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.

<< Christmas Day 1960 >>

The front cover of the TV Times this week advertised ITV's all-star Christmas special, 'Alice Through the Looking Box', an alternative version of the Lewis Carroll fantasy.


\| BBC tv \| ATV London \|

	BBC tv
	00.00	Midnight Mass
			The First Communion of Christmas From All Saints', Margaret Street, London O come, all ye faithful (E.H. 28) Kyrie Eleison Gloria in excelsis Collect Epistle: Titus 2. vv. 11-15 While shepherds watched their flocks by night (E.H. 30) Gospel: St. Luke 2, vv. 1-14 Nicene Creed Short Address Offertory Anthem: For unto us a Child is born (Handel) At the Communion: Deck thyself, my soul (E.H. 306) Prayer of Thanksgiving Blessing The Service sung to Schubert in 0 Celebrant. The Rev. K. N. Ross Deacon, The Rev. D. C. VICKERY Sub-Deacon, The Rev. M. C. C. MELVILLE Organist and choirmaster, Michael Fleming See page 5
	01.00	Closedown
	09.29	Headline News
	09.30	On Christmas Day in the Morning
			Christmas songs and carols in Welsh and English, with Osian Ellis, Iona Jones Rowland Jones, Shelley Singers Meredith Edwards telling a story by Gwyn Thomas BBC Welsh Orchestra Conducted by Mansel Thomas Designer, Alan Taylor Produced by ALWYN Jones Directed by Jack Williams From Wales:
	10.00	The Perry Como Music Hall
			starring PERRY COMO in his traditional Christmas programme featuring GINNY TIC KOKOMO, JNB . and a party of young guests The Peter Gennaro Dancers The Ray Charles Singers' The Mitchell Ayres Orchestra Orchestrations by Jack Andrews and Joe Lipman Vocal arrangements and special material by Ray Charles Script byGOODMAN ACE with SELMA DIAMOND, JAY Burton FRANK PEPPIATT and JOHN AYLESWORTH Directed by Dwight Bemion Produced by Nick VANOFF Presented for BBC Television by Yvonne Littlewood Film editor. Richard Barclay NBC recording
	10.45	Christmas Morning Service
			from Sandon Road Methodist Church, Birmingham Joyful and Triumphant The Service conducted by the Minister, the Rev. Lionel Brayton Preacher, the Rev. W. Russell Shearer Chairman of the Birmingham District at the Methodist Church
	11.30	Max Jaffa
			invites you to a Christmas party with The Trios Max Jaffa (violin) Reginald Kilbey (cello) Jack Byfield (piano) * and Beryl Grey Ted and Ursula Darling Peter Rhodes (boy soprano) The Linden Singers Directed by Ian Humphris Produced by Christian SIMPSON
	12.05	The Adventures of Hiram Holliday
			A film comedy series starring WALLY COX In Vanishing House While his friend Joel is busy eating eclairs in Paris, Hiram tries to interest a gendarme in the antics of a Punch and Judy show.
	12.30	Sing We Now of Christmas!
			Carols for Christmas Day sung by the Orpington Junior Singers Conductor, Sheila Mossman Produced by Christian SIMPSON
	13.00	The Queen
			Her Majesty's recorded Christmas Message to the Commonwealth
	13.09	The George Mitchell Glee Club
			sing a parade of popular Christmas songs from medieval to modem times featuring John Boulter Mary Brown Tony Mercer Maryetta Midgelcy John O'Neill Accompanied by Tot DENNIS WILSON QUARTER Organist, Leon Young Choral settings by GEORGE MITCHELL Designer, Stanley Dorfman Producer. DENNIS Main WILSON
	13.44	Wells Fargo
			The exciting adventures of the Western Stagecoach Service starring DALE ROBERTSON In Dead Man's Street Paradise is not the place to expect trouble, but Jim finds it there, and stops to help his old friend the Marshal get the town back to a state which better suits its name.
	14.09	Walt Disney
			The story of a man who has become a legend Told by David Jacobs who introduces Walt Disney at his Hollywood studios and artists from his pictures with scenes from: Steamboat WiUie Hawaiian Holiday Snow White aad the Seven Dwarfs Fantasia Dumbo Lady and the Tramp Sleeping Beauty The Living Desert Robin Hood Davy Crockett One Hundred and One Dalmatians Jangle Cat The Parent Trap Pollyanna Greyfriars Bobby Swiss Family Robinson Films by courtesy of Walt Disney Productions Film editor. Geoffrey Botterill Produced for television by Richard Evans
	15.25	Appeal
			on behalf of British Wireless for the Blind Fund (Registered in accordance with the National Assistance Act. 1948) by Colonel M. P. Ansell, C.B.E., D.S.O. The blind Chairman of the British Show Jumping Association Contributions (by crossed postal order or cheque) will be gratefully acknowledged and should be sent to: [address removed]
	15.30	Billy Smart's Circus
			presents Stars from the rings of the world in Super Circus A special performance from the vast ' Big Top' of this great British Circus The Grand Parade Introduced by David Smart The Five Katyanas Glamour defies gravity Bitty Smart, Jnr. presents his elephants in the ' big beat' number with The ' Digger' Pngh Girls Birma The 4-ton star tn her ' walk of death Continued in next colums The Boors Up a ladder on a perob Volcano Breathing fire The Trio Korens Six feet make music Les Idallys Cycling on the ceiling Les French Musical clowns with the boxing robot The Biros Fantastic foot jugglers The Gilberts Ride for their lives The Flying Lunasz Mid-air madness Also appearing: BARRY SLOAN. KENNY BAKER, Coco THE CHIMP, FRANK HARTY. HARRY SLOAN and Family, and REBECCA SMART The GEORGE MITCHELL Singers Musical director, Bernie Weller Ringmaster. Alfred Delbosq Circus presentation. RONNIE SMART AND DAVID SMART Television production, DEREK BURRELL-DAVIS Billy Smart's Circus is now In winter quarters at Winkfleld Zoo near Windsor
	16.30	What's My Line?
			from Hammersmith Hospital, London Chairman, Eamonn Andrews Panel: Isobel Barnett Barbara Kelly Cyril Fletcher Lord Boothby and a mystery guest celebrity Research by Julia Cave Directed by Richard Evans Produced by JOHN WARRINGTON Devised by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman Televised by arrangement with CBS and Maurice Winnick
	17.00	Tonight with Belafonte
			A new filmed programme of music and song starring the great entertainer HARRY BELAFONTE and his Company with Ode- ta Sonny Terry (harmonica) Brownie Mcghee (guitar) Direc'or, Norman Jewison Mjsical director, Robert Corman Choreography, Walter Nicks Producer. GEORGE Charles
	17.50	The News
			and THEWEATHEM
	18.00	Christmas Night with the Stars
			A specially recorded programme featuring your favourite light entertainment artists Introduced by DAVID NIXON Cast in order of appearance: THE BLACK AND WHITE MINSTRELS starrins; The Mitchell Minstrels The Television Toppers Dance direction by Larry Gordon Vocal arrangements: George Mitchell Musical arrangements: Alan Bristow and Ray Terry Directed by George Inns SID JAMES with Bill Kerr, Liz Fraser Sydney Tafler Script: RAY GALTOxand Alan SIMPSON Directed by Philip Barker NINA AND FREDERIK Directed by Bryan Sears HAKRY WORTH with Deryck Guyler, Hugh Lloyd George Roderick Script: LEW SCHWARZ Directed by Dennis Main-Wilson KENNETH McKELLAB with The Showtime Dancers Directed by Graeme Muir DAVID NIXON and ROBERT HARBIN Musical arrangement: Peter Knight Directed by Graeme Muir STANLEY BAXTER and BETTY MARSDEN Script: RICHARD WARING Directed by James Gilbert JOAN BEGAN Musical arrangements: Eric Cook Directed by John Street JIMMY EDWARDS ; with Arthur Howard Cyril Fletcher, Pip Hinton Eric Robinson. John Vyvyan Chan Canasta, David Nixon Script: FRANK MUIR and Denis NORDEN Directed by Eric Fawcett The Showtime Dancers The George Mitchell Singers Dance direction by Sheila Holt and Tom Gillis Musical arrangements: Alan Bristow Directed by Graeme Muir Continuity written by David Climie and David Whitaker The Orchestra Leader. David McCallum Conducted by Eric Robinson Edited by Len Trumm Produced by GRAEME MUIR See page 13
	19.15	The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)
			starring RONALD COLMAN MADELEINE CARROLL DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS. JNR DAVID NIVEN From the novel by Anthony Hope Directed by John Cromwell Produced by David 0. Selznick
	20.50	The Sunday-night Play
			presents FAY COMPTON FREDERICK BARTMAN VIVIENNE MARTIN PATSY ROWLANDS in Tuppence in the Gods by MICHAEL VOYSEY Cast in order of appearance: Music directed and arranged by James Turner Musical numbers staged by Denny Bettis THE GEORGE MITCHELL Singers Film cameraman, Peter Hamilton Film editor, Agnes Evan Designer. Barry Learoyd Produced by CHLOE GIBSON Sarah Victoria has built and created the Hoxton Music Hall, beloved by performers and public alike. Now an old woman, it is in her granddaughter, Fanny, that she sees its glory continuing. Family jealousies and a new invention threaten everything she has created
	22.20	Christmas at Dean's Yard
			Ludovic Kennedy visits THE DEAN OF WESTMINSTER at his historic house with its private access to the Abbey Carols sung by The Abbey Choir Organist and Master of the Choristers, Sir William McKie Photographed by A. A. Englander, F.R.P.S. Sound recordist, Michael Colomb Editor. John Nash Produced by OLIVER HUNKIN BBC film
	22.40	Late Night News
	22.45	Celebrity Recital
			Fou Ts'ong plays Presented by Arthur Langford
	23.05	Weather and Close Down

	ATV London
	11.00	Christmas Communion
			from Liverpool Cathedral. The Lord Bishop of Liverpool The Rt Rev C.A. Martin, DD will preside and preach. Assisted by The Dean of Liverpool The Very Rev F.W. Dillistone, DD The Dean of Christchurch, New Zealand The Very Rev Martin Sullivan MA Canon R.B. Parker, MA Canon F.A. Redwood, MA An ABC Television Network Presentation
	12.15	The Sunday Break
			Neville Barker introduces A Christmas Reunion of Film Report personalities who describe the way Christmas is spent in their surroundings. The Rev David Shepperd, Warden of the Mayflower Community Centre in the East End of London C.A. Joyce, Headmaster of the Cotswold Approved School for Boys The Rev and Mrs James Currie of the Parish of Pollok, Glasgow The Rev John Jardine, a Church of Scotland Minister of the Iona Community And news from the Assumption Convent, near Manchester. Elizabeth Laurie sings carols with The Sunday Break Songsters Accompanied by The Dick Williams' Band And a cartoon film featuring the vibraphone. An ABC Television Network Production
	13.00	A Round Dozen
			starring Brian Aherne as Mortimer Ellis. Crane Douglas, a writer, chooses a charming little inn wherein he can rest for a while. There he meets John Smith, a seedy-looking man, obviously not using his real name, who describes himself to Douglas as a bigamist with 11 wives-now looking for a twelfth.
	13.25	Home for a While
			Jo Douglas talks to members of the Armed Forces overseas, and brings their record requests and Christmas wishes to the families at home. Shaw Taylor, introduces the artists, who include Max Bygraves, Lonnie Donegan, Beverley Sisters, Ronnie Carroll, Chris Barber's Jazz Band featuring Ottilie Patterson, Cooper and James and members of the Armed Forces overseas. An ATV Network Production
	15.00	Her Majesty The Queen
			A Christmas Message to the Commonwealth given by Her Majesty the Queen.
	15.10	Grand Christmas Circus
			from the Kelvin Hall, Glasgow. Knie's Twelve Polish Arabian Horses Trained by Sacha Houcke. The Hassani Troupe Arab tumblers The Myrons Australia's sensational foot balancers The Three Johns Trampoloonies Five Jumbo Juniors from Burma. Trained by Bobby Robert. The Enders Brothers with their perilous somersault leap from horse to horse Rudi Jean and Company Krazy Komedy Kapers Knie's Amusing Chimpanzees Trained by Dudi Smith. Susan Serene the girl on the high trapeze The Berosini Family Foot-juggling wizards Comedy interludes by Frank Harty, Sammy Morris, Barry Sloan Ringmaster A.R. Delbosq An ATV Network Presentation
	16.05	Sleeping Beauty
			The old, well-loved story told in a new way with scenes from Gerald Palmer's Ice Pantomime Spectacular at Brighton Palladium. The star-studded cast includes Dawn West as Princess Beauty, Valerie Moon as The Prince, George Stevens as The Queen, Jock McConnell as The King, John Lewery as The Chamberlain, Jacqueline Ward as The Good Fairy, David Mills as The Wicked Witch Skating Chorus of Glamouricers Ice Squires Specialities by Kaye Sisters, La Dolyna, Janeck An ATV and Southern Television Network Production
	16.55	Pathfinders to Mars
			Episode 3: The Hostage
			by Malcolm Hulke and Eric Paice. Starring George Coulouris, Gerald Flood. The Impostor, Harcourt Brown, having taken control of the moon rocket, holds Margaret hostage as he heads for Mars. What can Conway Henderson do to foil this crazy plan? An ABC Television Network Production
	17.25	Seeing is Disbelieving
			says David Berglas as he entertains and mystifies some of his friends at his Christmas party. An ATV Network Production
	17.45	News from ITN
	17.55	Alice Through the Looking Box
			Written for television by Sid Colin and Jimmy Grafton. starring Jeannie Carson in A Christmas Fantasy With Spike Milligan as The White Rabbit And stars of television Bernard Bresslaw, Dora Bryan, Ronnie Corbett, Fanny Cradock, David Ensor, David Hughes, Joe (Mr Piano) Henderson, David Kossoff, Simon Kester, Adele Leigh, Michael Medwin, Glenn Melvyn and Danny Ross, Bob Monkhouse, Pete Murray, Ron Moody, Donald Pleasence, Jackie Rae and Janette Scott, Harry Secombe, Joan Sims, Mike and Bernie Winters, Marty Wilde and The Vernons Girls John Bentley as Inspector Paul Derek of African Patrol Donald Gray as Mark Saber Ian Hendry as Dr Geoffrey Brant of Police Surgeon Conrad Phillips as William Tell Bob Sharples and his Music An ABC Television Network Production
	19.25	News
			The latest from the newsroom of ITN.
	19.30	Danger Man
			The Nurse
			starring Patrick McGoohan as John Drake. A dramatic meeting with a pretty Scots nurse in the heart of the Arabian desert plunges John Drake into one of the most perilous adventures of his career and enables him to help the girl save a dynasty. An ATV Film Production
	20.00	The Tommy Steele Show
			starring Tommy Steele and Peggy Mount Also starring Bernard Cribbins, April Olrich, Graham Crowden Guest Stars Dick Bentley and Anton Diffring, The Cliff Adams Singers The Pamela Devis Dancers, Jack Parnell and his Orchestra An ATV Network Production
	21.00	News from ITN
	21.05	Armchair Theatre presents
			The Great Gold Bullion Robbery
			by Malcolm Hulke and Eric Paice. from a play by Gerald Sparrow. Starring Donald Wolfit, James Booth Also starring Douglas Wilmer, Colin Blakely An exciting reconstruction of the first and most famous British railway robbery, when a small but daring gang raided the Continental mail train from London in 1855. An ABC Television Network Production
	22.10	Maverick
			The Marquesa
			starring Jack Kelly. Bart Maverick travels to Santa Leora to claim The Lucky Lady saloon after winning it in a poker game. But his ownership is disputed on his arrival by a beautiful woman and some of her shady companions.
	23.05	Roll Back the Carpet and Dance
			to Cyril Stapleton and his Orchestra. With June Marlow, The Raindrops, Harry Smith-Hampshire and Doreen Casey. An ATV Network Production
	23.35	Christmas in the Holy Land
			The Holy Land in 1960 looks and lives, in many ways, just as it did when Jesus Christ was born. The Very Rev George MacLeod MC DD (Queen's Chaplain and former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland) introduces vivid film of the Holy Land as it is today, and traces the Christmas story through its real-life backgrounds. Narrated by Michael Redgrave. An ABC/ATV Network Production Close-down
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<< Christmas Day 1960 >>