BING CROSBY'S WHITE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL {JACKIE GLEASON, BERNADETTE PETERS} (TV)
Summary
This musical special, filmed in England, features crooner Bing Crosby and his family, as well as a few special guests. Crosby opens with "Let It Snow" and "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" with wife Kathryn, and they are soon joined by three of their seven children – Mary Frances, Nathaniel and Harry – as well as singer Bernadette Peters and the Crosby Christmas Choir of young singers. "The Great One," comedian Jackie Gleason, soon joins the group with presents for all, and everyone sings "It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas" and "Happy Holiday."
Crosby chats with Gleason, whose interest in bringing "mirth and girth" to the program halts when Crosby suggests that he dress as a merry toy soldier, and they both agree that they are "A Pair of Loafers" at heart. Kathryn finds Peters and requests that she give aspiring performer Mary Frances a "pep talk" about show business, and they sing "I Feel Pretty" together, after which Peters performs "One" from "A Chorus Line." Crosby then finds Nathaniel playing with his new putter and urges him to get back to rehearsal, and the three kids perform a hip version of "Jingle Bells" together, though Bing and Kathryn agree that "I Love to Dance Like They Used to Dance."
Crosby, Peters and Gleason perform "Style," and Crosby joins the young choir singers for "Swinging on a Star." Peters chats with Mary Frances and Nathaniel, both of whom have musical dreams of their own, and the Crosbys plus Peters and Gleason perform a medley of Johnny Mercer songs, including "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive," "Jeepers Creepers," "Hooray for Hollywood," "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe," "Lazy Bones," "I'm An Old Cowhand," "Moon River," "That Old Black Magic," "Too Marvelous For Words" and "In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening."
Confusion then ensues when both Crosby and Gleason dress as Santa Claus, but the two St. Nicks eventually agree to "Put It There, Pal." Further songs performed include "There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays," "Christmas is Coming," "Here We Come A-Caroling," "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella," "God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen," "What Child is This?", "I Saw Three Ships (Come Sailing In)", "Silent Night" and "Joy to the World." After a bit of teasing from Gleason, Crosby closes the program with his signature "White Christmas." Includes commercials for Amana and Timex.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:57:28
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 131119
- GENRE: Music/Variety
- SUBJECT HEADING: Music/Variety; Christmas; Specials
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV, 1976
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Amana appliances
- TV - Commercials - Timex watches
CREDITS
- Franklin Konigsberg … Executive Producer
- Norman Campbell … Producer, Director
- Harry Bell … Associate Producer
- Herbert Baker … Writer
- Ray Charles … Music by
- Norman Maen … Choreographer
- Bing Crosby … Host, Performer
- Bernadette Peters … Guest, Performer
- Mary Frances Crosby … Guest, Performer
- Kathryn Crosby … Guest, Performer
- Harry Crosby … Guest, Performer
- Nathaniel Crosby … Guest, Performer
- Jackie Gleason … Guest, Performer
- Crosby Christmas Choir, The … Guest, Performer
- Johnny Mercer