ABC THURSDAY NIGHT MOVIE: THE NIGHT THEY SAVED CHRISTMAS (TV)

Summary

This made-for-television production pits Santa Claus against oil company drillers as he tries to save his North Pole village from ruin. The program begins with the employees of International Resources Corp., an arctic research company, searching for oil by blasting various icefields. A frustrated Michael Baldwin, the chief geological engineer, finds a dry hole after extensive drilling in site A and picks another spot in which to set two more rigs. He is awaiting boss Sumner Murdock's arrival that evening, knowing that he won't be happy with the news. Then, wife Claudia flies her plane to the area and picks up her husband. On the ride home, she voices her frustrations at their life in the field. Claudia says she and the kids are moving back to Los Angeles after the new year, but Michael claims he needs to stay in the field for a few more months. Upon reaching their humble arctic dwelling, Michael and Claudia immediately deal with their three children: David, Marianne, and young C.B. Also waiting at their home is Sumner, forcing Michael to reveal the bad news about Site A's dry hole. Sumner tells Michael to move the bulk of his crew over to site B. The next day, Michael arrives at work to find Ed, Santa's chief elf at North Pole City, waiting for him. Ed discusses the oil company's dynamiting in the North Pole, telling him they must stop immediately lest they blow up Santa Claus's village. Michael is amused by Ed, thinking a gag is being played on him. Later, Michael recounts the incident to his family, revealing how Ed has actually invited them all to North Pole City. C.B. thinks Ed could be legitimate, but David mocks him. Later, Michael and Claudia admit to C.B. that Santa doesn't exist, angering the young lad. Later, Michael teaches his kids how to snowmobile, but C.B. is still bummed out. Back at the office, Sumner tells Michael that he better find oil soon or the whole operation will fold up shop. That evening, after working on the family Christmas tree, Michael receives a visit from Ed. Michael brings Ed into the house and introduces him to Claudia. As Michael leaves for work, Ed asks if Claudia and her children would like to go to North Pole City to meet Santa. Claudia thinks such an elaborate ruse might be fun for the kids, so she agrees. Soon, Claudia and the kids have boarded Ed's snowcat for the journey to meet Santa. En route, Ed asks Claudia if, after meeting Santa, she could convince Michael to stop the drilling. Driving at a seemingly impossible 100 mph, the group heads into a snowstorm, concerning Claudia. However, they get through it and come to a self-propelled "reindeer zephyr," a type of high-speed sleigh. Claudia and David are still skeptical, but C.B. and Marianne are ecstatic. Claudia thinks "the joke" has gone far enough. Meanwhile, Michael and Sumner make plans for the next blast. Then, using a candy cane communications device, Claudia calls Michael, trying to explain her bizarre situation. Then, Claudia and the kids ride the zephyr along ice ridges toward North Pole City. Claudia is no longer amused by the remote-controlled vehicle, wanting to stop it, which is an impossibility. Finally, after a giant ice wall parts, the family arrives in the heart of North Pole City. There, Ed discusses the village's extensive elf population, explaining that the Baldwins will soon encounter them. Claudia and David maintain that a "mind trip" is being played on them and that they need to keep their heads clear. Back at the oil site, Michael learns that his colleague didn't hire Ed as a stunt and is confused with what is happening to his family. Sumner calms Michael down, thinking that competitor Gaylord of Global Oil probably has Claudia and the kids, telling him to not "rock the boat." Meanwhile, the Baldwins are led to Santa's dining room, where they are given some hot chocolate. The children discuss the logistics of Santa's deliveries with Ed. Meanwhile, Sumner wants to hurry up their operations and begin blasting at site B by Christmas Eve day -- forty-eight hours away. However, Michael is still certain that there is oil to be found at the original site. Back at the factory, Santa finally makes an appearance, telling his minions to quit singing "Jingle Bells." Then, Santa meets Claudia and her family, quickly showing his knowledge of "all the children of the world." Santa is taken aback that Claudia still thinks the setup is a hoax, discussing how his credibility continues to plummet. Then, Santa answers some questions from the Baldwin children. Santa shows how he is able to slow time enough to deliver all the world's presents. Then, the village begins to experience quakes as the nearby oil drilling starts. Michael continues worrying about his family, with Sumner still blaming Gaylord and not believing in the possibility of Ed's existence. Meanwhile, Ed takes the Baldwins to meet Mrs. Claus. She leads them to the study and lets them look around. Then, Santa returns and shows Claudia a precise miniature of the North Pole and looks at a map of where Sumner intends to dynamite. Santa is certain that the new dynamiting could be the end of all of them. Santa knows that the real oil field is indeed at site A, and wants Claudia to explain that fact to her husband. Claudia still thinks Santa is a myth though, and he is forced to prove himself to her. Upon returning home, Claudia explains her whole day to Michael and Sumner, stating that they need to drill at site A. However, Sumner thinks that Gaylord drugged her as part of a plan to make them waste time drilling in the wrong area. Claudia is angry that Michael and Sumner can't be convinced. Meanwhile, David and Marianne commandeer a snowmobile and head off at dawn to warn Santa about the impending doom. Upon waking, Claudia is stunned to see her children not at home, making C.B. tell her where they went. Meanwhile, David and Marianne are still an hour away from what he believes to be the entrance to North Pole City as a storm approaches. As Claudia begins searching for her children via plane, they find themselves lost. Eventually, Claudia struggles through the snow haze and finds them, shortly before Santa rescues the three of them. Soon, Michael and his staff search for the trio themselves. Later, Claudia speaks with Santa about the ongoing dynamite plans, revealing that Michael and Sumner do not believe her. Now, Santa realizes he must prove it to Michael himself. As the children finally meet Santa's reindeer, Ed is beamed to the weather station via the people transporter for hourly storm updates. That night, C.B. tells his father that he hates Sumner for not believing his mother's story. Then, Sumner arrives at Michael's home and the two have it out after Sumner says that the search parties for Claudia, David and Marianne will be called off in twenty-four hours. Sumner also gives Michael until the end of the next day to start dynamiting site B. The next morning, Claudia, David, and Marianne have a rushed breakfast with Santa and Ed. Meanwhile, Michael secretly has his crew dynamite at site A, against Sumner's orders. C.B. worries that his father will blow up North Pole City, where he suspects the rest of the family is lodged. Later, Marianne and David get to see Santa's newest toy, a talking robot pal courtesy of inventor Dr. Fernando. However, preliminary dynamiting starts to rock the village. Back on site, the full- scale dynamiting is about to begin. Then, C.B. gets a call from engineer Harold Faulkner that oil has been discovered on site A. Michael is quickly informed by C.B., who insists that this proves that Santa is real and that his father must not dynamite at site B. Michael agrees to halt the blast, terminating the countdown just in time. Late that night, C.B. awakens to hear reindeer bells and the arrival of Santa with his mother and siblings. Then, Sumner arrives, wondering why site B's work has stopped. Michael reveals the big find at site A, just as Santa is heard overhead. Sumner tells Michael he is in for a promotion, but Michael reveals that he just wants to resign so that he may move his family back to Los Angeles. Walking out to the porch, Sumner and the Baldwins watch as Santa and his sleigh ride off into the night, with Ed waving goodbye to them all. Also includes an "ABC News Business Brief" with Dan Cordtz and an "ABC News Brief" with Judd Rose. Includes commercials. This program is closed-captioned.

Details

• NETWORK: ABC
• DATE: December 13, 1984 Thursday 8:00 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 2:00:17
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: T:04506
• GENRE: Children's
• SUBJECT HEADING: Children's programs; Christmas
• SERIES RUN: ABC - TV, 1984
• COMMERCIALS:
  • TV - Commercials - "Dune" motion picture
  • TV - Commercials - "John Carpenter's Star Man" motion picture
  • TV - Commercials - "Micki & Maude" motion picture
  • TV - Commercials - AT&T phones
  • TV - Commercials - Burger King restaurants
  • TV - Commercials - C.O.W. Dairyman for "milk"
  • TV - Commercials - Chevrolet automobiles
  • TV - Commercials - Corning cookware
  • TV - Commercials - Diet Pepsi soft drinks
  • TV - Commercials - Duncan Hines chocolate chip ookies
  • TV - Commercials - Duracell batteries
  • TV - Commercials - Fruit of Loom underwear
  • TV - Commercials - General Foods International Coffees
  • TV - Commercials - Gillette Brush Plus shaving system
  • TV - Commercials - Ivory shampoo, conditioner
  • TV - Commercials - JC Penney stores
  • TV - Commercials - Kodak disc film
  • TV - Commercials - Levi's corduroys
  • TV - Commercials - McDonald's restaurants
  • TV - Commercials - Mervyn's stores
  • TV - Commercials - Michelob beer
  • TV - Commercials - National Dairy Board for "milk"
  • TV - Commercials - Ole's stores
  • TV - Commercials - PSA airlines
  • TV - Commercials - Pearl Drops Smiler's Toothpolish
  • TV - Commercials - Peter Pan peanut butter
  • TV - Commercials - Prego spaghetti sauce
  • TV - Commercials - Sears stores
  • TV - Commercials - Sheer Energy panty hose
  • TV - Commercials - Sucrets lozenges
  • TV - Commercials - Sudafed cold relief
  • TV - Commercials - The Broadway store
  • TV - Commercials - V-8 vegetable juice
  • TV - Commercials - Yves St. Laurent Paris perfume
  • TV - Promos - "20/20"
  • TV - Promos - "ABC Wide World of Sports"
  • TV - Promos - "Benson"
  • TV - Promos - "Malibu"
  • TV - Promos - "NFL Football Special"
  • TV - Promos - "Perry Como's Christmas in England"
  • TV - Promos - "Ripley's"
  • TV - Promos - "Street Hawk"
  • TV - Promos - "T.J. Hooker"
  • TV - Promos - "The Love Boat"
  • TV - Promos - "The Sting"
  • TV - Promos - "Webster"
  • TV - Promos - KABC-TV news

CREDITS

• Jack Haley … Executive Producer
• David Niven … Executive Producer, Writer
• Robert Halmi … Executive Producer
• David Kappes … Producer
• Robert Halmi … Producer
• Carl Mazzocone … Associate Producer
• Jackie Cooper … Director
• Jim Moloney … Writer
• Rudy Dochtermann … Writer
• Charles Gross … Music by
• Paul Williams … Music by
• Jaclyn Smith … Cast, Claudia Baldwin
• Art Carney … Cast, Santa Claus
• Le Mat, Paul … Cast, Michael Baldwin
• Mason Adams … Cast, Sumner Murdock
• June Lockhart … Cast, Mrs. Martha Claus
• Paul Williams … Cast, Ed the Elf
• Scott Grimes … Cast, David Baldwin
• Laura Jacoby … Cast, Marianne Baldwin
• R.J. Williams … Cast, C.B. Baldwin
• James Staley … Cast, Marin
• Albert Hall … Cast, Loomis
• Anne Haney … Cast, Hedda
• Buddy Douglas … Cast, Dr. Fernando
• Billy Curtis … Cast, Jack
• Michael Keys-Hall … Cast, Harold Faulkner
• Randy Crosby … Cast, Pilot
• for "ABC News Business Brief"
• Dan Cordtz … Anchor
• for "ABC News Brief"
• Judd Rose … Anchor