kendra Minadeo

Several others wanted to talk to me about my appearances on TV: throughout the month of December I can be seen in The Real Story of Christmas now airing on The History Channel and 25 Most Hilarious Holiday TV Moments now airing on TV Guide Network. If you follow me on Twitter (@TistheSeasonTV) or follow the facebook page Tis the Season TV, you will receive daily updates of the most interesting Christmas TV listings--including those programs mentioned above.

Roza, me and Ryan at Square Records

It's still not too late to get one of my books. You can always purchase them at Amazon.com or through the publisher 1701Press.com. If you buy them through this blog (which is the same as buying them through the publisher) you can usually get them faster--just sayin'. Both Tis the Season TV (2010) and The Christmas TV Companion (2009) are in stock. Also, if you buy them through the publisher/blog, you can ask to receive an author signed copy!

I'm showing Mary my photos from the Waltons cast reunion event

Thanks again to Square Records, Bellows and eveyone who came out. What are you reading this Christmas?

Audiobook Giveaway: Sheila Roberts' The Nine Lives of Christmas

2011-12-06T11:22:00.000-05:00

six CD audiobook

The publisher for best-selling author Sheila Roberts has given me a free copy of the audiobook for Roberts' new book The Nine Lives of Christmas to give away to one of my readers. You may remember I gave away a signed hardbound copy of her book just a few weeks ago. Click here to see my review of the book. Now I have a brand new, factory sealed 6 CD audiobook of The Nine Lives of Christmas to give away. This would make a wonderful gift for the cat lover on your Christmas list!

Lifetime original movie in 2010

Of course, Sheila Roberts is also the author of the book On Strike for Christmas which was adapted for a 2010 made-for-TV Christmas movie on the Lifetime Network starring Daphne Zuniga and David Sutcliffe. Click her to see that movie review again. I really enjoyed that TV movie--thought it was one of the best new Christmas TV movies of last year and so I was eager to check out Roberts' latest book. Will Nine Lives be turned into a Christmas TV movie as well? We'll see...

How you can win this audiobook:
1) Are you on Twitter? FOLLOW me: @TistheSeasonTV
2) RETWEET my post on Twitter about this giveaway.

Contest open to North American residents only, please. The giveaway ends at NOON (ET) on Thursday Dec. 8th, 2011. I'll pick the winner by using randomnumber.org from the eligible entries. I'll tweet the winner on Thursday then you need to message me your mailing address and I'll drop it in the mail. Good Luck!

Jersey Girl at Christmas

2011-11-30T13:36:00.000-05:00

The marquee at the Legendary Loews Theatre in Jersey City, NJ across the river from NYC

Just to catch you up: I’m currently in New Jersey working towards Friday’s big event: The 40th anniversary screening of the Christmas TV movie The Homecoming and the cast reunion of the TV series The Waltons. I’m the red carpet host and the reunion cast’s panel discussion moderator. This once-in-a-lifetime event takes place on Friday, December 2, 2011. For more details: http://WaltonsHomecoming40th.com. Have you seen the TV commercials for the event airing on GMC (Gospel Music Channel)?

production staff, event organizers and myself with Huddleston

Last Monday, I met up with actor David Huddleston and asked him a few questions about his role as Sheriff Ep Bridges in the TV movie The Homecoming. Huddleston also appeared in The Waltons first season episode “The Literary Man” in which he plays the character A.J. Covington--a writer that passes through Walton’s Mountain offering John-Boy life lessons about how to become a writer.

Huddleston and Wilson

Huddleston also spoke to me about his role as Santa in the 1985 theatrical release Santa Claus: The Movie and his cult status portraying Jeffrey Lebowski in the Coen Brothers’ classic film The Big Lebowski. David is a generous and very humorous man. I told him I was nervous speaking with him and he immediately put me at ease. I look forward to seeing him again on Friday at the film screening and cast reunion. Click here to re-visit my previous blog post about 1985’s Santa Claus: The Movie.

Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center

Tonight I’m going into The City to join the crowds at Rockefeller Center to watch the tree lighting ceremony. Will you be watching it on TV? NBC is hosting their annual live TV special, Christmas At Rockefeller Center, airing at 8pm (ET). Musical guests include Justin Bieber, Tony Bennett, Michael Buble, Cee Lo Green, Faith Hill, Carole King, Katharine McPhee, Javier Colon and The Radio City Rockettes. I know, right?

Click here for the link to NBC’s website about the TV special.

Manhattan is preparing for record-breaking crowds this evening because President Obama and the First Lady, his wife Michelle, are in town as well as Justin Bieber’s public appearance. I’m excited to be a part of the Christmas chaos.

Today my recent radio interview with TV Confidential can be heard on the internet. The interview is archived at http://TVConfidential.net Check it out!

But my week here in New Jersey didn’t start off with such promise. I flew into Newark airport very early Monday morning after having been up all night in order to catch my red-eye flight. Before noon, I had locked myself out of my friend’s home where I had planned to stay! I was without: any ID, my wallet, money, credit cards and my cell phone. I was panicking. I was unable to contact my friend and become reunited with my stuff for almost 24 hours--leaving me at the mercy of strangers for food, water and shelter--after having not slept the night before! My problem solving skills were seriously compromised due to my lack of sleep. I had appointments to keep and work commitments yet I was without any means to buy anything or call anyone! I was also horribly embarrassed that I had made such a numb-skull mistake.

But I’m in a hotel now--where I can’t possibly get into that kind of trouble again and laughing about my misadventure. I still can’t believe I made such a simple mistake that left me devastated for a whole day. Luckily, there were very decent people that helped me when I needed it and what could have been even worse turned out fine in the end. I’m eternally grateful to them. I’m looking forward to Friday’s big event.

1970's The Out of Towners

Have you ever been out of town and found yourself in trouble? Have you ever seen the 1970 Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis movie The Out of Towners? At least I didn't chip a tooth or lose my shoes.

The Waltons: The Children's Carol (1977)

2011-11-29T18:10:00.004-05:00

The Waltons cast reunion coming up on Friday December 2, 2011 will include fourteen actors from The TV series The Waltons and the TV movie The Homecoming. For more details: http://WaltonsHomecoming40th.com.

Waltons fans most often refer to 1977's "The Children's Carol" as their favorite Christmas episode of the series. Since the original broadcast, the two-hour story is often split into two parts to air in syndication.

The war in Europe has affected everyone, dampening Christmas spirits. The Walton family takes into their home two young English children, a brother and a sister named Tess and Pip, who are war refugees from the bombings in London. They have been severely traumatized by their ordeals and need the love and safety of Waltons’ Mountain.

Tess and Pip, English children orphaned by the blitz

Verdie has been selling cakes to raise money for Christmas toys for charity but is attacked and robbed of her funds. In the true spirit of Christmas, Ben sacrifices the money he’s saved for himself to give to Verdie.

Ben helps Verdie find her stolen purse

Mary Ellen takes an apartment just outside the military base to be nearer to her husband Curt. But she finds she needs to be emotionally closer to her husband despite her physical proximity.

Curt and Mary Ellen

Olivia is moved by the trauma of the war and the psychological damage to Tess and Pip. She begins to question her faith during this time of tremendous global conflict.

Olivia questions her faith in this time of trouble

Fearing an uncertain future, Tess and Pip stow away on a truck to find themselves even more frightened at the air corps base on the runway with a plane rushing towards them! Putting his own life in jeopardy, John attempts to rescue the children from harm.

John grabs the children just in time!

Jason sets aside his music writing while he questions himself about his ability to be a soldier. After words of advice from his father, Jason writes his own Christmas song “The Children’s Carol” on the piano that the family sings together on Christmas.

Jason composes "The Children's Carol"

Christmas spirits are made bright when snow finally arrives in time for Christmas on Walton's Mountain.

Elizabeth's wish for snow comes true

But the emotional highpoint of the story occurs when Jim Bob’s English friend that he communicates with over a short wave radio finds Tess and Pip's mother alive--a Christmas miracle restoring hope to everyone on Walton’s Mountain.

Tess and Pip on the short wave radio to London

The song ‘The Children’s Carol” was co-written by John McGreevey and Alexander Courage, the show’s writer and the series’ music director.

The young boy Pip is played by actor Jeff Cotler, the real-life brother of Kami Cotler who plays Elizabeth.

Is this your personal favorite Christmas episode of The Waltons? Do you currently watch The Waltons on the Hallmark Channel? GMC? or the Inspiration Network?

The Waltons: The Best Christmas (1976)

2011-11-27T18:27:00.000-05:00

The TV movie The Homecoming was re-broadcast for several years after its debut in 1971. The first Christmas episode of the TV series The Waltons arrived in its fifth season and was entitled "The Best Christmas."

Harley, John-Boy and Curt attempt a difficult rescue when Miss Fanny's car slides off the road and into the frozen pond.

As the kids grow and begin to lead their separate lives, Mama worries that this may be the last Christmas with everyone together. The family agrees to come together and make this holiday the best Christmas for Mama’s sake. But when a severe snow and ice storm freezes the roads on Christmas Eve, not only is the house without power but the family is stranded at different locations all over the mountain, unable to communicate their whereabouts.

Jason (Jon Walmsley) in the church examining the damage of the downed tree.

John and Jason are helping to remove a fallen tree and repair the church’s roof so there can be morning services, while Harley, John-Boy, Curt and Mary Ellen are helping to rescue Miss Fanny and young Jo Ellen whose car went off the road and into the frozen pond.

With all the rooms sold out on Christmas Eve, Grandma and Grandpa Walton are forced to sleep in the hotel lobby

Grandma and Grandpa Walton are stranded in Charlottesville because of the weather and icy roads while Ben is isolated at Yancy’s cabin. The Waltons may have spent Christmas apart, but they were all in each others’ thoughts.

At long last, the family together on Christmas day. Left: Ben (Eric Scott), Curt (Tom Bower), John-Boy (Richard Thomas), Mary Ellen (Judy Norton), and Grandpa Walton (Will Geer).

This episode includes the tender moment with the family together singing “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day."

Singing a Christmas carol together. Left: Elizabeth (Kami Cotler), Olivia (Michael Learned), John (Ralph Waite), and Grandma Walton (Ellen Corby).

It seems everything that could go wrong with the family's plans has gone wrong--a popular theme in Christmas stories. But this classic Christmas episode is one that stands out from the rest and remains a favorite among the series' fans.

Yancy Tucker (Robert Donner)

Another reason this episode stands out is because it includes many of the Waltons series favorite regular cast of characters including Yancy Tucker (Robert Donner), Harley Foster (Hal Williams), Verdie Foster (Lynn Hamilton), Maude Gormley (Merie Earle), the local telephone switchboard operator Miss Fanny Tatum (Sheila Allen), and the Reverend Fordwick (John Ritter).

Reverend Fordwick (John Ritter)

At the Waltons reunion on Friday, Dec. 2nd, actors Hal Williams and Lynn Hamilton will be joining the others to discuss their experiences with the much beloved Waltons TV series. I can hardly wait.

Left: Harley Foster (Hal Williams) with John-Boy in the episode "The Best Christmas."

Verdie Foster (Lynn Hamilton) in this treasured 1976 Christmas episode

Black Friday Book Bonanza Giveaway

2011-11-25T00:01:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Christmas TV History blog. I'm the author of two books about Christmas television entertainments:

Tis the Season TV: The Encyclopedia of Christmas-themed Episodes, Specials and TV Movies (2010)

and The Christmas TV Companion: A Guide to Cult Classics, Strange Specials and Outrageous Oddities (2009).

In anticipation of Christmas, I'm giving away a hardbound copy of the book Jimmy Stewart and His Poems, published in 1989.

Yes, that's right--a book of poetry written by Jimmy Stewart, the film star of the classic Christmas film It's A Wonderful Life.

To qualify for the book giveaway:

--follow this blog through Google Friend Connect (along the right hand side of the blog)

--and comment below: tell me your favorite Christmas movie

This giveaway for North American residents only. This runs from Friday Nov. 25-Sunday Nov. 27. On Nov. 28th, I'll use random.org to generate a number from the total number of qualifying comments below to select a winner. Make sure your Google Friend Connect identity includes an email address--or leave an email address with your comment below. Good luck!

To discover new blogs and to enter other giveaways in the Black Friday Giveaway, follow the links below in this blog hop. Thanks again to Heather from Book Savvy Babe, Jenn from The Bawdy Book Blog, and Lisa from Alive on the Shelves for hosting this giveaway :)

1.	Book Savvy Babe	38.	Pages of Gold
2.	Lisa @ Alive on the Shelves	39.	Seduced By The Book
3.	K.C. Neal	40.	Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf
4.	Laurie Here Reading and Writing Reviews	41.	Loretta @ Between The Pages
5.	LovelyLit	42.	DARK HAVEN BOOK REVIEWS
6.	Silver Thistle's Bookshelf	43.	TinaBuriedUnderBooks
7.	Lisa Beth Darling	44.	Gabrielle Bisset
8.	Mary @Sweeping Me	45.	Natasha Blackthorne
9.	Rage, Sex and Teddy Bears	46.	Heather @ BookStacksOnDeck
10.	Live To Read ~Krystal	47.	Kiki Howell @ Authors By Authors
11.	Queentutt's World of Escapism	48.	Big Books Tiny Voices
12.	My Opinion Might Not Be Yours	49.	Teri @Dreaming Dreams
13.	The Bawdy Book Blog	50.	Michelle Madow: Author of Remembrance
14.	Reading Angel	51.	Jenny Q @ Let Them Read Books
15.	The Book Nympho	52.	Scrawled in Blue
16.	Grace	53.	Reena Jacobs
17.	Charla	54.	Candace's Book Blog
18.	Waiting on Sunday to Drown	55.	Tarah Scottt
19.	Inspiring Pretty	56.	T. C. Archer
20.	Helen Smith	57.	Christmas TV History
21.	Evie the Book Fiend	58.	Jen Ryland/YA Romantics
22.	I Am A Reader, Not A Writer	59.	Red Hot Books
23.	Lindsey @ BBS	60.	Annie Walls
24.	Pandora Poikilos	61.	Felicity Heaton
25.	Paranormal Wastelands	62.	A Writer's World
26.	Seeing Night Reviews	63.	Read for your future!
27.	Reading A Lil Bit Of Everythin	64.	My Bookish Ways
28.	I Smell Sheep	65.	Close Encounters
29.	Five Alarm Book Reviews	66.	Everyday Is An Adventure
30.	Romance, Rumours & Rogues	67.	Lucy Felthouse
31.	Laurielu	68.	Bonnie @ A Backwards Story
32.	MommyWantsToRead	69.	The Christmas Origami Kit USA
33.	The Virtual Book Case	70.	Crystal @ My Reading Room
34.	Got Fiction?	71.	Seduced By A Book (US)
35.	Beck Valley Books	72.	Paranormal Romance Fanatic
36.	Book of Secrets	73.	LIFE IS . . . FICTION (US)
37.	Other Worlds & Realities	74.	The Book Fiend

Santa Claus: The Movie (1985)

2011-11-23T16:23:00.000-05:00

Huddleston as Sheriff Bridges looking for the the Robin Hood Bandit in the 1971 TV movie The Homecoming.

One of the exciting guests to attend next week's reunion is actor David Huddleston who played Sheriff Ep Bridges in The Homecoming.

Huddleston as A.J. Covington, a writer seeking life experiences as inspiration for a novel

Huddleston also appeared on The Waltons in the first season episode "The Literary Man" as the writer A.J. Covington. He will be a wonderful addition to the reunion guests.

But Christmas movie fans may also recognize Huddleston from another role--as Santa himself in the 1985 theatrical release Santa Claus: The Movie, directed by Jeannot Szwarc. This children's movie begins with the ancient story of how a local toymaker becomes the mythological, magical Santa Claus. The second half of the movie reveals a storyline about an ambitious elf named Patch, who modernizes toy manufacturing with a magical machine that reduces elf labor. A set back causes him to leave the North Pole and journey to New York City to start again in a new place. There, he’s exploited by an unscrupulous toy manufacturer named BZ, who wants to create profits for himself by replacing Santa’s freely given toys with purchasable ones from his factories. An orphan boy named Joe helps Santa become aware of poor Patch’s situation and BZ's commercialization of Christmas.

left: Anya Claus (or Mrs. Claus) played by Judy Cornwell with Huddleston (right) as Santa Claus.

Though the film may move a bit slow for adult viewers, there is still much to be appreciated here. The cast is chock full of recognizable actors: of course, Huddleston makes a wonderful Santa Claus, and actress Judy Cornwell appears as his wife, Anya Claus. Cornwell played Daisy on the British TV series Keeping Up Appearances, a staple britcom on most PBS stations. She also appeared in the horror/thriller Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? The elf Patch is played by Dudley Moore and the over-the-top, greedy businessman BZ is played by John Lithgow. In much smaller roles, you may recognize Burgess Meredith as the powerful, ancient elf and Christopher Ryan--Eddy's ex-husband Marshall on the TV series Absolutely Fabulous--also plays an elf. The animatronic reindeer used in the filming of the movie are also something to see.

David Huddleston more recently appeared in the 2009 Christmas special of the outrageous comedy series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia as Frank's former business partner Eugene Hamilton (think Jacob Marley). If you still aren't convinced of Huddleston's awesomeness, then just remember:

Huddleston also played Jeffrey Lebowski in the 1998 cult movie classic The Big Lebowski directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Don't forget: I included a Christmas-themed Make Your Own Marathon for The Big Lebowski in my book The Christmas TV Companion. I'm really looking forward to next week's Waltons reunion--will you be joining us?

A Christmas Without Snow (1980)

2011-11-21T18:44:00.000-05:00

From the first season's opening credits on The Waltons

Among all the guests, actress Michael Learned will be there. She played the role of the strong and loving mother, Olivia Walton, in the TV series.

Among many roles on stage and screen, Michael Learned appeared in the 1980 TV movie A Christmas Without Snow, directed by John Korty.

In this TV movie, a recently divorced woman from the Midwest (played by Learned) moves to San Francisco in order to start a new life. While looking for stable employment, Zoe Jensen joins the local church choir and is inspired to become a part of the upcoming Christmas program. The members of the choir quickly become her new friends. Many of them face unexpected struggles in the months leading up to the holiday performance including the death of a woman’s husband after a long illness, the vandalism of the church’s pipe organ and the choir master suffers a minor stroke the week before Christmas. Can the choir come together to perform the challenging Handel’s Messiah after so much drama in their lives?

church choir rehearsals in 1980's A Christmas Without Snow

Though the movie doesn't have action-filled sequences or any need for a laugh-track, the strength of this story is its sensitivity and subtlety of emotion. This is a small story, like TV movies used to tell well--a story that attempts more complex emotions for adults and gentle inspiring moments that one appreciates when one is older, such as the satisfaction in helping others carry their heavy burdens, the feeling of being needed and the sense of accomplishment at a challenging job done well. Since this movie is ultimately about a church choir, there is a fair amount of music heard during choir rehearsals--an enjoyable treat for viewers who treasure music at Christmas time.

actor John Houseman as the demanding choir director

The cast includes: Michael Learned as Zoe Jensen; John Houseman as the choir director Ephraim Adams; James Cromwell as the Reverend Lohman; Valerie Curtin as Muriel; Ramon Bieri as Henry; and Beah Richards as Mrs. Curtis.

James Cromwell as the church's minister

If you'd like to watch this Christmas TV movie, it is fairly easy to find on discount Christmas DVD box sets. It is also available for viewing at Internet Archive and Youtube. (I'm sorry I couldn't embed it).

How many readers have already seen this TV movie? Did you enjoy it?

The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971)

2011-11-19T11:21:00.002-05:00

It's the 40th anniversary of The Homecoming, the successful pilot TV movie that led to the long-running TV series, the endearing family drama-- The Waltons. Who could forget the Walton childen: John-Boy (Richard Thomas), Mary Ellen (Judy Norton), Jason (John Walmsley), Ben (Eric Scott), Erin (Mary McDonough), Jim Bob (David Harper) and Elizabeth (Kami Cotler)? Though many of the adult roles would eventually be recast for the TV series, in The Homecoming the character of the father John Walton is played by Andrew Duggan, Grandpa is played Edgar Bergen, and the mother Olivia is played by Patricia Neal. Ellen Corby plays Grandma in both the pilot movie and the TV series.

Those gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia surrounding Walton's Mountain

The story takes place at Christmas 1933 during the Depression, and father, John Walton, has traveled over fifty miles away to find work. The family is eagerly awaiting his return home on Christmas Eve as they prepare for the holiday. When their father hasn't come home by evening time, the children are sent to bed and the eldest, 15 year-old John-Boy is sent to go look for him. Olivia worries that a bus accident she heard about on the radio may have slowed John’s journey--or worse he may have been a passenger.

John-Boy and Hawthorne (Cleavon Little) stop by the Baldwin Sisters' home on Christmas Eve

John-Boy searches across Walton’s Mountain on Christmas Eve stopping to see a church’s Nativity play, borrowing a car at Ike Godsey’s store, dropping by the Baldwin Sisters’ home asking for gasoline--and even driving a horse-drawn sleigh looking for his father who may be hitchhiking on the side of the road.

Mama tells Mary Ellen that she likes her bird's nest Christmas tree decoration

**What is your favorite moment in this heartwarming movie?**

In the barn, Mary Ellen explains the legend about how animals talk at midnight on Christmas Eve

One precious storyline is the children’s desire to find out for themselves if the animals in the barn will actually talk at midnight as rumors claim.

The condescending missionary gives Elizabeth a Christmas present...

...a doll no one wants

Another touching moment is the scene where young Elizabeth acquires the baby doll from the missionary distributing broken toys to the poor mountain children. The little girl learns a tough lesson about charity that night.

Who did you see on the roof, Daddy?

Daddy explains how he wrassled the stranger he found carrying the bag

And, another high point is the final scene where John finally arrives home and shares his wild story about the stranger he encountered on the roof of their home as his explanation for carrying a bag of Christmas gifts into the house for each of his children.

John-Boy receives writing tablets for Christmas...where are my kleenex?

Much of the best of the TV series is already present in this TV movie: the poignant narration by Earl Hamner, the creator of the TV series, giving meaning and perspective on the Waltons family experiences. And, the familiar closing scene of the exterior of the Waltons' home as the bedroom lights are being turned out and the family members say good night to each other.

In honor of the 40th anniversary of this movie, an event has been created in Jersey City, NJ on Friday Dec. 2, 2011. In the legendary Loews Theatre, they will be screening The Homecoming to be followed by a cast reunion of the movie along with several cast members of The Waltons. There will be a panel dicussion with the cast members as well as a question and answer segment with the public. For more details: http://waltonshomecoming40th.com. Of course, I wouldn't miss this once-in-a-lifetime event--I'll be there as the moderator for the panel discussion and Q&A.

If you can't make the New Jersey event, you can still enjoy watching The Homecoming with your family as it is available on for viewing DVD. The TV series The Waltons is currently airing on the Hallmark Channel, GMC (Gospel Music Channel) and the Inspiration Network.

The Homecoming ends just like many episodes of the series: "Goodnight John-Boy...Goodnight Elizabeth....Goodnight Mama..."

Gratitude Giveaways Nov. 17th-27th

2011-11-17T00:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Christmas TV History blog. I'm the author of two books about Christmas television entertainments:

Tis the Season TV: The Encyclopedia of Christmas-themed Episodes, Specials and TV Movies (2010)

and The Christmas TV Companion: A Guide to Cult Classics, Strange Specials and Outrageous Oddities (2009).

In gratitude to the readers of my blog, I'm giving away a signed, hardbound copy of the new book The Nine Lives of Christmas by Sheila Roberts.

Click HERE to see my review of the book.

Click HERE to see my post about a previous Sheila Roberts book that was adapted for the Christmas TV movie On Strike for Christmas.

To qualify for the book giveaway:

--follow this blog through Google Friend Connect (along the right hand side of the blog)

--and comment below: tell me your favorite animated Christmas TV special

This giveaway for North American residents only. On Nov. 28th, I'll use random.org to generate a number from the total number of qualifying comments below to select a winner. Make sure your Google Friend Connect identity includes an email address--or leave an email address with your comment below. Good luck!

To discover new blogs and to enter other giveaways in the Gratitude Giveaway, follow the links below in this HUGE blog hop. (This blog is #252 of 318 participating blogs--whew! that's a lot of free stuff!)

Thanks to I Am A Reader, Not A Writer for hosting this giveaway :)

The Nine Lives of Christmas by Sheila Roberts

2011-11-16T22:27:00.000-05:00

I recently received a review copy of best-selling author Sheila Roberts' new book The Nine Lives of Christmas just released in late October. I'm excited to review the book because Roberts' previous work On Strike for Christmas was adapted for the TV movie of the same title which first aired on the Lifetime Movie Network in 2010. It will air several times this year as well, starting Monday, Nov. 28th at 8pm (ET) on Lifetime. Click here to see my post about On Strike for Christmas.

Sheila Roberts' new book The Nine Lives of Christmas is a feel-good romance story taking place at Christmas time. After Zachary takes in a stray cat, he casually meets Merilee, a cat lover and former veterinary student who helps him with his needs as a new cat owner. Though Zach is a strong and confident firefighter, his heart is not open to a loving commitment. But miracles can happen, whether we anticipate them or not, at Christmas time.

The fun here is that the story is told through three distinct voices: the male hero, Zach; Merilee who lacks confidence; and, a ginger tabby cat named Ambrose. The cat Ambrose is on his ninth and final life, and recognizes several of the people he meets from his earlier lives. Not only is it enjoyable to read about the outsider's view of this potential romance between the male and female characters--from the point of view of a cat--but Ambrose's role in their coming together draws from what seems like Fate, making the story feel even more romantic.

I enjoyed this romance and I can see that it has potential to be a wonderful TV movie if it is ever optioned as such. In the last few years, dogs have been a very common and popular element in Christmas TV movies, for example: The 12 Dogs of Christmas, A Dog Named Christmas, Santa Buddies, The Search for Santa Paws, A Golden Christmas, The Dog Who Saved Christmas, the sequel The Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation and more. I'm willing to bet cat lovers would love to see their favorite pets depicted in a Christmas TV movie as well. Until then, The Nine Lives of Christmas is a heart-warming read that will charm cat-lovers and romantics this Yuletide.

Below is an audio clip from the audiobook of The Nine Lives of Christmas, courtesy of the publisher.

Best of all: I have a signed, hardbound copy of the new book The Nine Lives of Christmas by Sheila Roberts that I'll be giving away in the Gratitude Giveaway starting Nov. 17th. Good Luck!

On Strike for Christmas

2011-11-14T19:02:00.000-05:00

I recently received a review copy of best-selling author Sheila Roberts' new book The Nine Lives of Christmas just released in late October. I'm excited to read it because Roberts' previous work On Strike for Christmas was adapted for the TV movie of the same title which aired on the Lifetime Movie Network in 2010.

The TV movie On Strike for Christmas includes a familiar cast with loads of TV credits. It stars Daphne Zuniga (Melrose Place) as Joy, David Sutcliffe (Gilmore Girls) as her husband Stephen, Julia Duffy (Newhart and Designing Women) as Grandma Erna, Victor Zinck Jr. as the son, Jeremy, and Evan Williams (Degrassi and the Christmas TV movie The National Tree) as the son, Mark.

l to r: Sutcliffe, Williams, Zuniga and Zinck.

In the days before Christmas, mother Joy Robertson is frustrated and overwhelmed with the amount of work needed to prepare for the family Christmas celebration. She isn’t receiving any help from her husband, Stephen, and teenage sons Mark and Jeremy. Yet the men expect her to bake cookies, decorate the house, trim the tree, and organize two holiday parties on their behalf. Inspired by picketers she sees outside of a local market, Joy decides to go on strike until her demands are met. Her strike gathers attention from other over-burdened wives and mothers and Joy’s story ends up on the front page of the local newspaper. Now publicly embarrassed, Stephen and his two sons begin to take Joy’s strike more seriously as they take up the effort to organize the Christmas dinner, buy gifts and decorate the house and tree. Along the way, Joy learns a lesson about what a perfect Christmas really means. She also has to embrace the fact that when she asks her husband and sons to share in preparations for their holiday, they may not do it the same way she expects them to.

On Christmas Eve, Joy is finally willing to settle the strike when chaos fills her house: Stephen’s holiday party for his co-workers is being hosted in the home at the same time Mark and Jeremy’s holiday party for their friends! Adding to the mayhem, television news reporters are on the front lawn asking Joy to comment on the success of her strike and escalating the divisions in the community between women and their families.

Joy finds support and encouragement from her friends in her knitting group

This TV movie has the potential to be a holiday favorite for female viewers for years to come. It doesn’t just provide two hours of escapist fun but acknowledges a common problem many viewers experience each Christmas. Fortunately, this movie offers the right solution: wives and mothers need to be appreciated more for the long hours and hard work they give to creating the Christmas traditions for their families each year. At the same time, we all need to recognize that the perfect Christmas is never about the trappings but about bringing families closer and spending time together.

Check out the official site for the movie On Strike for Christmas.

Something else I liked about the movie was that it reminded me of a favorite Afterschool Special I'd seen before: Mom's On Strike from 1984, starring Mary Kay Place. Apparently a similar concept inspired a 2002 TV movie starring Faith Ford. Though On Strike for Christmas is an original story, it draws upon the spirit of personal conflicts becoming public discussions and an openness to ask for change in one's life. The story in On Strike for Christmas also reminds me of the Christmas TV movie Holiday in Handcuffs about a woman who emotionally and mentally breaks under the weight of feeling like she must construct the perfect Christmas with her family. The 2007 comedy movie Holiday in Handcuffs starring Melissa Joan Hart and 2010's On Strike for Christmas remind us that the quest for perfection at Christmas is missing the spirit of the holiday season.

Next: I'll review author Sheila Roberts' latest book The Nine Lives of Christmas. Will it become a Christmas TV movie as well?

A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas by Bob Ignizio

2011-11-06T12:27:00.000-05:00

The editor of Cleveland Movie Blog, Bob Ignizio, is a good friend to this blog. He not only comments frequently but guest blogged during our Christmas in July celebration about the Christmas scene in the 1997 movie Boogie Nights. Click here to see that again. He and I were invited to participate in a panel discussion of blogging and podcasting at the Akron Film + Pixel Festival this past October. On Friday, he wrote a review of the new Christmas movie released into theaters, A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas. Bob was gracious to share it with us today. Thanks Bob! Please feel free to check out Cleveland Movie Blog for the latest movie reviews of independent films and popular movie reviews each week.

Review by Bob Ignizio

A VERY HAROLD AND KUMAR 3D CHRISTMAS is the third film to star John Cho and Kal Penn as the titular comedic stoner duo. Series creators/writers Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossburg are back again as well, and while they aren't quite scraping the bowl for resin just yet, they're definitely getting near the bottom of the bag. Which is not to say their product won't get the job done if you're a fan; the guys deliver a fair number of laughs here, even a few big ones, but nowhere near as many or as big as in the first two movies. If you haven't thought much of the series prior to this, or you have a general aversion to movies in which most of the humor derives from the characters consuming copious amounts of narcotics (including in this case a toddler), this won't be much of a holiday treat.

Harold and Kumar, once the best of friends, haven't seen each other in years. Harold is now a successful businessman married to Maria (Paula Garcés), but he still hasn't won over his wife's father Mr. Perez (Danny Trejo). Kumar, on the other hand, failed a drug test at work and is still living the life of an aimless stoner, which is beginning to look kind of sad. Of course the movie contrives a reason for the two to get back together (a package for Harold shows up at Kumar's apartment) and a quest for them to go on (they need to get just the right Christmas tree to impress Mr. Perez). And at some point Neil Patrick Harris is going to show up to play himself as a womanizing scumbag (who poses as gay as a way to pick up girls) whose drug habits make Harold and Kumar look like teetotalers.

As the title implies, A VERY HAROLD AND KUMAR 3D CHRISTMAS is indeed in 3D, and it actually makes good use of the process. Director Todd Strauss-Schulson isn't ashamed to use 3D as the gimmick it is, and he executes some effective gags with the technique. Not sure if those scenes will play as well when seen flat, so this is a rare case where I'm recommending you fork over the extra couple of bucks for the glasses if you're going to see the movie.

I don't really know if most fans of this series care or not, but the first two films had more heart and even a little more substance to them than this one. There's some attempt to deal with the notion that maybe Kumar could be a little more mature and responsible, and maybe Harold needs to grow a pair, but basically the movie is about drug jokes, dick jokes, ethnic jokes and religious jokes, all with an irreverent (but not mean) sensibility. And really, does a movie like this need to be anything more than that? I mean sure, it can, but no, it doesn't need to be. It's not as if all the Cheech and Chong or Abbot and Costello or even The Marx Brothers movies were 4-star comedy classics, but plenty of people still get a kick out of watching even the lesser film in their respective oeuvres. And I imagine plenty of people will get a kick out of watching Harold and Kumar have a green Christmas, even if it isn't quite as much fun as watching them look for a Whitecastle. 2 1/2 out of 4 stars.

Snowglobe (2007)

2011-11-04T19:55:00.001-04:00

The ABC Family channel's 25 Days of Christmas schedule has recently been posted--have you downloaded your copy yet? Did you ever watch the 2007 TV movie Snowglobe?

starring Christina Milian

The movie Snowglobe is a fantasy story about a girl named Angela who is tired of her annoying family and their seemingly strange ethnic Christmas traditions. Angela dreams of celebrating what she considers a "perfect" Christmas. When she receives a snowglobe in the mail depicting an ideal Christmas village, Angela begins to withdraw into the fantasy within the snowglobe. She spends more and more time away from her family, friends and her work in Brooklyn to be with the ideal, ever-happy people in the village of the snowglobe. But when she doesn’t return to the magic of the snowglobe as promised, her boyfriend Douglas from the village finds himself able to enter her world in Brooklyn! Trying to get Douglas back home inside the snowglobe, Angela becomes trapped in the village and realizes the perfect, ideal life there isn’t as happy as she dreamed it would be.

The cast includes: Lorraine Bracco as Rose; Christina Milian as Angela; Matt Keeslar as Douglas; and, Ron Canada as Antonio.

Do you remember seeing this? Don't fret--I'm pretty sure ABC Family channel will air it this December. Though it's not currently listed on the highlights schedule of the 25 Days of Christmas, I'm hoping it re-airs on the marathon on Saturday, Dec.10th. We'll have to wait until it's closer to that date to know for sure. But I have my fingers crossed. Have the new 25 Days of Christmas schedule yet? What are you waiting for?

The Waltons Reunion: Coming Soon!

2011-11-02T15:12:00.002-04:00

The Waltons reunion is just one month away! In case you haven't heard yet: this year is the 40th anniversary of the Christmas TV movie The Homecoming, based on the story written by Earl Hamner Jr. In 1971, The Homecoming was such a success and earned such high ratings that it lead to the creation of the TV series The Waltons. The long-running TV series about the Depression-era Walton family living in the mountains of Virginia changed not only TV history but the lives of it's viewers. I'm very proud to include myself as one such viewer.

What is exciting is that Friday Dec. 2, 2011 there is going to be showing of the movie The Homecoming in Jersey City, NJ at the legendary Lowes Theatre. Tickets are $20 each. As if that's not special enough, there is a Waltons/Homecoming cast reunion with a Q&A panel discussion after the film.

The cast reunion includes:
~~Richard Thomas
~~Michael Learned
~~Judy Norton
~~Mary McDonough
~~David Harper
~~John Walmsley
~~Kami Cotler
~~Eric Scott
~~David Huddleston
~~Leslie Winston
~~Lynn Hamilton
~~Hal Williams
****just added: Radames Pera

This is a once-in-a-lifetime special Christmas event. I'll be there, as well, as the moderator of the Q&A panel discussion after the film. There's no way I would want to miss this opportunity!

Tickets are on sale now. I'll see you there! www.WaltonsHomecoming40th.com

Please feel free to share this post and the links with anyone you know who would appreciate this special event!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T13:53:00.000-04:00

My pumpkin this year (2011)

Happy Halloween everyone! Don't eat too much candy corn :) Please indulge me while I remind you of the posts this past month in which I wrote about spooky and creepy entertainments with a Christmas cross-over. Click the link to return to those posts if you missed any of them.

Gumby's Santa Witch

The 1972 British movie Tales from the Crypt

The 2010 Hallmark Channel movie The Good Witch's Gift

The movie musical Scrooge with Albert Finney

TV Movie Munsters' Scary Little Christmas

photos of pumpkins

2010 episode of R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour

photos of costumes

horror movie Black Christmas and the recent remake

instances of The Boogeyman in Christmas entertainments

1971 horror/thriller movie Who Slew Auntie Roo?

The Grinch's Halloween TV special

horror/dark comedy, British TV Christmas special from The League of Gentlemen

Leach/Rankin's animated Halloween TV special Witch's Night Out

What a fun month of October and Halloween it has been! My two favorite posts were 1) "Scrooge in Hell" about the 1970 musical Scrooge with Albert Finney and 2) the appearances of the Boogeyman in Christmas entertainments. This weekend begins the Christmas programming on television. What are you looking forward to watching in November?

This past weekend was a flurry of Halloween parties--what was your costume this year? I was Loretta Castorini (Cher) from the 1988 movie Moonstruck and my boyfriend was Ronnie Cammereri (Nic Cage). I was shocked to discover just how many people haven't seen that movie! Cultural illiteracy runs amok in America. Oh well. We had fun and it gave me an excuse to drink champagne with sugar cubes all night long. Happy Halloween!

"Snap out of it!"

"I LOST MY HAND!"

Witch's Night Out!

2011-10-31T12:52:00.000-04:00

box of VHS release

Happy Halloween! Do you remember this 1970's animated Halloween TV special?

Witch's Night Out was created by John Leach and Isobel Jean Rankin in 1978 as a follow up to the 1974 Christmas TV special The Gift of Winter. Both holiday specials feature many of the same characters as well as the same imaginative but simple character design and style. Though first made for Canadian TV, both holiday specials were broadcast in the United States.

Watch it here on Veoh. (Sorry, I tried to embed it but it would only copy corrupted).

If you watch just the beginning of this video, you can see how the characters are rendered simply but not without their own original and distinctive style. The backgrounds are amazingly complex and colorful. They look like watercolor paintings. This Halloween special is not to be forgotten. I believe Witch's Night Out has only been released on VHS. But this cult classic is well worth watching.

Witch is voiced by Gilda Radner

The story of Witch's Night Out attempts to explain the true meaning of Halloween and the joy of wearing costumes. Two children, Small and Tender, are disappointed with their Halloween costumes which fail to scare anyone while they trick-or-treat. Witch hears their pleas to become real monsters and she magically turns Small, Tender and the babysitter Bazooey into a werewolf, a ghost and Frankenstein's Monster! Witch escorts the three monsters to the town Halloween party where they frighten away all the party guests. Eventually, the three monsters learn that it's not as much fun as they had thought to be truely scary and to ruin everyone's fun. The fun is having the opportunity once a year to step outside your normal self and dress like someone or something else.

Warning: video footage created by putting camera up to TV screen. argh!

Have you ever seen Leach/Rankin's The Gift of Winter? I wrote about in both my books The Christmas TV Companion and Tis the Season TV. The TV special The Gift of Winter attempts to provide a delightful, imaginative explanation for the origin of snow. I just happen to have a brand new, factory sealed DVD of The Gift of Winter. The first person to comment below and to ask for it can have it. Please, North American residents only.

Merry Halloween! The League of Gentlemen

2011-10-29T17:10:00.000-04:00

The League of Gentlemen TV series (1999-2002)

Do you watch and enjoy British television? I do. There are some British shows that do quite well over here in the States and then...there are some shows that don't seem to quite catch on. The strange and dark comedy series The League of Gentlemen is one of those TV series. But if you watch alot of British comedies, you have a better chance of understanding and enjoying this style of humor. The members of The League of Gentlemen are Steve Pemberton, Reece Shearsmith, Jeremy Dyson and Mark Gatiss. The TV series is a collection of sketches about the bizarre residents of the fictional town of Royston Vasey. Words fail to capture the weirdness of the series except to say that it's definitely not for everyone. However, I actually like The League of Gentlemen and the 2000 Christmas special entitled "Yule Never Leave" makes a great cross-over for Halloween.

This Christmas special brilliantly takes its inspiration from anthology horror films for this most unusual holiday show. (Think 1945's Dead of Night and 1972's Tales From the Crypt movies). These funny men weave three vignettes into one story, as the characters from the small village of Royston Vasey confide in the vicar on Christmas Eve. The first vignette is about a woman seeking revenge against her line-dancing obsessed husband. However, her revenge may cost her more than she intended to pay. The second vignette is a hilariously perverted story with a twist--a German choir director stands accused by the new boy in the group of being a vampire. The third segment concerns itself with a nineteenth-century veterinarian who is cursed by a magical spell to bring harm to the animals he treats. Additionally, the irreverent vulgar vicar herself is visited by a terrifying vision of Santa Claus from her own Christmas past.

Youtube has a few clips from the Christmas special, but the videos disappointingly don't capture the essence of the story. Luckily, Netflix has The League of Gentlemen Christmas special. I feel safe in saying you've probably never seen anything like it. But that's also why I'm a fan.

Stella approaches the mysterious masked committee to ask for revenge on her husband

The choir master Herr Lipp welcomes a new member to his singing group

Spirists fill the air in the 2005 episode "The Unquiet Dead" on Doctor Who

Even if you don't appreciate The League of Gentlemen, you may already be familiar with actor/writer Mark Gatiss' work. He has since become the writer for Sherlock, the hit mystery series from last year (2010) from the BBC--which ran here in the States on PBS. Gatiss has also written for the latest Doctor Who series--including the 2005 episode "The Unquiet Dead" in which the Doctor and his companion Rose arrive in London on Christmas Eve 1869 where they follow a walking corpse from a funeral parlor to a public reading of the book A Christmas Carol by author Charles Dickens. It is a fun Christmas episode if you haven't seen it!

Actor Simon Callow as Charles Dickens in "The Unquiet Dead."

The Real Story Of Halloween

2011-10-26T12:41:00.001-04:00

The holiday special The Real Story of Halloween is airing Thursday, Oct. 27 at 8pm (EST) on the History Channel.

It will repeat on Friday, Oct. 28th at midnight (EST), Sat. Oct. 29 at 8pm (EST), Sun. Oct. 30 at midnight (EST), Monday, Oct. 31st at 11pm (EST) and Tuesday Nov. 1st at 3am (EST).

This documentary program covering the history and traditions of the holiday is made by the same good people, Workaholic Productions, that I worked with last year for the TV special The Real Story of Christmas. Click here to read what I said about that exciting experience.

Last year's announcement of the History Channel program

But this airing of the Halloween special also means that the Christmas special will be re-airing in about a month! I'm looking forward to that--and I hope you are too. For those of you that missed it last year, this December will be another opportunity to catch it. Of course, I'll let you know when it will be airing. And, if you didn't already know: I post daily Christmas TV listings on Twitter (@TistheSeasonTV) and on Facebook, on the page 'Tis the Season TV.' So if you haven't already done it, you can follow those sites and receive updates on Christmas TV broadcasts.

Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas movie schedule

If you're eager to watch those favorite Christmas specials and TV movies, you may already know that on-line schedules are beginning to go up. The Hallmark Channel is beginning to broadcast their TV movies the first weekend after Halloween (starting Nov. 4th) in what they call the Countdown to Christmas. And ABC Family is beginning to release details about the eventual line up for the 25 days of Christmas marathon. (Click here for ABC Family's posting).

It's that exciting time of year when the holiday TV programming is beginning to look alot like Christmas!

Halloween is Grinch Night

2011-10-25T14:20:00.000-04:00

from 1966's How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Dr. Seuss' character, The Grinch, for many TV viewers, is the heart of Christmas. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! was first released as a book in 1957 and the animated TV special debuted in 1966. It is a part of what is considered the golden age of Christmas TV programming. (Rudolph was released in 1964, then A Charlie Brown Christmas in '65 followed by The Grinch in '66).

But how many of us remember the later animated holiday TV special Halloween is Grinch Night from 1977?

This Halloween story also includes the Grinch's best friend, his dog Max. However, Cindy Lou is not at the center of this tale but another Who, a brave and curious little boy named Euchariah. Much like most other holiday TV specials, Halloween is Grinch Night is a musical. This animated story boasts seven original songs.

Euchariah claims he has a slight astigmatism--dig those glasses!

Watching this story reminds me once again how monstrous the Grinch is intended to be. Sometimes I feel the repeated viewings of the Christmas story make the Grinch so familiar that I become dull to the meanness and nastiness of the character. Here, we see the Grinch at Halloween and his frightening, threatening nature is apparent again as the story deals with confronting one's fears.

Is the Grinch scary enough for you?

Fans of the imaginative world created by Dr. Seuss will love the inclusion of several fantastical creatures in this Halloween special--such as the wuzzy woozoo, the growling greegrumps and the hackencracks. Another charming detail in this story is the Euphemism, a funny word substitution to refer to Euchariah's family outhouse.

The producer and director for the original 1966 TV special was Chuck Jones. (Click here to read what I've previously written about Jones and Christmas.) In this 1977 Halloween special, DePatie and Freleng are the executive producers. Of course, DePatie and Freleng are also legends in the world of animation creating The Pink Panther cartoons, several other Dr. Seuss animated projects and The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas among others.

Hans Conried

Character actor Hans Conried provides the voice of the Grinch in Halloween is Grinch Night. Conried's voice was used in many cartoons over the years but he also appeared in bit parts on many of the classic sitcoms of the 1960s including Gilligan's Island, Hogan's Heroes and The Monkees among others. He not only has a familiar sounding voice but a familar looking face.

from the live action movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas from 2000

The character of the Grinch also appears in the 1982 animated TV special The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat. Although, the story is not Christmas related, it has aired on ABC Family Channel in recent years as a part of their 25 days of Christmas marathon programming. And, who could forget the 2000 live action feature length movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas starring Jim Carrey as the title character?

Halloween is Grinch Night was released on DVD just this month on the Dr. Seuss' Holidays on the Loose! set.

released Oct. 2011

Do you watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas every year? Do you like the 2000 live action movie version--or do you prefer the 1966 animated story? What do you think of this Halloween special?

Merry Halloween! Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?

2011-10-22T15:59:00.000-04:00

Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? (also known as Who Slew Auntie Roo?) is a 1971 American International B-movie with an impressive cast. Shelley Winters plays Auntie Roo, a lonely but wealthy widow living in England. Roo throws lavish Christmas parties for local orphans and decides she wants to kidnap Katy because of the girl’s resemblance to Roo’s long deceased daughter. However, when Katy’s older brother Christopher discovers his sister is being held against her will in the house, he is certain that Auntie Roo is living the part of a hungry witch in a fairy tale. Unfortunately, he discovers Auntie Roo has even darker secrets hiding in the attic. Part suspense/thriller and part horror film, this midnight movie contains significant Christmas scenes and takes place over the extended holiday week including New Year’s Eve.

The incredible cast includes: Shelley Winters as Mrs. Forrest; Ralph Richardson as Mr. Benton; Mark Lester as Christopher; Chloe Franks as Katy; and, Judy Cornwell as Clarine.

Of course, Shelley Winters is the Academy Award-winning actress and Hollywood legend. Christmas entertainment fans know her from 1972's The Poseidon Adventure and as the voice of Crystal in the 1976 animated TV special Frosty's Winter Wonderland and the 1979 movie Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July (click here for that link). Later in life, Winters also played the much-beloved sassy Nana Mary, Roseanne's grandmother, on the TV sitcom Roseanne.

In Whoever Slew Auntie Roo, you don’t want to miss young Mark Lester as Christopher. Lester is better remembered for his role playing Charles Dickens' title character Oliver Twist in the movie musical Oliver! The young Katy is played by Chloe Franks, the same actress who plays young Carol in the Christmas segment of 1972’s Tales From the Crypt. (click here for the link--I just wrote about that movie two weeks ago). Actor Ralph Richardson who plays Mr. Benton also appears in 1972's Tales from the Crypt--he plays the Cryptkeeper in that movie. The role of the house servant, Clarine, is played by Judy Cornwell who plays Mrs. Claus in 1985's Santa Claus: The Movie. Cornwell is also known for her role as the sister Daisy on the British TV series Keeping Up Appearances, a staple of PBS Britcoms.

Richard Beaumont as Tiny Tim in 1970's movie musical Scrooge

And if you play close attention, you may even see the young actor Richard Beaumont playing Peter, a boy at the orphanage. Beaumont is better remembered for his role as Tiny Tim in 1970's movie musical Scrooge with Albert Finney and Alec Guinness--yes, that Alec Guinness! (click here for a recent post about Scrooge).

Have you seen Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? before? Do you like Midnight Movies? I have a factory-sealed new copy of this movie on DVD that I'd like to giveaway to one of my readers. This DVD is a double feature and also includes the 1971 B-movie What's the Matter with Helen? starring Shelley Winters with Debbie Reynolds. So that's two movies in this prize pack. But I'm feeling generous so I'll include a plastic Jacob Marley doorknocker halloween/Christmas decoration.

This DVD plus...

It's 12 inches long from the top to bottom of the knocker!

You are eligible for this giveaway if you live in North America. To Enter: comment below and tell me which of the Merry Halloween blog posts I've written about in October is your favorite. Make sure you follow the blog through Google Friend Connect (along the right hand side of the blog ----> ) I'll pick a winner on Monday night (Oct. 24th) at 8pm (EST) using Random.org from the total number of eligible entries. Good luck! Merry Halloween!

***Feel free to tell your friends about this giveaway--share the giveaway announcement on Facebook (either the group page 'Christmas TV History Blog' or on the Facebook pages 'Christmas TV Companion' and 'Tis the Season TV.' You can also retweet the announcement @TistheSeasonTV).

Merry Halloween! the Boogeyman

2011-10-19T18:43:00.000-04:00

I'm continuing my countdown to Halloween covering scary, creepy and Halloween-appropriate Christmas entertainments. Today I want to acknowledge the role of the Boogeyman in several Christmas stories.

Oogie Boogie

Perhaps the most recognizable boogeyman character in a holiday movie is Oogie Boogie from 1993's The Nightmare Before Christmas. Oogie Boogie is the risk-taking villain who dwells underground, below Halloween Town. Not only is he mean and a crooked gambler, he's composed of a burlap sack filled with bugs! Besides his hatred for Santa Claus, Oogie Boogie is not the scariest of foes.

Oogie unravels to reveal....

Eeewww....hand me a can of Raid!

The Boogeyman is also a monstrous attacker in three versions of the Christmas story, Babes in Toyland. Babes in Toyland was originally written as an operetta by Victor Herbert and Glen MacDonough at the turn of the twentieth century. It is a musical fantasy story filled with Mother Goose fairy tale characters. There is a great deal of adventure and even a little romance. Babes in Toyland has been adapted numerous times for film and television, each time undergoing drastic changes in storyline, character and musical composition. One such drastic character change is the addition of the Boogeyman (or a group of boogeymen) in three filmed productions: 1934's March of the Wooden Soldiers, 1986's Babes in Toyland and 1997's animated version.

left: The widow Mother Peep with Ollie Dee and Stannie Dum

The 1934 adaptation, originally released as Babes in Toyland, has since been retitled March of the Wooden Soldiers. It is a black-and-white feature length vehicle for comedians Laurel & Hardy playing Stannie Dum and Ollie Dee, toymakers and residents of the fairy tale village, Toyland. The true adversary in this story (and the original operetta) is Barnaby, the meanest man in town who is blackmailing the beautiful, young Bo Peep into marriage. In this adaptation, when Barnaby's schemes fail, he recruits the Boogeyman--more accurately, many boogeymen, to help him force her into marriage!

1934's version of the Bogeyman

These boogeymen, much like Oogie Boogie, are underground dwellers of monstrous appearance. Here, they have long fangs, claws and their bodies are covered in fur, similar to wild animals. On the humorous side, they wear dried grass skirts--for modesty(?) Even more humiliating, the savages are repeatedly referred to as Bogeymen--from Bogeyland (pronounce this like it is spelled for the same word that means one over par, as in golfing!) It's hard to be intimidating when you can easily be mistaken for a fan club member for actor Humphrey Bogart! But these bogeymen are scary!

Barnaby and the bogeymen on their way to Toyland

After Barnaby leads the bogeymen back to Toyland to raid the village, the fairy tale characters enlist the aid of wooden toy soldiers to help defend the city. It is a childen's story after all! It can be quite frightening to see the bogeymen carrying lit torches and setting fire to Mother Goose land as Barnaby tries to carry off his bride. By shear number of their kind, these grass-skirt wearing over-grown monkeys come off as creepy, threatening and dangerous.


Cue the familiar tune 'March of the Toys' as the wooden soldiers attack the bogeymen

1986's Babes in Toyland starring a young Drew Barrymore, Keanu Reeves and Richard Mulligan also includes a hord of underground creatures. However, these mud and stick monsters are not the formidable foes as in the two other Babes adaptations.

These underground creatures look like they are still under the ground!

For scary creatures, I prefer Barnaby, here played by Richard Mulligan, and his two hunchbacked henchmen. They resemble the early vampire Nosferatu and Riff Raff from the movie Rocky Horror Picture Show. I wish the two henchmen had been given a greater role in frightening Lisa, played by Barrymore.

Zack and Mack with Barnaby in the middle

1997's animated adaptation

1997's animated Babes in Toyland incorporates the Boogeyman character as well. However, this time his appearance is adjusted more to resemble a purple winged demon and his boogeymen minions are smaller versions of himself. Here, he is referred to as a goblin from Goblin Forest.

The Boogeyman is a purple, winged demon called a goblin--kind of looks like Mr. Clean

The goblin minions breaking into the toy factory to destroy it!

Once again, Barnaby leads the goblins back to Toyland where the toy soldiers are enlisted to defend the village and its residents.

Cue the music for 'March of the Toys' again

A demon goblin is a scary antagonist. The demon aspect evokes images of the Devil, other worldly evil and cruelty. That scares me for sure!

See for yourself how scary these boogeymen--or bogeymen--can be. All four of these movies are easily available to watch on DVD. Check your local library or on-line viewing sources.

Merry Halloween! Black Christmas

2011-10-18T20:09:00.000-04:00

I'm continuing my countdown to Halloween covering scary, creepy and Halloween-appropriate Christmas entertainments.

1974's Black Christmas stands out as a classic horror movie. For one thing, it is an early film in the Christmas horror genre. It is also noteworthy in that it is directed by Bob Clark, who directed the 1983 holiday classic A Christmas Story. How come Black Christmas never airs in a 24-hour marathon each Christmas Eve? I'm looking at you, Chiller Network!

Jess, the phone's for you!

Anyway, this film is a legend unto itself. Though Black Christmas doesn’t feature a killer Santa Claus, this cult slasher flick takes place at Christmas in a college sorority house where most of the girls have already departed for the break. Creepy obscene phone calls are received by the sorority girls, and one by one the girls begin disappearing. The suspense builds as the remaining house mates and the police are slow to catch on that the danger is lurking inside the house while women’s bodies pile up in the attic. The film ends before the killer is caught, leaving the story’s conclusion open-ended. A disturbingly un-happy ending to this holiday movie!

Margot Kidder as the bitchy Barb and Olivia Hussey as Jess

The stellar cast includes: Margot Kidder as Barb; Olivia Hussey as Jess; Andrea Martin as Phyl; Keir Dullea as the boyfriend Peter; and, John Saxon as Lieutenant Fuller. Cinephiles may recognize Kidder who went on to play Lois Lane in the 1978 movie Superman, opposite actor Christopher Reeve. Hussey starred in Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet in 1968 and later, she played Mary in another Zeffirelli movie, the 1977 TV miniseries Jesus of Nazareth. Actor Keir Dullea who plays the boyfriend Peter, also appeared in the lead role in Stanley Kubrick's sci-fi masterpiece, 2001: A Space Odyssey.

But the thrill in watching Black Christmas today is in the rarely imitated, open ended conclusion of the story. The film ends before the killer is caught! This terrifying lack of completion also means viewers are left to speculate just who is this serial killer and why is he doing what he does--making the imagined far more scary than the usual tying up of loose story ends with a complete explanation provided in most other horror films. There is speculation amongst this film’s fans concerning its legacy and the extent of influence this film has had on the slasher genre. Many claim it as the inspiration for 1978’s better remembered Halloween and its tremendous success.

2006 re-make

The influence of Black Christmas was strong enough to inspire a 2006 remake though drastic changes were made to the original story. This updated and bloodier version of the story removes the mystery behind the supposed killer, the no longer unseen Billy. Here the character of the criminally insane Billy is expanded and explained, and he’s not working alone! There’s also an update on the storyline with the obscene phone calls. Cell phones now reveal the origin of the calls and ring tones sound off the location of the caller within the house!

Andrea Martin as Phyl in 1974

left: Martin as Ms. MacHenry in 2006

Whimsically, actor/comedian Andrea Martin appears in this version as well. No longer playing a sorority sister, Martin is recast as the more age appropriate house mother, Ms. MacHenry. Of course, Martin went on after 1974's Black Christmas to distinguish herself in the cult Canadian comedy series, SCTV.

You better not pout, you better not cry....

Other cast members include: Michelle Trachtenberg as Melissa; Lacey Chabert as Dana; Katie Cassidy as Kelli; and, Oliver Hudson as Kyle. Trachtenberg started her career as a young actress appearing on the TV series The Adventures of Pete & Pete and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Chabert too was a child actress appearing on Party of Five and providing her voice on the Nickelodeon animated series The Wild Thornberrys. Actress Katie Cassidy has more recently been seen on Gossip Girl among other projects. She's also the real-life daughter of actor/singer David Cassidy. And, actor Oliver Hudson can currently be seen on the TV sitcom The Rules of Engagement airing on CBS. Hudson is the real-life son of comedic actress Goldie Hawn.

Which version of Black Christmas do you prefer? And, would your family watch a 24-hour holiday marathon of Black Christmas airing on television?

Merry Halloween! Costumes

2011-10-17T17:15:00.002-04:00

I'm continuing my countdown to Halloween by creating a photo essay of past costumes I've worn. Is your costume ready for this year? What are you dressing as?

That's me on the right. I think this is Halloween 1971. I'm a Native American and my mom has clearly made me wear my blue plaid winter coat under my costume. I'm surprised I'm not crying.

This is me dressed at Laura Ingalls for Halloween in 1976 or '77. Someone asked me if I was Holly Hobbie and I got mad. Duh--I'm Half-Pint! And, yes, I watched Little House on the Prairie every week. This photo recently appeared on the Trick-or-Treat Giveaway announcement on the Authors By Authors blog.

I think this was Halloween 1982. I'll tumble for ya.

On my way to a Halloween party, 2005-ish. I'm Number 6 from the British TV drama The Prisoner. This is my standard costume--I've worn it many, many times for Halloween. I love Patrick McGoohan. Here I'm with Groucho Marx.

In 2007, I set aside my Prisoner costume to be Victoria Barkley from The Big Valley--that's Barbara Stanwyck for you people who don't watch TV westerns. At the party that evening, everyone repeatedly asked me if I was Annie Oakley. How depressing! Only Victoria Barkley can pull off wearing all black! As you can tell, I still go to Halloween parties with Groucho :)

In 2009, I was dressed as Little Edie from the 1975 documentary movie Grey Gardens but I can't find a photo of it. Mind you, I wore a scarf over my head and a tablecloth around my waist. If you've seen this classic movie, you know that Little Edie is very stylish and a staunch character. I also carried around a loaf of bread to feed raccoons. I love that movie.

But last year, in 2010, I was the Miss Yvonne from Pee-Wee's Playhouse. Check out another photo of me as Miss Yvonne on Wonderful Wonderblog.
Fellow blogger Erick at Wonderful Wonderblog is also counting down to Halloween. Check out all his Halloween posts and then look him up again in December. He also likes to write about fun Christmas stuff.

My costume for this year is already underway. I don't want to spoil the surprise but I'm dressing up as a character from one of my favorite '80s movies. Who are you dressing up as this year?

Merry Halloween! The Haunting Hour

2011-10-12T12:56:00.000-04:00

I'm continuing my countdown to Halloween covering scary, creepy and Halloween-appropriate Christmas entertainments.

Are you a fan of R.L. Stine--the children's lit/horror writer? Did you watch the 1990s Nickelodeon TV series Goosebumps that was based on his books?

There's also a new TV series from R.L. Stine entitled The Haunting Hour: The Series airing on the Hub. The family-friendly anthology series created a scary Christmas episode in its first season, December 2010.

Look what Timmy finds under the Christmas tree...

In the episode "A Creature Was Stirring," the Morgan family discovers a monster under their tree on Christmas morning! The bickering parents have to come together with their two selfish teens and their young son Timmy in order to avoid the destruction of the mischievous demon. Will they be able to safely escape before the Creature burns down their house?

uh-oh. "Dear Santa, next year I'd prefer a beach vacation..."

For the first time in a long time, the Morgans have come together, confessing they feel like a family once again. Was this Timmy's Christmas wish after all?

The demon creature kind of reminds me of a winged gremlin--as in the 1984 movie Gremlins. Have you seen this family-friendly Christmas classic too?

Gremlins (1984)

In case you missed it last December, here's part one of "A Creature Was Stirring" from Youtube:

Merry Halloween! Pumpkins

2011-10-11T15:27:00.000-04:00

I'm continuing my countdown to Halloween by creating a photo essay of past pumpkins I've carved over the last several years. If I haven't convinced you yet, you'll now know I'm a total TV junkie. I'm sorry, I tried to put these in order but blogger wasn't cooperating.

(2011)

(2008)

This Snoopy's Christmas doghouse pumpkin was one I carved in December--I was lazy and just kept putting off carving my Halloween pumpkin that year until it was December.

(2005) Jerri Blanck/Amy Sedaris

(2006)


(2007)

Merry Halloween! The Munsters' Scary Little Christmas

2011-10-10T13:44:00.001-04:00

The 1996 made-for-TV movie The Munsters’ Scary Little Christmas is based on the familiar characters from the classic 1960s TV sitcom, The Munsters. Just like the original TV series, this movie isn't very frightening. But there is enough dark humor here to entertain adult viewers as well.

The Munster family are filled with the Christmas spirit except for young Eddie, who misses the traditions of their former home in Transylvania. The main plot focuses on how each member of the Munsters clan tries to help little Eddie recapture his Christmas spirit. His father, Herman, attempts to reach Eddie by buying him an expensive toy: The Marquis de Sade Dungeon Action Play set--complete with thumb screws. Mother, Lily, tries to inspire Eddie by asking for his help in elaborately decorating their home for a neighborhood contest. Lily ends up winning the house decorating contest when the judges love her unique sophisticated, dark -themed, tribute to Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty. Her tableau includes guillotined snowmen, rabid reindeer and spider-filled webs.

Don't slice up Santa!

And, Grandpa conjures a spell to produce snow. Inadvertently, his magical concoction strands Santa Claus in the Munster home, keeping him from being able to deliver his gifts on Christmas Eve. Things get even worse when Grandpa’s mixed-up alchemy turns Santa into a fruitcake!

Don’t miss the funny continuing gag of Herman unknowingly frightening away the door-to-door carolers. Another outrageous moment includes Santa’s elves ending up at a dangerous biker bar. And, just like the a typical plot point from the TV series, Marilyn finds a chance for romance. Will he find her family a bit too weird as well?

The Munsters admiring their outdoor Christmas display

The cast includes: Sam McMurray as Herman Munster; Ann Magnuson as Lily Munster; Bug Hall as Eddie Munster; Elaine Hendrix as Marilyn; Sandy Baron as Grandpa Munster; and, cult film actress Mary Woronov as the neighbor Mrs. Dimwitty.

Looking for a free DVD of this movie to watch with your family? I've got one to giveaway. The first person to comment on the blog below and ask for it--I'll mail it to you (North American residents only please). Make sure you already follow this blog through Google Friends Connect. That's the only condition. And thanks for reading :)

Merry Halloween! Scrooge in Hell

2011-10-07T17:58:00.001-04:00

I'm continuing my countdown to Halloween covering scary, creepy and Halloween-appropriate Christmas entertainments.

Have you checked out what other cool bloggers are writing about during the month of October? Please feel free to click on the Cryptkeeper link on the righthand side of this blog to go to a HUGE list of other blogs. It's a Halloween blog hop! hosted by CountdowntoHalloween.com

Have you ever watched the 1970 British movie musical Scrooge? With music and lyrics written by Leslie Bricusse, both the score and the song "Thank You Very Much" from this movie were nominated for Academy Awards that year. The music and lyrics were written by Leslie Bricusse, the same man who went on to write the music for the 1971 movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Scrooge stars Albert Finney as Ebenezer Scrooge and Alec Guinness as the Ghost of Jacob Marley.

Albert Finney as Ebenezer Scrooge

I point out 1970's Scrooge at Halloween because this particular adaptation of the popular Christmas story includes an incredible scene of substantial length. During his journey with the Ghost of Christmases Yet to Come, Scrooge takes a trip to HELL!

Spirit, what is to become of me?

Ebenezer literally stumbles into his own open grave.

...falling...falling...

There's a signpost up ahead. Next stop: HELL!

Panaramic view of Hell's stalactites and stalagmites lined with sad faces.

"Help me Jacob Marley, you're my only hope!"

After falling down into the depth of Hell, Scrooge is relieved to see a familiar face: his old friend and business partner, Jacob Marley. Marley welcomes Scrooge to his final destination (mwuh--hahahaha!) and shows him his office. He's been given the job as personal clerk to Lucifer!

A new office? how shall I decorate?

Marley takes him in his office and warns him about the rats! He's also been denied heat in his office, just as he denied heat to Cratchit serving as his personal clerk. (Karma is a bitch). Next, Scrooge's chains are delivered--they took extra long to forge.

This photo is not taken from an Erasure music video. Scrooge's chains are delivered by Human Resources

Scrooge's chains in the afterlife are choking him...

Wrapped in his bed linens, Scrooge finally awakens from his nightmare!

After Scrooge awakens on Christmas morning, he finds he's had a change of heart and sets out to buy a Christmas turkey for the Cratchits before joining his nephew Fred for a meal.

I find this interpretation of Scrooge's journey an interesting one. (A trip to Hell is not in the original manuscript as written by Charles Dickens). While I find the frightening imagery and the threat of eternity spent working for Lucifer a thrilling addition to the story, I don't think it fits the point intended by Dickens. I believe Dickens created Scrooge's transformation as one to be motivated by reciprocity and a recognition that his wealth will do him no good after death. As if Scrooge learns "you can't take it with you" rather than "for the wages of sin is death." It's a more subtle turn for Scrooge to recognize and appreciate what good his money can do for others rather than change his mind about his greediness because he fears eternal damnation. Certainly, Dickens was clever enough to consider writing it that way if he so wanted. But I think he preferred the more subtle character change. I think we all do. Even if it is entertaining to see Scrooge in HELL!

Check it out: Scrooge is available on DVD and is easy to find each December airing on television.

South Park in the magazine Entertainment Weekly

2011-10-06T15:52:00.001-04:00

Anybody else subsribe to the magazine Entertainment Weekly? Well, the next time you're at the doctor's office look for the October 7th issue.

In honor of South Park's 15th anniversary, the magazine has an article and a listing (p.44) of the 15 Best South Park Episodes and 53 of the Worst Episodes. If you watch the outrageous animated comedy series on Comedy Central--or have even heard of it--you know that South Park exists to push the boundaries on what's funny and what can be expressed on television. TV hasn't been the same since this show debuted.

p. 44 in this week's Entertainment Weekly

Reading the list of the 15 Best South Park Episodes, I see that #7 is "Woodland Critter Christmas" from season eight. Wow! Have you seen it? You don't really ever forget it if you've seen it!

Those woodland critters are sooo cute! Aawww.....AAAHHHH!!!

Instead of a summary, I'll just warn you: it is trying to be offensive and succeeds. But the mere mention of this episode brings a smile to my face every time someone asks me if I've seen it! There is no other Christmas episode quite like this one. None. But you don't have to be a Christmas TV expert to know that. It's South Park!

I find it quite amusing that this episode made their best 15 episodes list. Which ones would be in your list of the best South Park episodes?

Click on the link to read what a guest blogger had to say about another animated segment from Matt Stone and Trey Parker: South Park essay from Christmas in July.

Merry Halloween!

2011-10-06T14:57:00.001-04:00

I'm continuing my countdown to Halloween covering scary, creepy and Halloween-appropriate Christmas entertainments. Who doesn't love a witch at Halloween?

debuted in 2010

This Halloween, I'm reminded of the 2010 holiday TV movie The Good Witch's Gift an original production from The Hallmark Channel. This Christmas TV movie is the third in a sequence of The Hallmark Channel's highest-rated movie series of all time. The series is based on the characters from the first movie The Good Witch in 2008. Actress Catherine Bell plays Cassandra Nightingale, or more simply Cassie, a mysterious woman who seems to be at the center of magical occurrences in her small town.

David James Elliott and Catherine Bell on the long-running TV drama, JAG

Bell became a household face after starring on the long-running, military/law drama JAG. Fans of this show already know that JAG produced seven Christmas episodes during its run from 1995-2005. More recently, Bell has starred in the Lifetime original series Army Wives.

The Hallmark Channel original Christmas movie The Good Witch's Gift sees Cassie and Jake (played by actor Chris Potter) finally setting a date for their wedding: Christmas Eve. There are several hurdles to overcome before the wedding: young Lori loses Cassie’s wedding ring, there was a mix up with the marriage license, the bride and groom have no minister for the wedding, and they are without a wedding cake. Will Cassie use her magic to make her wedding day a perfect one?

Adam on Degrassi

Attention Degrassi fans: Jodi Deeks, a character in a side story, is played by actress Jordan Todosey. You may recognize her as the ground-breaking f-to-m transgendered teen, Adam, in the current episodes of the Canadian teen drama. Full Disclosure: I'm addicted to Degrassi.

Witchrospective on The Good Witch film series on The Hallmark Channel

promo for The Good Witch's Gift

The fourth movie in The Good Witch film series recently aired on the Hallmark Channel entitled The Good Witch's Family. And, the announcement has recently been made that a fifth movie is to be created. I'm sure this Novemeber and December, The Good Witch's Gift will return to the Hallmark Channel holiday film schedule. Did you see it last year? Do you like watching Hallmark Channel movies at Christmas time?

Merry Halloween!

2011-10-04T15:19:00.000-04:00

I'm continuing my countdown to Halloween covering scary, creepy and Halloween-appropriate Christmas entertainments.

Have you ever seen the 1972 British horror movie Tales from the Crypt? This anthology film made by Amicus Productions begins with five people separated from their tourist group in the catacombs under the cemetery. There, they meet a crypt keeper who shows them each how they will meet their grisly deaths. Of interest here is the first of the five segments, entitled "And All Through the House." The Grand Dame of Bitches, Joan Collins, stars as Joanne, a woman who murders her husband on Christmas Eve in order to collect his life insurance money. As she cleans up the mess and the blood, she hears a warning on the radio about a homicidal maniac dressed in a Santa suit in the local area. As she hurriedly dumps the body down the basement steps, she has to repeatedly tend to her young daughter Carol who keeps getting out of bed--impatient for it to be Christmas morning.

He knows when you've been naughty!

Unfortunately, the Santa Claus killer is outside the home, eagerly looking in the windows and watching Joanne clean up the scene of her own crime. As Joanne carefully finishes making her husband’s death look like an accident, she's horrified to realize that her young daughter has excitedly opened the front door to welcome in Santa Claus!

One of the fun things about this segment is that it was re-made for the HBO TV series Tales from the Crypt in 1989. This past summer, a guest blogger wrote about this episode during our Christmas in July party on the blog. Click here to see what she wrote about it. Thanks again to Roza for joining in on the fun last July.

Countdown to Halloween 2011

2011-10-02T17:17:00.000-04:00

I'm planning on blogging about scary, spooky and monstrous Christmas-themed entertainments all month long as we gear up for Halloween. But I'm not the only blogger excited for Halloween. Check out: Countdown to Halloween for a list of participating blogs.

During the entire month of October, I'm going to keep the Cryptkeeper badge (in the sidebar on my blog along the right hand side). Click on that badge any time during the month to link to that list of participating blogs to check out what other bloggers are writing about this Halloween. I'm sure you'll discover more than a few new blogs to follow as well! Thanks to Wonderful Wonderblog for turning me on to Countdown to Halloween 2011.

And, don't forget! The Trick or Treat Giveaway is going on from Oct. 2 through the 10th. Click on the link to go to the Authors By Authors blogsite to follow the instructions for the freebies. There's something in the prize package from me, so don't hesitate to join in on the trick-or-treat fun.

Trick or Treat Giveaway and Blog Hop

2011-10-02T13:12:00.000-04:00

My friend, paranormal romance author Kiki Howell, has enlisted my participation in a fun Trick or Treat Giveaway that takes place this week. From today, October 2 through the 10th, you have the opportunity to sign up for a surprise giveaway. That's sort of the trick--you don't know what you are gonna win! The treat is that, well...it's free and it will include something from me....sshhhh....I can't say what because it's a surprise!

Since it's a hop, you can learn about other blogs that are giving away free stuff and hopefully discover a few new blogs that you didn't already know about. So click on the link below to follow the instructions. Warning: blog hopping can be addictive!

Trick or Treat Giveaway

Merry Halloween!

2011-10-01T13:09:00.000-04:00

Where can I get this pattern?

Readers and bloggers all over the internet are beginning their October countdowns to Halloween. So I wanted to join in the fun as well. Throughout the month of October, I'll be writing about everyone's favorite scary, monstrous or spooky Christmas entertainments.

Before you start wondering just how many Christmas episodes, specials or movies there could possibly be that are October appropriate, let me remind you that Charles Dickens' book A Christmas Carol is a ghost story with four spirits visiting Scrooge in one night!

Yule be sorry, Magoo!

In my book, The Christmas TV Companion, I have an entire chapter dedicated to Christmas horror stories. But there are many, many more frightening and scary Christmas stories we watch every year. If you have a particular Christmas-themed television episode, special or movie that you'd like to see me cover, then comment below and I'll see what I can do.

Today, I'd like to discuss a stop-motion animated segment from the Gumby TV series. In this early 1960s Gumby Adventure short, Gumby's friend Pokey stars in his own Christmas story. On a journey to Santa City, the horse, Pokey, discovers that Santa Claus is sick. Pokey suggests his friend Witch could deliver the toys rather than cancelling Christmas altogether. On her broomstick, Witch arrives in Santa City.

She uses Santa’s sleigh to travel the world with two companions: Pokey and his friend Sybil the seal. When she finds a home without a chimney, Witch uses her own magic to enter people’s homes. Unfortunately, Witch frightens a brother and a sister expecting to surprise Santa!


These Davey & Goliath look-alike kids are trying to surprise Santa!

Santa?

SURPRISE! the sister drops face down and the brother breaks through the wall running from the scary Santa Witch!

Pokey's solution to help Witch from frightening more children is to give her a creepy plastic Santa face mask to wear!? Merry Halloween.

In the scene where Witch frightens the children, can you see the inspiration for Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas? This scene reminds me of the unexpected responses from children when Jack Skellington, acting as Santa Claus, surprises children with spooky gifts made in Halloween Town.

Check out the links below to see what else I've previously written about Art Clokey and Gumby.

Animator Art Clokey Memorial from January 2010

Eddie Murphy's Gumby Christmas Special on Saturday Night Live

Another Gumby short 'Scrooge Loose.'

Old School Slapstick: Part 3

2011-09-30T12:05:00.000-04:00

Silent film star, actor/director Buster Keaton isn't known for slapstick comedy as much as his brilliant physical feats and deadpan humor. I think I've seen The General more times than any of his other films. Steamboat Bill Jr. is the film with the famous scene where the wall of a building falls over him and he escapes injury because he's standing in the precise spot to clear a second-story window.

Keaton in 1927's The General.

In Sherlock Jr. one can see the now legenary scene where he is pushed to the ground by a gush of water spilling from an overhead water tank. This scene is legendary because it has been revealed to be the shot where the actor actually broke his neck when he fell onto the railroad tracks due to the weight of the water.

Keaton had a revival in the late 1950-early 1960s. He appeared in several comedy films and worked in television. He even had a role in three of the American International Pictures beach movies in the 1960s with Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon. One of the aforementioned TV appearances that he made was a 1958 Christmas episode of The Donna Reed Show.

The first season episode entitled "A Very Merry Christmas" sees the Stone family matriarch frustrated with herself and others this holiday. She notices her children Jeff and Mary are both keeping score on the cost and number of gifts they have received from their friends. Donna is also hurt by the paperboy, mailman and delivery man's unappreciative responses to her holiday gifts of fruitcake. When she learns that the hospital (where her husband Alex works) has left the work of organizing the children's ward Christmas party all to Charlie the janitor, she gets involved. Here, Charlie the good-hearted janitor is played by Buster Keaton.

Keaton as Charlie the janitor

While Buster Keaton doesn't have much of an opportunity to show off much of his physical comedy, he does have a significant amount of screen time and dialogue. (He does comically walk into a door--so there is one small moment of physical humor!) If you didn't already know who Keaton was, you may not even know from this episode that you're watching a comic legend. But for those of us who recognize Keaton, this special Christmas episode offers a nostalgic reminder of the happy hours spent watching his films.

In the final scene at the Christmas party, Charlie, now wearing a Santa suit, is emotionally touched by the little bit of happiness he's brought to the children spending their holiday in the hospital. As his (and our's) eyes fill with tears, we can see that sad, little funny man again tilting his head with that stoic face just as he did so many times in our favorite silent films.

Hand me the box of tissues, will ya?

This episode is available for viewing on the first season DVD set of The Donna Reed Show. It is also available in the collection of holiday comedy episodes called Merry Sitcom!

Part 1 on Youtube

Old School Slapstick: Part 2

2011-09-22T00:04:00.001-04:00

What kind of Three Stooges fan are you? Do you like Shemp or Curly? This 1949 short film entitled "Malice in the Palace" features Shemp along with Moe and Larry as each don disguises as Santa Claus and ride in a horse-drawn sleigh across the sand. This installment takes place in the Far East, at the desert Cafe Casbahbah, as the Stooges play three waiters who search for the 100-carat diamond from King Rootin-tootin’s tomb. One of my favorite scenes is where the restaurant patron has a bowl of spaghetti dumped over his head and his waitor Shemp cuts the long noodles that droop over his face, as if trimming bangs that cover his eyes. It's so ridiculous--yet practical. In a later scene, I like the map with all the crazy names of countries--a common schtick but always hilarious. Did you notice that Jerkola is just east of Staywayoff?

If anything makes me feel like a kid again, it's watching the Three Stooges! "Why I oughta----" I think I even had Moe's haircut when I was in elementary school. Not on purpose anyway.

These theatrical release short comedy films are not only available on-line but at Netflix (See "Three Stooges Collector's Edition"). The Three Stooges short films are also currently airing on Saturday nights on AntennaTV starting at 11pm (EST). I often find these Christmas short films, like The Three Stooges and others, used as interstitial filler throughout the month of December on various cable networks.

Sorry about the ads.

Christmas TV Companion

Betty White: The Golden Palace Christmas (1992)

Betty White: Golden Girls Christmas (1989)

Betty White: The Golden Girls Christmas (1986)

Betty White: Prep & Landing (2010)

Betty White: Life With Elizabeth (1954)

Betty White: The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1974)

Betty White: Date With the Angels (1957)

The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol (2011)

The House Without A Christmas Tree (1972)

TV Confidential

Galactic Watercooler

My Christmas Card to You

Saint (2010)

My Christmas Wish List

Top 5 Scrooge Stories

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Amends (1998)

The Waltons Christmas Cast Reunion Recap--Part 2

Glee: Extraordinary Merry Christmas (2011)

The Waltons Christmas Cast Reunion Recap--Part 1

Square Records Book Signing

Audiobook Giveaway: Sheila Roberts' The Nine Lives of Christmas

Jersey Girl at Christmas

The Waltons: The Children's Carol (1977)

The Waltons: The Best Christmas (1976)

Black Friday Book Bonanza Giveaway

Santa Claus: The Movie (1985)

A Christmas Without Snow (1980)

The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971)

Gratitude Giveaways Nov. 17th-27th

The Nine Lives of Christmas by Sheila Roberts

On Strike for Christmas

A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas by Bob Ignizio

Snowglobe (2007)

The Waltons Reunion: Coming Soon!

Happy Halloween!

Witch's Night Out!

Merry Halloween! The League of Gentlemen

The Real Story Of Halloween

Halloween is Grinch Night

Merry Halloween! Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?

Merry Halloween! the Boogeyman

Merry Halloween! Black Christmas

Merry Halloween! Costumes

Merry Halloween! The Haunting Hour

Merry Halloween! Pumpkins

Merry Halloween! The Munsters' Scary Little Christmas

Merry Halloween! Scrooge in Hell

South Park in the magazine Entertainment Weekly

Merry Halloween!

Merry Halloween!

Countdown to Halloween 2011

Trick or Treat Giveaway and Blog Hop

Merry Halloween!

Old School Slapstick: Part 3

Old School Slapstick: Part 2