Set Your DVRs: Christmas in July

Set Your DVRs for Saturday July 3rd to enjoy a double feature of holiday-themed made-for-TV movies. On the Hallmark Channel, at 10 am they are broadcasting 1986's A Smoky Mountain Christmas followed immediately by 2009's Christmas in Canaan at noon.

Later in the day, the Hallmark Channel will again broadcast both movies: at 6 pm will air Christmas in Canaan and at 9pm A Smoky Mountain Christmas.

Dolly Parton and Lee Majors star in A Smoky Mountain Christmas.

Billy Ray Cyrus stars in Christmas in Canaan,
a movie based on the book written by Kenny Rogers.

However, I recently received word from the Hallmark Channel that they have no plans for a Christmas in July program--unlike in previous years. This scheduling of movies is actually in promotion of Dolly Parton's new TV special debuting at 8pm on Saturday night Dolly Celebrates 25 Years of Dollywood. This special features Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers and Billy Ray Cyrus amongst others. Although this isn't officially Christmas in July programming, I'll still enjoy it for what it is. Thanks Hallmark Channel!

Sally Field

March is still with us and I'm honoring Academy Award winners (and nominees) by discussing their connection with Christmas TV programming. Actress Sally Field has won two Oscars for Best Actress--in 1979's Norma Rae and 1984's Places in the Heart.

Before she appeared in the Oscar-winning role of the union supporter, Field starred in a made-for-TV movie that takes place at Christmas entitled Home for the Holidays. This 1972 horror/thriller is directed by John Llewelyn Moxey and executive produced by Aaron Spelling.

If you ever thought your family was trouble at Christmas...here, four sisters return home after many years absence when it is believed that their step-mother is poisoning their father. It had been rumored that their step-mother Elizabeth (played by Julie Harris) had poisoned her first husband and now their father (Walter Brennan) believes that Elizabeth is killing him too. Though the sisters despise Elizabeth, the claim seems too outrageous to believe until one by one each of the sisters dies or disappears. The true horror of this story to me is that actress Julie Harris, just 17 years prior, had been playing the romantic lead to James Dean (in 1955's East of Eden) and now is partnered with the aged, crotchety Walter Brennan. But Sally Field plays the youngest sister Christine--she's the screamer!

Speaking of Places in the Heart, the captivating child actress Gennie James that plays the role of Possum Spalding in that film can be seen in two Christmas-themed movies, A Smoky Mountain Christmas and with a larger role in The Christmas Gift. Both movies are from 1986.