Jersey Girl at Christmas

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.

Santa Claus: The Movie (1985)

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. 

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?

Shakespeare...and Christmas?

I recently finished reading another pop culture book, Two Gentlemen of Lebowski written by Adam Bertocci. If you haven't already heard the buzz about this project, it is the answer to the question: what if William Shakespeare wrote The Big Lebowski? Just the idea of this mash-up is enough to make it worthwhile. But it's a fun read as well.

The Dude Abiding...

If you read my first book, The Christmas TV Companion, you'll know I'm a big fan of the 1998 movie The Big Lebowski. I used its cast to create an example Make Your Own Marathon for other Achievers for Christmas viewing. Click here to see what I blogged about it before.

However, reading the book Two Gentlemen of Lebowski reminds me--since I write about Christmas-- that several Christmas TV programs have referenced Shakespeare's words about the winter holiday. In at least two of The Bard's plays he recalls Christmas, including Hamlet and As You Like It. Perhaps a scholar would know if there are more references than just those two.

Opening of Family--remember this show?

One of the TV programs that notes the playwright is the 1976 episode "On the First Day of Christmas" of the drama series Family. Here, the mother, Kate, shares an emotional moment with her young daughter, Buddy. Discussing their feelings about Christmas, Kate quotes Shakespeare from Hamlet Act 1, scene i. She quotes from the passage:

Some say that ever 'gainst that season comes

Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated,

The bird of dawning singeth all night long:

And then, they say, no spirit dares stir abroad;

The nights are wholesome; then no planets strike,

No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm,

So hallow'd and so gracious is the time.



This episode can be watched on the first and second season DVD release, disc 4. It's a small moment but an emotional turning point for the character Buddy, played by a teenaged Kristy McNichol.

This is just one of the reasons I have found a passion for Christmas on TV. The low brow medium of television can frequently surprise even the most jaded of us when it lifts itself up to nod at our cultural heights.

The Big Lebowski update

If you are one of those people, you will know that tickets went on sale this morning for LebowskiFest 2010 in Los Angeles. LebowskiFest is the place for fans of the 1998 cult film The Big Lebowski to gather together, bowl a few games, drink White Russians, and quote your favorite lines--all while wearing a movie-inspired ridiculous costume.

Of course, I consider myself one of those people. We call ourselves 'Achievers,' however I'm not planning on making it to the LA event. But if you've seen my book, you well know that I included in the appendix an example Make Your Own Marathon of Christmas-themed programs that include the actors from The Big Lebowski. In honor of the upcoming LebowskiFest, it's time for an update to that MYOM.



The 2009 holiday season brought about a direct-to-video release for the Christmas special from the TV series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. (If you've seen it, you already know why it didn't air on TV--there's a language issue and nudity. But I'll bet an edited version will eventually surface for broadcast.) It includes actor David Huddleston as Eugene Hamilton, Frank Reynold's former business partner that is coerced into playing the Jacob Marley role in Dee and Dennis' attempt to 'Christmas Carol' Frank into being a better person. I don't want to say too much here--it needs to be seen to be believed. But fans of The Big Lebowski will recognize actor Huddleston as the wheelchair-bound Lebowski in the cult film.

Dios Mio! In-N-Out Burger drive-thru workers
with Liam at LebowskiFest, Louisville KY 2008

Where's the Christmas , Lebowski?

I'm a HUGE fan of the movies made by Joel and Ethan Coen. I've seen them all but most especially love Raising Arizona and Fargo. I also take great joy in The Big Lebowski, proudly wearing my 'Achiever' t-shirts and annoying my friends by peppering my speech with quotes from the film. I've even attended several Achiever (fans of the cult film) gatherings including 2008's Lebowski Fest in Louisville, Kentucky.

So it's no surprise to the people who know me that I would generate a Make Your Own Marathon for my Christmas TV book that includes the cast members from one of my favorite cult films as they appear in Christmas-themed material. Who doesn't want to watch actor Ben Gazzara (who played porn king Jackie Treehorn in TBL) in a Christmas episode of his 1966 TV series Run for Your Life entitled "Time and a Half for Christmas Eve?" How about actor Leon Russom (who played the mug-throwing Malibu Police Chief) in a holiday installment of the medical mystery series Diagnosis Murder entitled "Santa Claude?" Oh, there's even more listed in the book. Or, you could stretch the reference even further and enjoy the Christmas episode "A Proud Town" from Walter Sobchak's favorite western, Branded. I'll have you off egg nog and on to drinking White Russians before you know it.

http://lebowskifest.com/Achievers/tabid/114/SearchID/293/SearchText/santa/Default.aspx

Check me out on the Lebowski Fest website as an Achiever that's written a book!