About Christmas TV History

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

List of O.Henry Adaptations


Even Disney pays tribute to great American literature in Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas.

This past Spring, I've been sharing some of my favorite Christmas movies, specials, and TV episodes that have taken inspiration from American author O.Henry's short stories including The Gift of the Magi and The Cop and The Anthem.  Below is a quick list of links to the series.  Please don't mistake this as an exhaustive list because there are dozens and dozens more Christmas entertainments inspired by O.Henry--this is just a starting place. 

One of my all-time favorite Christmas specials: Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas

Adaptations of The Gift of the Magi:

1952 theatrical release film O.Henry's Full House
1978 TV movie The Gift of Love starring Marie Osmond
a segment within Disney's Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas from 1999
Jim Henson Production's 1977 hit Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas
1996 operatic TV version from Finland entitled The Gift of the Magi
1979 Christmas episode from sitcom Alice starring Linda Lavin
1974 Christmas episode of the family drama Little House on the Prairie
1955 Christmas episode of The Honeymooners
an anti-Gift of the Magi story from the TV sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond from 2000
and, 2010 TV movie Gift of the Magi which debuted on the Hallmark Channel




Alice and Ralph Kramden share a heart-warming gift exchange on The Honeymooners.

Adaptations of The Cop and The Anthem:

1952 theatrical release film O.Henry's Full House
1954 Christmas episode of The Red Skelton Show
1978 animated TV special A Pink Christmas starring the Pink Panther

The characters on TV's Alice make sacrifices a la O.Henry at Christmas in their unique gift swap.

Do you have a favorite Christmas entertainment inspired by a short story written by O.Henry that didn't make my list?  Share the title with us in the comments below and explain why it's one of your favorites.

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