Christmas TV
For many years now, families have gathered together on Christmas Day to enjoy Christmas lunch and Christmas telly.Below you can find listings of every programme broadcast on British television on December 25th during the twentieth century.
Both channels this year featured a "new" movie that had been in cinema's just seven years previously. Premiering recent films became the staple of Christmas Day television thereafter.
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| BBC Television Service | Associated-Rediffusion | BBC Television Service 00.00 Closedown 08.30 Christmas Greeting A programme of carols by The George Mitchell Glee Club
Accompanied by The Dennis Wilson Quartet
Organist, Leon Young
Produced by DENNIS MAIN WILSON09.00 Sound Only: the Queen Her Majesty's recorded Christmas Message to the Commonwealth 09.03 Dartington Christmas Festival Introduced by Huw Wheldon
See page 9 and Junior Radio Times
Music by Helen Glatz, played by the augmented Dartington String Quartet
Cameraman, George Shears : Editor, Paul Khan
Directed by John Irving
(A West Region film production)09.30 Gwyl Y Geni 'Gwelsom ei ogoniant Ef
Myfyrdod a mawl ar arwyddocad yr Wyl dan arweiniad y Parch. Glyn Parry-Jones11.00 Morning Service FOR CHRISTMAS DAY from St. George's Parish Church,
Stockport, Cheshire
Conducted by the Vicar,
The Rev. Canon W. Garlick
Once in royal David's city (A. and M. Rev. 432) Confession; Absolution; Versicles and Responses Psalm 19
First Lesson: Isaiah 9, vv. 2-7 Te Deum
Second Lesson: St. Luke 2, w. 1-20 Jubilate
Creed; Lesser Litany: Collects Anthem: Infant King (Fogg) Prayers
Hark! the herald-angels sing (A. and M. Rev. 60) Sermon
O come, all ye faithful (A. and M. Rev. 59) Blessing
Organist, Arthur Rooke11.45 Peace on Earth A Christmas programme from the International Pestalozzi Children's Villages
In Switzerland and in Sussex children from all over Europe gather round the Christmas tree as one family.
Commentators:
In Switzerland: In Sussex:
Richard Dimbleby Alun Williams
Film sequences by A. and B. Films Ltd., of Zurich
Associate directors: Innes Lloyd, Walter Pluess
Produced by NOBLE Wilson12.15 Meet Mr. Kringle A film comedy starring THOMAS MITCHELL, TERESA WRIGHT, MACDONALD CAREY
If Mr. Kringle looks and behaves like Santa Claus, it is, of course, a coincidence - or is it?13.00 News Summary 13.05 Music with Max Max Jaffa invites
Alicia Markova to join
THE TRIO
THE LINDEN SINGERS
Conductor, William Llewellyn
Other guests:
Percy Edwards, Peter Rhodes
Settings by Natasha Kroll
Produced by CHRISTIAN SIMPSON13.35 Days Before Christmas A National Film Board of Canada film about the festive season in Montreal 14.00 Boots and Saddles Dispatch Rider A film series 14.25 While Angels Watch In a hospital in Singapore a young nurse finds that the message of Christmas has for her a special and personal meaning
A documentary film about Queen Alexandra's Nursing Service15.00 Chipperfield's Christmas Circus Festival from Bingley Hall, Birmingham
MR. PASTRY
(by arrangement with Richard Hearne )
THE ARTISTS OF THE CIRCUS rMARY CHIPPERFIELD AgfrjyT*.
'... in her own ^^1s1«3b
High School Presentation ^PS5
MISS FERRI and her Chimpanzees
CELE AND COMPANY
THE FOUR KENTS
ROBERTS BROTHERS' PONIES
IWAKKO TARZAN; JACKO FOSSETT
From the Granby Hall Circus, Leicester
THE KOCKA TROUPE
(from the Prague State Circus)
MARION and her Pony and Dog Revue
* kCHARLre CHESTER - a special circus edition of ., .., Pot Luck . ????'. children
Ringmaster Commentator Arthur Scott Peter West
Arranged by Bill Dredge
Produced by BARRIE EDGAR
(Charlie Chester and Richard Hearne are in * Beauty and the Bec.... at the Coventry Theatre}16.00 Billy Cotton's Christmas Party An invitation to children of all ages to join
Billy Cotton and his Band with Alan Breeze * Kathie Kay
Guests:
Russ Conway
Sooty
Assisted by Harry Corbett
Percy Press
Script by Jimmy GRAFTON
Choreographer and associate producer.
Leslie Roberts
Settings by Malcolm Goulding
Production by BILL COTTON, JNR.
From the Carlton Rooms, Maida Vale16.45 A Kiss for Cinderella by J. M. Barrie
starring JEANNIE CARSON
Produced by DESMOND DAVIS with MICHAEL ALDRIDGE, KENDRICK OWEN
The music composed and the PRO ARTE ORCHESTRA conducted by CHRISTOPHER WHELEN
Dances arranged by Bridget Kelly-Espinosa
Designer, Stanley Dorfman18.15 News Summary 18.20 Christmas Night with the Stars 19.35 HARRY BELAFONTE in SONGS OF MANY LANDS The distinguished American artist makes his Christmas appearance in a recorded programme of music and songs from many lands
Produced by G. B. Lupino
Musicians:
Millard Thomas Raphael Bogusla>
(guitar) (guitar)
Danny Barrajanos Norman Keenan
(conga drums) (bass)
The George Mitchell Singers
Executive producer. Philip Stein
Presented by Belafonte Presents Incorporated20.20 
High Noon (1952)Stanley Kramer's production starring Gary Cooper
with Grace Kelly, Thomas Mitchell
Directed by Fred Zinnemann
Screenplay by Carl Foreman
During the events that reach their climax at high noon, it is only one man's courage and devotion to duty that stand between the inhabitants of the small Western township and a future full of violence and fear21.45 News Summary 21.50 Bleak House by Charles Dickens
Adapted for television by Constance Cox
THE END OF THE STORY
In which there in some tragedy and much happiness
CAST IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE:
Throughout the serial:
Film cameraman. Bryan Langley
Film editor. Pam Bosworth
Costumes supervised by Sheila Glassford
Make-up supervised by Tommy Manderson
Designer. Stephen Bundy
Produced by ERIC TAYLER22.20 Make Way for Music Presenting ALYN AINSWORTH and the BBC NORTHERN DANCE ORCHESTRA in Thirty minutes of music in an informal manner with songs by SHEILA BUXTON, ROBERTO CARDINAL and NORMAN GEORGE with his violin
Introduced by ROGER MOFFAT
Produced by BARNEY COLEHAN
From the BBC's North of England television studio
(Sheila Buxton is appearing in 'Cinderella' at the Theatre Royal, Bolton)22.50 Epilogue for Christmas Day The Rev. Frederic Greeves
Principal of Didsbury College, Bristol
From the BBC's West of England television studio
WEATHER and CLOSE DOWNAssociated-Rediffusion 01.05 Close-down 10.45 The Nativity The story of the Nativity through the words of the Bible, paintings, carols, mime, dance and instrumental music.
An Associated-Rediffusion Network Production
(A repeat of a Schools programme televised on December 8 and 10, 1959)11.10 Christmas Morning Service from the Methodist Central Hall, Westminster.
Conducted by the Minister The Rev Derrick Greeves
and The Rev Principal John Huxtable (of New College, London)
An Associated-Rediffusion Network Presentation12.00 This Wonderful World Christmas Special Arranged and presented by John Grierson.
The wonderful things the camera has seen on all the frontiers of human observation.
A Scottish Television Network Production12.30 Jack Hylton presents The Dickie Henderson Half-Hour from this moment on, it's
Dickie Henderson
with Anthea Askey
and Eve Lister, Bernard Hunter.
An Associated-Rediffusion Network Presentation12.55 News Headlines From ITN.
Newscaster Huw Thomas13.00 Christmas Box A hamper full of festive family fare laden with laughter, music and song.
Your hostess is Noele Gordon.
with TV's happiest musical group Jerry Allen and his TV Trio.
Roy Edwards, Eula Parker, Boyer and Ravel, The Polka Dots and many surprise guests also contribute to the fun.
An ATV Network Production14.00 Cyril Stapleton and his Orchestra with guest stars from the Commonwealth
Eileen Joyce (Australia), Lynn Seymour (Canada) and Desmond Doyle (South Africa), Adele Leigh (Great Britain), John Hauxvell (New Zealand), Dennis Lotis (South Africa), Jimmy Lloyd (West Indies)
and
The Hendon County Grammar School Choir
An ATV Network Production15.00 Her Majesty The Queen A Christmas Message to the Commonwealth given by Her Majesty The Queen. 15.05 A Girl in Every Port (1952)starring Groucho Marx, Marie Wilson, William Bendix.
When two sailors own twin racehorses and stable them between races on a battleship, almost anything can happen-and does.16.15 Happy Christmas A special programme of seasonal music and song from Ivor Emmanuel and The Pontcanna Children's Choir.
A TWW Network Production16.45 Richard Todd presents extracts from some of the most popular films produced by British studios during the last ten years, and scenes from some of their latest releases.
An Associated-Rediffusion Network Presentation17.30 Educating Archie Archie's Christmas Party starring Peter Brough and Archie Andrews.
Archie invites viewers to join in a Yuletide frolic to meet some of his friends and guests, including Ronald Chesney, Ossie Noble, The Clown Prince and Harold Taylor, The Wizard of Magic.
An Associated-Rediffusion Network Production 18.00 Once Upon a Christmas A Musical Christmas Card
from Mavis Traill, Tony Bateman, James Bree, Hope Jackman, Pauline Innes, Lennie Mayne.
Even if you only have a few pennies in your pocket, a tune to dance to, and a dream in your heart, you may find your wishes coming true.
An Associated-Rediffusion Network Production 18.30 News and Sports Results Sports results and a news bulletin from ITN.
Newscaster Huw Thomas
The Weather Forecast by Associated-Rediffusion prepared by Laurie West.18.45 The Christmas Hour Hughie Green invites viewers to his Christmas Party
to meet
Winifred Atwell, Ray Bennett, David Blair, Joyce Blair, Allen Bruce, Harry Brunning, Fred Borders, Jill Browne, Jean Clarke, Alma Cogan, Tommy Cooper, Julie DeMarco, Plantagenet Somerset Fry, Ray Ellington, Malcolm Goddard, Lind Joyce, McDonald Hobley, Dickie Henderson, Marion Keene, Anthony Kerr, Nadia Nerina, Rex North, Veronica Page, Brian Reece, Joan Rhodes, Ken Wilson, Georgie Wood, The Malcolm Goddard Dancers, The Band of HM Irish Guards.
And a host of other stars to entertain on Christmas Day, including the star viewers voted as The Personality of the Year.
An Associated-Rediffusion Network Production19.45 Emergency-Ward 10 with Charles Tingwell, Frederick Bartman, Barbara Clegg, Jill Browne, Peter Howell.
An ATV Network Production20.15 The Army Game The boys of Hut 29 prepare a party. 20.45 Take Your Pick starring Michael Miles who welcomes viewers to the special Christmas Day edition of his popular quiz programme. The audience and all the competitors are old age pensioners, so why not join in the fun.
Guest artists Shaun Glenville, Billy Danvers
An Associated-Rediffusion Network Presentation21.15 The Macomber Affair (1947)Benedict Bogeaus presents
Gregory Peck, Joan Bennett
in an adaptation from "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber," by Ernest Hemingway.
Also starring Robert Preston.
Francis Macomber and his wife go to a new environment-Africa, hoping to regain the lost happiness of their early married years. The couple go on safari with a white hunter, but Macomber proves himself a coward. His wife turns to the guide-then Macomber, in a moment of great danger, finds the short and happy life of the courageous.
An Associated-Rediffusion Network Presentation22.45 News The latest from the newsroom of ITN.
Newscaster Huw Thomas22.50 The Turn of the Screw Act I by Benjamin Britten.
Libretto by Myfanwy Piper.
The story of the opera is taken from Henry James' famous ghost novel which tells of the conflict between the governess of two children, and the ghosts of a former governess and manservant who tries to get possession of their souls.
Act II will be transmitted Monday, December 28 at 11.2 pm
An Associated-Rediffusion Network Production
[followed by] The Weather Forecast23.45 The Epilogue by The Rev Kenneth Slack, Secretary of the British Council of Churches. Back to the top
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