Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin Eve '86

 

Welcome back! I hope you enjoyed the Rockin' Eve production I featured earlier this week that welcomed 1982. Today, I feature the show that welcomed 1986. Enjoy below or on YouTube here.

I'll be back after the holiday. Happy New Year!

Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve '82

 

Hello all! I hope you had a very Merry Christmas--I certainly did! I spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with family, great gifts, and great food. That's all you can ask for Christmas! Now it's time to look ahead to New Year's Day, and we do that with the full presentation of Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve welcoming in 1982!

Every network has it's own New Year's Eve program these days, but back in the day, Dick Clark was the only game in town. Here he welcomes 1982 with performances by Alabama, Rick Springfield, Barry Manilow, and others. Hosted by Charlene Tilton and Tom Wopat (man, this really IS 1982!)

Enjoy the show below or directly on YouTube here. I hope to have another Dick Clark program this week. Thanks!

The Gathering, Christmas TV-Movie starring Ed Asner (1977)

 

Here we are, my last Christmas post before the big day! And today I have a sobering but untimately life-affirming film for you.

The Gathering is a TV-movie produced by Hanna-Barbera (!) and stars Ed Asner as an embittered husband, father, and businessman who re-enters his family's lives after walking out on them many years ago, seeking reconciliation for his actions before he dies of a terminal illness. Maureen Stapleton plays Asner's estranged wife, who urges the rest of the family to forgive Asner for his bitter ways. Originally airing on ABC TV on December 4th, 1977, the film also stars Gregory Harrison, Bruce Davison, Veronica Hamel, James Karen (the Pathmark guy!), and John Randolph (Clark Griswold's father from Christmas Vacation!), among others.

Unfortunately, the YouTube channel administrator doesn't allow embedding for their videos, so please watch the movie directly on YouTube here.

Enjoy! I'll have more holiday-themed stuff for you next week.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Classic Christmas TV Commercials 2023 Edition

 

Today's post will be lean and mean, as my free time is increasingly less free the closer we get to Christmas Day.

Here, I offer some Christmas commercials of the past, with less commentary than I usually give. Enjoy these holiday-themed shills for Woolworth's, Ponderosa, Seafood Shanty seafood restaurants, and more!

Thanks!

TV Commercials for Children's Christmas Music Albums

 

One of the joys of being a child in the '80s was being the target of many commercials for various products. It made us feel special to know that things were being made just for us. This was especially true around Christmas, and one of the things marketed heavily to us were christmas music albums.

They usually aired in the fall to allow plenty of time for delivery before the season, but it excited us to see them as a sign that Christmas was soon approaching. Here are a few examples.

Here are two commercials for Christmas albums created by Disney. I loved seeing these ads appear every year! Unfortunately, I never had either of these albums myself.

One I'm not sure I remember, but I find amusing nonetheless, is this commercial for a Christmas album recorded by...the Smurfs! This recording has nothing to do with the US TV cartoon, so don't expect the voices to sound like the cartoon, but if the Smurfs are your thing, this might be for you!

I'm sure the audio for these albums can be found on YouTube, so if you have the urge, I suggest you search there. I just might do the same myself.

Thanks!

WKRP In Cincinnati, "Jennifer's Home for Christmas"

 

Welcome to the end of Week 3 of the Countdown to Christmas!

WKRP In Cincinnati will forever be associated with the holidays thanks to the hilarious Thanksgiving episode "Turkeys Away." But that doesn't mean the series doesn't have other fine holiday offerings. Case in point: this Christmas episode.

In "Jennifer's Home for Christmas," Jennifer (Loni Anderson) is unhappy about the forthcoming holiday, so the rest of the staff decide to attend her home to lighten her Christmas. The usual WKRP hijinks ensue.

Basically, the whole series is great. Try to see more of it however you can.

Enjoy below or on YouTube here. Have a great weekend!

The Real Ghostbusters, "Xmas Marks the Spot"

 

Welcome to Week 3 of the Countdown to Christmas! We're exactly two weeks from Christmas Day. Be prepared!

Today I present a fun, early episode of The Real Ghostbusters. The boys accidentally capture the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come, so it's up to Venkman and the gang to convert Ebeneezer Scrooge from his wicked ways.

Ghostbusters--they're not just for Halloween!

Enjoy below or on YouTube here. Thanks!

'Twas The Night Before Christmas TV adaptation starring Paul Lynde (1977)

 

To cap off this week, I present the 1977 TV special 'Twas The Night Before Christmas.

Airing December 7, 1977, the special stars Paul Lynde as a grumpy husband and father (!) who learns the true meaning of Christmas. The special costars Anne Meara, Alice Ghostly, Foster Brooks, and Anson Williams. Apparently, the special was so poorly received critically and commercially that it was never rerun, nor was it ever made available on home video.

Is it really that bad, or is it just a typical 1970s TV special? I'll let you be the judge. Please enjoy the special embedded below or directly on YouTube.

Thanks! Have a great holiday season weekend! Happy Chanukah!

Lobo Paramilitary Christmas Special Movie Adaptation (2002)

 

Today's entry in the Countdown to Christmas is a wacky one, but that's exactly why I'm including it!

The Lobo Paramilitary Christmas Special was a movie made by filmmaker Scott Leberecht and others with an educational grant from the American Film Institute and not intended for commercial release. It is, however, based on an actual comic book one-shot published by DC Comics in 1991 (see the cover to that comic above).

In the comic and movie, Lobo, an alien intergalactic hitman, is hired by the Easter Bunny to "whack" Santa Claus, so that the Easter Bunny gets more love and attention. If the money is right, Lobo is up for the job! The actor playing Lobo is Andrew Bryniarski, know for playing Leatherface in several Texas Chainsaw Massacre reboot films in the 2000s.

Enjoy! Watch it embedded below or directly on YouTube here.

The Price is Right Christmas Episode, December 25, 1979

 

Welcome to Week 2 of the Countdown to Christmas! Today we have something special for those old school kids to got to watch this show when they were home sick from school.

Today I offer an episode of The Price is Right that aired on Christmas Day 1979. The studio, which usually looks very festive on a normal day, is decorated for the holiday and increases the excitement factor even higher than usual. Consider this also a tribute to Bob Barker, who we lost earlier this year.

Enjoy! Watch embedded below or directly on YouTube here.

Cher Variety Show Christmas Episode, December 21, 1975

 

Welcome to December 2023! Now we really get into the Christmas season full swing! I hope today's post gets you in the Christmas spirit.

Legendary artist Cher has released her first-ever Christmas album this year. However, this doesn't mean she hasn't performed Christmas numbers before. Back in the '70s, she had her own short-lived variety TV series after her divorce from Sonny Bono. Below is the series' Christmas episode, which aired on CBS December 21, 1975. She performs Christmas songs, appears in comedy sketches, and features guest stars The Lennon Sisters, The Hudson Brothers, and Redd Foxx--very '70s! See the embedded video below or watch directly on YouTube here.

Enjoy! Have a great December weekend! Roll out the holly, hang up those stockings, get some shopping done, be Christmasy!