![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
||
TV Shows on DVD/ / / / / TV Blog/ / / / / Punk Book/ / / Holiday
Specials on DVD / /
/ / / / Classic
Commercials
|
Naturally, ABC pegged the Carpenters for a Christmas-themed special the following year.
The premise of the Carpenter's second Yuletide special in December, 1977 ('The Carpenters At Christmas') was simple - Karen, Richard and their band have just finished shooting a major production number so Karen's having the gang over for a holiday party afterwards. Richard wants to bow out. "I can't put my finger on it," he complains. "but Christmas just doesn't feel the same as it used to." He's got the holiday blues and would rather spend the evening moping about, writing hit songs.
Korman bravely soldiers through an extended song and dance number, then heads out to look for holiday cheer with Richard - only to run into Kristy McNichol (who had just won an Emmy for her role in 'Family'), playing a little girl with, conveniently, nowhere to go on Christmas.
Richard selected the holiday songs featured on the special personally, resulting in a refreshing, sentimental mix of religious and pop standards. You got the feeling watching this program that Richard wasn't entirely at ease in front of the camera, but his musical contributions made this production a timeless one, a nearly perfect screen capture of what Christmas represented in America twenty five years ago.
Tillstrom's performance on The Carpenter's special was a revelation - an old-fashioned musical comedy tour de force, a rare (and last) primetime appearance by the venerable and talented children's entertainer (he died in 1985).
Given that Carol Burnett's retro-special attracted nearly 30 million viewers recently, one of the networks should seriously consider rushing 'The Carpenters At Christmas' back on for 2005. ABC brought the duo back in May, 1978 for a musical-comedy special ('Space Encounters' with guests John Davidson and Suzanne Somers) built around their modest but entertaining novelty single, 'Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft.'
CHRISTMAS 1978
Kristy McNichol was back again, this time with her brother Jimmy in tow. The two McNichols were hot at this time; they had a minor hit as a duo in 1978 ("He's So Fine" with the Chiffons singing back-up) and starred in their own CBS special in December, 'Kristy and Jimmy present Young and Foolish.' In addition, Kristy had recently signed a million dollar deal with CBS to star in five TV movies.
Lynne Vogt tells us, "The band member with the full beard is none other than Mouseketeer Cubby O'Brien. He was a percussionist in Carol Burnett's orchestra, and met the Carpenters when they were guests. He then toured with them for years." Bob Henry again directed and produced, this time with Nelson Riddle serving as musical director.
Still, Gene Kelly was in fine form, singing and dancing as effortlessly as he did in his immortal MGM movies. Kelly was making a lot of television appearances around this time in a kind-of comeback that ended abruptly with the big screen flop 'Zanadu.'
From the special: Gene: "What my theory is, you might even call it Kelly's law, is that people give unto others what they would most like to receive themselves." Richard: "Yeah. That makes sense to me." Kristy: "Well, Jimmy and I gave the gift of family and that means a lot to us."
I'm not sure if this was meant to be ironic, since Karen was noticeably too thin here; her life-threatening condition was becoming apparent to everyone. There was a shortage of familiar Carpenter's Christmas tunes on this special (other than "Merry Christmas, Darling") but bright spots included Richard's performance of selections from 'The Nutcracker' backed by a full orchestra and Karen's soaring vocals bringing 'Ave Maria' to lush life.
Soon after Richard left rehab, The Carpenters went into production for what would be their last network special, broadcast in May, 1980, 'Music, Music, Music' with guests John Davidson and Ella Fitzgerald.
DID
YOU KNOW:
AT HOME WITH THE CARPENTERS?!?
How do I know this? TVparty viewer Sal Gomez sends us his home video of a trip through the Carpenter's Newville Avenue home:
"They bought the empty lot next door and expanded the house to include a Billiards room, wine cellar, soundproof music room and garage.
"The Newville home is also famous to Carpenter fans for appearing on one of the duo's album covers ("Now & Then"). "Karen Carpenter died in the Newville Ave home. She had gone there the night before to have dinner with her parents and spend the evening so she could go shopping with a friend of hers at a local Downey Gemco the following morning. "Richard Carpenter continued to live in Downey California (a very middle class neighborhood) until recently. The Newville house and Richard's home were both extensively decorated for the Christmas holiday seasons over the years so you might infer that their specials were true to their feelings for Christmas.
- Sal MORE ON THE CARPENTERS' TV SHOWS |
Amazon Prime - unlimited streaming PR4 & PR5 Pages for Advertising
"All
I said was she was skinny enough for David Brenner. The point I always
made with Karen Carpenter was how everyone suddenly loved her the
minute she died, but for two years before she died, not one person
bought an album or went to see her. So why are we all so bereft over
this poor girl?"
- the always sensitive Joan Rivers in Playboy ![]() TVparty thanks Randy Schmidt for his help with this page - he wrote this excellent book that you must buy! |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
TV
Shows on DVD/ / / / / / North Carolina Actors /
/ / / / / / Cartoons
on DVD/ / / / / /
/ Holiday
Specials on DVD /
/ / / / / /
/ / / / / /Classic
Commercials / / / / / TV
Shows on DVD Reviews |
|
![]() Save money! |