Square Records Book Signing

At Square Records on Saturday, Dec. 10th,  4-6pm

Thanks to everyone who came out to my book signing event yesterday, hosted by Square Records in Highland Square, Akron Ohio. 

Bellows are Joseph and Kendra Minadeo

 With trippy mood music and stunning visuals by Bellows, I was excited to greet friends and answer questions about Christmas on TV.  Everyone asked about my recent adventures with the cast from the TV series The Waltons (last week I was the moderator for the panel discussion of the cast reunion of The Waltons in Jersey City, NJ). 

still from the video installation, courtesy of Bellows' Kendra Minadeo

Several others wanted to talk to me about my appearances on TV:  throughout the month of December I can be seen in The Real Story of Christmas now airing on The History Channel and 25 Most Hilarious Holiday TV Moments now airing on TV Guide Network.  If you follow me on Twitter (@TistheSeasonTV) or follow the facebook page Tis the Season TV, you will receive daily updates of the most interesting Christmas TV listings--including those programs mentioned above.

Roza, me and Ryan at Square Records

It's still not too late to get one of my books.  You can always purchase them at Amazon.com or through the publisher 1701Press.com.  If you buy them through this blog (which is the same as buying them through the publisher) you can usually get them faster--just sayin'.  Both Tis the Season TV (2010) and The Christmas TV Companion (2009) are in stock.  Also, if you buy them through the publisher/blog, you can ask to receive an author signed copy!

I'm showing Mary my photos from the Waltons cast reunion event

Thanks again to Square Records, Bellows and eveyone who came out.  What are you reading this Christmas?

Audiobook Giveaway: Sheila Roberts' The Nine Lives of Christmas

six CD audiobook

The publisher for best-selling author Sheila Roberts has given me a free copy of the audiobook for Roberts' new book The Nine Lives of Christmas to give away to one of my readers.  You may remember I gave away a signed hardbound copy of her book just a few weeks ago.  Click here to see my review of the book.  Now I have a brand new, factory sealed 6 CD audiobook of The Nine Lives of Christmas to give away.  This would make a wonderful gift for the cat lover on your Christmas list!

Lifetime original movie in 2010

Of course, Sheila Roberts is also the author of the book On Strike for Christmas which was adapted for a 2010 made-for-TV Christmas movie on the Lifetime Network starring Daphne Zuniga and David Sutcliffe.  Click her to see that movie review again.  I really enjoyed that TV movie--thought it was one of the best new Christmas TV movies of last year and so I was eager to check out Roberts' latest book.  Will Nine Lives be turned into a Christmas TV movie as well?  We'll see...

How you can win this audiobook:
1)  Are you on Twitter?  FOLLOW me: @TistheSeasonTV
2)  RETWEET my post on Twitter about this giveaway.

Contest open to North American residents only, please.  The giveaway ends at NOON (ET) on Thursday Dec. 8th, 2011.  I'll pick the winner by using randomnumber.org from the eligible entries.  I'll tweet the winner on Thursday then you need to message me your mailing address and I'll drop it in the mail.  Good Luck!

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.

The Waltons: The Children's Carol (1977)

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.

Waltons fans most often refer to 1977's "The Children's Carol" as their favorite Christmas episode of the series. Since the original broadcast, the two-hour story is often split into two parts to air in syndication.

The war in Europe has affected everyone, dampening Christmas spirits.  The Walton family takes into their home two young English children, a brother and a sister named Tess and Pip, who are war refugees from the bombings in London.  They have been severely traumatized by their ordeals and need the love and safety of Waltons’ Mountain.

Tess and Pip, English children orphaned by the blitz

Verdie has been selling cakes to raise money for Christmas toys for charity but is attacked and robbed of her funds.  In the true spirit of Christmas, Ben sacrifices the money he’s saved for himself to give to Verdie.

Ben helps Verdie find her stolen purse

Mary Ellen takes an apartment just outside the military base to be nearer to her husband Curt.  But she finds she needs to be emotionally closer to her husband despite her physical proximity.

Curt and Mary Ellen

Olivia is moved by the trauma of the war and the psychological damage to Tess and Pip.  She begins to question her faith during this time of tremendous global conflict.

Olivia questions her faith in this time of trouble

Fearing an uncertain future, Tess and Pip stow away on a truck to find themselves even more frightened at the air corps base on the runway with a plane rushing towards them!  Putting his own life in jeopardy, John attempts to rescue the children from harm.

John grabs the children just in time!

Jason sets aside his music writing while he questions himself about his ability to be a soldier.  After words of advice from his father, Jason writes his own Christmas song “The Children’s Carol” on the piano that the family sings together on Christmas.

Jason composes "The Children's Carol"

Christmas spirits are made bright when snow finally arrives in time for Christmas on Walton's Mountain.

Elizabeth's wish for snow comes true

But the emotional highpoint of the story occurs when Jim Bob’s English friend that he communicates with over a short wave radio finds Tess and Pip's mother alive--a Christmas miracle restoring hope to everyone on Walton’s Mountain.

Tess and Pip on the short wave radio to London

The song ‘The Children’s Carol” was co-written by John McGreevey and Alexander Courage, the show’s writer and the series’ music director.

The young boy Pip is played by actor Jeff Cotler, the real-life brother of Kami Cotler who plays Elizabeth.

Is this your personal favorite Christmas episode of The Waltons?  Do you currently watch The Waltons on the Hallmark Channel? GMC? or the Inspiration Network?

The Waltons: The Best Christmas (1976)

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.

The TV movie The Homecoming was re-broadcast for several years after its debut in 1971.  The first Christmas episode of the TV series The Waltons arrived in its fifth season and was entitled "The Best Christmas."

Harley, John-Boy and Curt attempt a difficult rescue when Miss Fanny's car slides off the road and into the frozen pond.

As the kids grow and begin to lead their separate lives, Mama worries that this may be the last Christmas with everyone together.  The family agrees to come together and make this holiday the best Christmas for Mama’s sake.  But when a severe snow and ice storm freezes the roads on Christmas Eve, not only is the house without power but the family is stranded at different locations all over the mountain, unable to communicate their whereabouts. 

Jason (Jon Walmsley) in the church examining the damage of the downed tree.

John and Jason are helping to remove a fallen tree and repair the church’s roof so there can be morning services, while Harley, John-Boy, Curt and Mary Ellen are helping to rescue Miss Fanny and young Jo Ellen whose car went off the road and into the frozen pond. 

With all the rooms sold out on Christmas Eve, Grandma and Grandpa Walton are forced to sleep in the hotel lobby

Grandma and Grandpa Walton are stranded in Charlottesville because of the weather and icy roads while Ben is isolated at Yancy’s cabin.  The Waltons may have spent Christmas apart, but they were all in each others’ thoughts.

At long last, the family together on Christmas day.  Left: Ben (Eric Scott), Curt (Tom Bower), John-Boy (Richard Thomas), Mary Ellen (Judy Norton), and Grandpa Walton (Will Geer).

This episode includes the tender moment with the family together singing “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day."

Singing a Christmas carol together.  Left: Elizabeth (Kami Cotler), Olivia (Michael Learned), John (Ralph Waite), and Grandma Walton (Ellen Corby).

It seems everything that could go wrong with the family's plans has gone wrong--a popular theme in Christmas stories.  But this classic Christmas episode is one that stands out from the rest and remains a favorite among the series' fans.

Yancy Tucker (Robert Donner)

Another reason this episode stands out is because it includes many of the Waltons series favorite regular cast of characters including Yancy Tucker (Robert Donner), Harley Foster (Hal Williams), Verdie Foster (Lynn Hamilton), Maude Gormley (Merie Earle), the local telephone switchboard operator Miss Fanny Tatum (Sheila Allen), and the Reverend Fordwick (John Ritter).

Reverend Fordwick (John Ritter)

At the Waltons reunion on Friday, Dec. 2nd, actors Hal Williams and Lynn Hamilton will be joining the others to discuss their experiences with the much beloved Waltons TV series.  I can hardly wait.

Left: Harley Foster (Hal Williams) with John-Boy in the episode "The Best Christmas."

Verdie Foster (Lynn Hamilton) in this treasured 1976 Christmas episode

Black Friday Book Bonanza Giveaway

Welcome to Christmas TV History blog.  I'm the author of two books about Christmas television entertainments:

Tis the Season TV: The Encyclopedia of Christmas-themed Episodes, Specials and TV Movies (2010)

and The Christmas TV Companion: A Guide to Cult Classics, Strange Specials and Outrageous Oddities (2009).

In anticipation of Christmas, I'm giving away a hardbound copy of the book Jimmy Stewart and His Poems, published in 1989. 

 

 

Yes, that's right--a book of poetry written by Jimmy Stewart, the film star of the classic Christmas film It's A Wonderful Life. 

To qualify for the book giveaway:

--follow this blog through Google Friend Connect (along the right hand side of the blog)

--and comment below: tell me your favorite Christmas movie

This giveaway for North American residents only.  This runs from Friday Nov. 25-Sunday Nov. 27.  On Nov. 28th, I'll use random.org to generate a number from the total number of qualifying comments below to select a winner.  Make sure your Google Friend Connect identity includes an email address--or leave an email address with your comment below.  Good luck!

To discover new blogs and to enter other giveaways in the Black Friday Giveaway, follow the links below in this blog hop.  Thanks again to Heather from Book Savvy Babe, Jenn from The Bawdy Book Blog, and Lisa from Alive on the Shelves for hosting this giveaway :)

 

1.	Book Savvy Babe	38.	Pages of Gold
2.	Lisa @ Alive on the Shelves	39.	Seduced By The Book
3.	K.C. Neal	40.	Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf
4.	Laurie Here Reading and Writing Reviews	41.	Loretta @ Between The Pages
5.	LovelyLit	42.	DARK HAVEN BOOK REVIEWS
6.	Silver Thistle's Bookshelf	43.	TinaBuriedUnderBooks
7.	Lisa Beth Darling	44.	Gabrielle Bisset
8.	Mary @Sweeping Me	45.	Natasha Blackthorne
9.	Rage, Sex and Teddy Bears	46.	Heather @ BookStacksOnDeck
10.	Live To Read ~Krystal	47.	Kiki Howell @ Authors By Authors
11.	Queentutt's World of Escapism	48.	Big Books Tiny Voices
12.	My Opinion Might Not Be Yours	49.	Teri @Dreaming Dreams
13.	The Bawdy Book Blog	50.	Michelle Madow: Author of Remembrance
14.	Reading Angel	51.	Jenny Q @ Let Them Read Books
15.	The Book Nympho	52.	Scrawled in Blue
16.	Grace	53.	Reena Jacobs
17.	Charla	54.	Candace's Book Blog
18.	Waiting on Sunday to Drown	55.	Tarah Scottt
19.	Inspiring Pretty	56.	T. C. Archer
20.	Helen Smith	57.	Christmas TV History
21.	Evie the Book Fiend	58.	Jen Ryland/YA Romantics
22.	I Am A Reader, Not A Writer	59.	Red Hot Books
23.	Lindsey @ BBS	60.	Annie Walls
24.	Pandora Poikilos	61.	Felicity Heaton
25.	Paranormal Wastelands	62.	A Writer's World
26.	Seeing Night Reviews	63.	Read for your future!
27.	Reading A Lil Bit Of Everythin	64.	My Bookish Ways
28.	I Smell Sheep	65.	Close Encounters
29.	Five Alarm Book Reviews	66.	Everyday Is An Adventure
30.	Romance, Rumours & Rogues	67.	Lucy Felthouse
31.	Laurielu	68.	Bonnie @ A Backwards Story
32.	MommyWantsToRead	69.	The Christmas Origami Kit USA
33.	The Virtual Book Case	70.	Crystal @ My Reading Room
34.	Got Fiction?	71.	Seduced By A Book (US)
35.	Beck Valley Books	72.	Paranormal Romance Fanatic
36.	Book of Secrets	73.	LIFE IS . . . FICTION (US)
37.	Other Worlds & Realities	74.	The Book Fiend

 

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?