The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, December 31st, 1965

 

Hey everyone! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! Now let's have a wonderful New Year!

Today I present a full episode of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson from New Year's Eve, 1965. Even the commercials are included! Back then, the show aired live from New York City rather than taped in Los Angeles, so they check into Times Square live as the ball drops. It's a window into a familiar show but in a possibly unfamiliar format. I love pop culture time capsules like this (even if I have misgiving about Carson after learning some things about his treatment of staffers).

Enjoy embedded below or directly on YouTube here. 

Before I go, I want to reiterate that I have a feature starting in January that I'm looking forward to presenting. I think you'll really enjoy it. If I do it right, it will be running on the blog for a few good weeks!

Thanks, and...

,,,HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Merry Christmas 2025!

 

Here we are, we made it! We got Christmas exactly when we needed it!

Although we've reached the Big Night, the Countdown will still roll on for a little bit longer. I have a couple of New Year's items for you next week I hope you enjoy. Then, starting in January, I launch a new, ongoing feature that I think you'll appreciate. There's a good bit of material to cover for it, so it will fuel the blog for several weeks. I'm looking forward to it!

Until then...

...MERRY CHRISTMAS!

PBS American Playhouse, "Hallelujah" (1993)

 

We're almost there! Christmas is just three days away! Here's a heartfelt film to watch while you wrap your gifts.

"Hallelujah" is an episode of the PBS drama anthology American Playhouse. First aired in 1993, this film follows a young Black preacher (Charles S. Dutton) and his family who arrive at their new church in Washington, D.C. The church board is standoffish with the preacher and only give him two days to win the congregation over before they move on to someone else. Through hard work, determination, and faith, the preacher vows to tackle the neighborhood's problems and give the area's unwanted and unloved a home for Christmas.

This is heavy material for this blog, but I think it's important to throw in some sobering programming here and there to remind you that Christmas isn't just about gifts, food, and merriment. Now more than ever, we need reminders to take care of one another.

In addition to Dutton, the stellar cast includes Phylicia Rashad, Dennis Haysbert, Keith David, and the late James Earl Jones (who was excellent in everything he was in!). Please enjoy embedded below or directly on YouTube here.

Thank you!

Mork & Mindy, Season 1, Episode 13, "Mork's First Christmas," December 14, 1978

 

Today's offering is a fun one: it's the first (only?) Christmas episode of Mork & Mindy.

When Mork learns about Christmas and the tradition of giving gifts, he makes his own gifts to give to people with...underwhelming results. After accidentally learning of his friends' disappointment, he finds another gift to give to everyone with a much better outcome.

Sadly, the uploader of this YouTube video doesn't allow embedding to other Web sites (boo), but here is the link to watch it directly on YouTube: Mork & Mindy, "Mork's First Christmas."

Enjoy! Nah noo nah noo!

Dancin' On Air, Christmas Day 1985, WPHL-TV, Channel 17, Philadelphia

 

There must have some magic in that ol' Christmas Day 1985, because I have another pop music-focused program that aired the same Christmas Day as the MTV programming block I shared with you last week.

I've discussed before the 80s-era local Philly TV dance show Dancin' On Air, an 80s successor to American Bandstand. The show went national years later on the USA cable network under the name Dance Party USA. Think hair spray, neon, local TV production values, early hip hop, and synth-heavy dance music. If that's your thing, this is for you!

Here is the episode that aired on Christmas Day in 1985. And for you commercial freaks out there, this hour-long episode contains all of the commercials as well. Please watch below or directly on YouTube here.

Enjoy!

A Christmas Without Snow TV-Movie, WBBM-TV Chicago, December 9, 1980

 

For this Christmas weekend, I present a full-length TV-movie sure to keep you in a retro Christmas spirit!

A Christmas Without Snow stars actress Michael Learned (The Waltons) as a divorced woman recently settling in San Francisco who joins a church choir. She meets the choir's stern but devout director (the late John Houseman), and while they butt heads, they also help heal each other's emotional wounds in time to celebrate a sincere, inspiring holiday.

This TV-movie, which celebrated its 45-year anniversary this past Tuesday, is readily available on free-commercial-supported streaming services such as Pluto TV, Tubi, and others, but this YouTube upload I'm presenting is special: it's taped directly off of the CBS Chicago affiliate WBBM-TV broadcast the night it premiered, with all of the original commercials intact. Retro TV fans rejoice!

You can watch the film embedded below or directly on YouTube here.

Enjoy! Have a warm, cozy, merry Christmas season weekend!

MTV Christmas Day 1985 Programming and other MTV Christmas Bits

 

Here is almost three hours of programming that aired on MTV on Christmas Day, 1985. Nina Blackwood and Martha Quinn are the VJs. There appear to be some edits here and there, so it's not three consistent hours, but it's more than enough to simulate leaving the tube on MTV in the background while sipping your eggnog and playing your newly gifted ColecoVision that long-past Christmas Day.

I've also thrown in some holiday-related bumpers and segments (some that may also appear in the larger video, but hey, repeats are a part of television). Enjoy!

Phyllis, "The Christmas Party"

 

Starting off this second week of the Countdown to Christmas is a holiday-themed episode of the '70s sitcom Phyllis.

Phyllis, a spin-off of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, starred the late Cloris Leachman as the titular Phyllis, living as a single woman in San Francisco. In this episode, "The Christmas Party," Phyllis tries to throw a large office party for her coworkers to avoid spending the holiday alone, against the wishes of her politician boss.

Consider yourself invited to the party! Enjoy below or directly on YouTube here. Thanks! 

Christmas Music Videos

 Music is a very important part of enjoying the holidays. I can't imagine a Christmas season without it! Just as enjoyable much of the time are Christmas music videos, which have really blossomed the past few years, even for music recordings that are decades old.

Here below are several Christmas music videos that have caught my eye in recent years. I may feature one or two I've blogged in the past, but write it off as being a Christmas tradition.

Enjoy!

The Christmas Raccoons (Reblog from 2010)

 

My first entry in this year's Countdown to Christmas is a program I originally blogged way back on December 15, 2010. I don't usually like to blog stuff I've blogged before, but since it's been 15 years, and the original video link is now broken, I figured I can forgive myself the repeat.

The Christmas Raccoons is the first appearance of the titular raccoons from the famous Nelvana animation studios, a Canadian production house that gave us some memorable, if weird, 70s TV specials such as A Cosmic Christmas, The Devil and Daniel Mouse, and other trippy cartoons. In this special from 1980, which stars Rich Little as the narrator, Rupert Holmes as a forest ranger, and Rita Coolidge as the sister raccoon, three raccoon siblings lose their forest home due to the machinations of Cyril Sneer, a capitalistic, oligarch aardvark. Who smokes a cigar.

A capitalistic, oligarch aardvark. Who smokes a cigar.

It's much cuter than it sounds.

The raccoons proved very popular, having had three more TV specials like this, followed by a regular series in 1985. If you're a Gen Xer but don't recall this special, give it a look, it will likely jog your memory.

Enjoy!

Welcome to the 2025 Countdown to Christmas!

 

Ho Ho Ho! Welcome one and all to the 2025 Countdown to Christmas! I hope this month to bring holly to your jolly, kisses to your mistletoe, and stuffing to your stocking!

Throughout the month of December, I'll present to you Yuletide cartoons, TV episodes, movies, music, and all sorts of good cheer. Stay tuned every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (real life permitting) for holiday fun and frivolity.

Below is just a warmup for the festivities. Enjoy, and Happy Holidays!