This Christmas film, created as a special for television broadcast throughout the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania viewing region, was produced by puppeteer Mabel Beaton and her husband Les for Bell Telephone Company and first aired in 1953. Following a short live-action opening portion, featured are two extended marionette segments, the first dramatizing Clement Moore's "A Visit from St. Nicholas", the second reverently telling the Nativity story; the two stories are staged in classic, traditional style. From 1953 onward, for several years, The Spirit of Christmas was broadcast in the intended region multiple times per holiday season. It was also available as a 16mm film licensed to schools for showings to students. This film often is misstated to have originally been broadcast in 1950.
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My memories of this fantastic Christmas special are the same as most others. Christmas in the 1950's was officially here when we saw the Bell Telephone special, "The Spirit of Christmas" shown not only at our school (Ingomar Elementary), but we also got to see it again on TV.Every subsequent Christmas was missing something without being able to see this special memory from my childhood. I was so happy to find that it is now available on DVD.My question is: Does anyone know of a version of this special that includes the original introduction, intermission and ending with the Bell Telephone operator speaking? To me, this helped to make this special what it was.Thanks for any help. Bob Eich, Pittsburgh, PA
Growing up in Havertown,Pa in the 50's + 60's, this Christmas special was much anticipated. I do not recall it playing more than once per season and we anxiously waited for it's showing.In the 60's and 70's many animated Christmas shows were aired and this one was forgotten.I was past 40 when I finally saw it again and was shocked to see it was in color!!! What a wonderful taste of my childhood this has given me.Enjoy it's simplicity. I have purchased several copies on DVD and sent them to family and friends. If you know of anyone from the Philadelphia area in their 50's , they would probably love this as a gift.They are not expensive and are,of course, inexpensive to send by first class mail.Now I'm showing it to my grandchildren.Time marches on,Merry Christmas.
I agree wholeheartedly with Tom' comments. This is what children suchas myself grew up on, not the sub adequate shows on TV today. The localstation here in Phila only shows the Spirit part of the marionetteprogram, but not the Nativity scene, which I guess is just a sign ofour times. However, it is a treat to see this, even if only for once ayear! Alexander Scourby, who starred and was the voice over for both the shows, was the perfect choice. As a bit of trivia, he appeared years later in a role as an older businessman on (I believe) General Hospital. His was a voice that, once heard, was never mistaken for another. My grandaughters now watch this show with me every Christmas season, so I guess this is a nice legacy to pass down
Growing up in Philadelphia in the '50s this was on TV every night for at least a week prior to Christmas. Somehow my sister and brothers and I never got tired of it. Even back then we could see that it was pretty primitive - you could almost see the hand making the camels 'walk' as they carried the Wise Men to Bethlehem. That was part of the charm, I think.For the longest time it disappeared from the screen, and as I married and had children of my own I regretted that they would not be able to see it and enjoy it as I had. Then somehow our local PBS affiliate got ahold of it and started playing it during pledge drives at Christmas and offering it as an incentive to contribute a donation. That's how I got my copy. My kids were all under ten at the time and I showed it to them. After viewing it a time or two they labeled it as old fashioned and weren't interested in seeing it after that. I was somewhat disappointed, but came to the conclusion that the MTV / Nintendo generation couldn't appreciate it for what it was.The funny thing is, last evening I was watching TV with my middle daughter - now 19 - and a notorious channel changer, and SHE had the remote. This usually means seeing maybe 5% of 20 programs instead of one whole one. Well, she switched and found The Spirit of Christmas during the Nativity segment, stopped, and we both watched it to the end - no interruptions! I didn't say anything to her about it, but it made me happy to think that maybe it reminded her of when SHE was little. I hope so.The last thing that gets me is the unnamed host of the show with his inch wide necktie and dark suit saying that this was a gift from 'your phone company'. Pray, whatever phone company is that? Have you seen anything from MCI, Sprint, or Verizon that doesn't have an underlying "buy from me" subliminal message? No? Didn't think so! Don't hold your breath! I should know - I work for one of these guys.