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 1977 >>


\| LWT \| BBC ONE \| BBC TWO \|

	LWT
	08.45	Christmas Carol Concert
			from Wells Cathedral
	09.45	Cartoon Time
	10.00	Parish Mass for Christmas Day
	11.00	A Merry Morning
	11.45	Cartoon Time
	12.00	Robinson Crusoe and the Tiger (1972)
	14.00	Just William
			William's Worst Christmas
	15.00	The Queen
	15.10	To See Such Fun
	16.40	Emu's Christmas Adventure
	17.40	ITN News
	17.45	The Muppet Show
	18.15 - 18.45	Sale of the Century
	18.40	Stars on Christmas Day
	19.15	Young Winston (1972)
	22.05	ITN News
	22.15	Stanley Baxter's Greatest Hits
	23.30 - 00.30	Celebration
			The Joys of Christmas in Words and Music

	BBC ONE
	01.15	Weather
	08.55	Star Over Bethlehem
			A programme of Christmas music. Seven nations, brought together by that man-made star, the communications satellite, joined in a global celebration. From the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem
	09.55	Playboard
			With the PLAYBOARD PUPPET THEATRE and CHRISTOPHER LILLICRAP Written and directed by JUDY WHITFIELD Producer MICHAEL COLE
	10.10	Michael Bentine
			appeals on behalf of Wells Cathedral At least 11,000,000 is urgently needed to conserve the West Front of Wells Cathedral, which contains the greatest assembly of medieval statues in Europe. Donations, preferably by crossed PO or cheque, to: Michael Bentine, Freepost, [address removed]
	10.15	Christmas Worship
			from All Saints Parish Church, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey Conducted by THE REV JOHN MARTIN Churches of the Central Kingston Partnership join in a Christmas Morning Service which includes the blessing of the crib. O come all ye faithful; Away in a manger: While shepherds watched; A great and mighty wonder; God rest you merry; Hark, the herald angels sing. Director of music DAVID NEILD Producer R. T. BROOKS
	11.13	Weatherman
	11.15	The Bear who Slept Through Christmas
			What is Christmas? Theodore Edward Bear didn't know. He had heard so much about it but had never seen it, and he was very curious. His friends who worked with him in a honey factory didn't know either, but they were tired and ready for their winter sleep. But Ted Bear decided to find Christmas and so, determined, he set off through the woods in search of it. This cartoon film tells of his travels and adventures on his journey to discover Christmas.
	11.40	National Velvet
			A film starring Elizabeth Taylor Mickey Rooney, Donald Crisp Velvet Brown wins a hunter in a raffle and determines to turn him into a champion race-horse with the help of her young friend Mi. A classic story of the open air and the warmth and gentleness of family life in the country. Director CLARENCE BROWN. Films: pp 17-18
	13.40	Are You Being Served?
			by JEREMY LLOYD and DAVID CROFT The Father Christmas Affair A substantial bonus is to be given to the successful candidate for the post of Grace Brothers' Father Christmas. featuring and Dance staged by MICHELE HARDY DirectorRAY butt Producer DAVID CROFT
	14.10	Top of the Pops 77
			Part 1 Noel Edmonds and Kid Jensen introduce a special Christmas Day edition, featuring some of the No 1 records of the year. TOP OF THE POPS ORCHESTRA LEGS AND CO Musical director JOHNNY PEARSON Choreography FLICK COLBY Lighting BILL MILLAR. Sound ALAN MACHIN Designer GRAEME THOMSON Director STANLEY APPEL Producer Robin NASH Part 2 tomorrow at 3.25
	15.00	The Queen
			The Queen speaks to the Commonwealth
	15.10	Billy Smart's Christmas Circus
			International stars from America, Italy, Mexico and Great Britain combine to bring a circus of thrills, excitement and daring from beneath the Big Top. Yasmine Smart introduces The Nicolodis six highly-sprung Italians presenting their own style of acrobatic skills The Jonides rhythm, balance and speed on the unicycles The Di Lellos serving up comedy and music The Circus Elephants the heavyweights of the sawdust ring presented by BILLY WILSON SMART Miss Lisa grace and beauty on the single trapeze Willy Hagenbeck's Horses YASMINE SMART presents eight spirited chestnuts from Hungary Robert Brothers' Tigers CARL FISCHER presents five magnificent beasts from Bengal The Bauers three Americans with their death-defying act on the sway poles The Flying Ramos four supreme artistes on the flying trapeze Commentator RAY MOORE Circus produced by RONNIE, BILLY and DAVID SMART Musical director KEN GRIFFIN Designer ALLAN ANSON Television presentation IAN SMITH
	16.10	The Wizard of Oz (1939)
			The great Christmas classic starring Judy Garland with Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger Bert Lahr, Jack Haley Follow the yellow brick road on a journey to see the Wizard, and on the way meet the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion - all elements in one of the most magical movies of them all, that has cast its spell on succeeding generations of children. Dorothy, a little girl living on a farm in Kansas, dreams of a fairy-tale world ' somewhere over the rainbow '. Then one day a cyclone hits the farm and soon Dorothy finds herself transported to the wonderful land of Oz. Director VICTOR FLEMING. Films: pp 17-18
	17.50	Basil Through the Looking Glass
			starring Basil Brush with Howard Williams and ANNA QUAYLE, TOMMY GODFREY BARRIE GOSNEY, JOHNNY WADE BRIAN HAYES, JOHN MUIRHEAD THE COX TWINS THE NIGEL BROOKS SINGERS Script GEORGE MARTIN Music THE BERT HAYES ORCHESTRA Designer TIM DANN Produced by BRIAN PENDERS BBC Birmingham
	18.20	Evening News
			with Angela Rippon Weather MICHAEL FISH
	18.25	Songs of Praise Special
			Family Carols For Choir and Audience Selections from this year's programme in the Royal Albert Hall. The Bach Choir soloist Michael Leighton Jones with the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble conductor Sir David Willcocks organist RICHARD POPPLEWELL percussion DAVID CORKHILL, JAMES BLADES Introduced by Geoffrey Wheeler Each Christmas for over 30 years the Bach Choir has sung a mixture of traditional carols and new ones, with a packed family audience in the Royal Albert Hall. This year the Choir held a carol competition and the three young winners receive their prizes and hear their carols sung by the Choir. After the interval, DAVID WILLCOCKS invites all the children in the audience to join him on the stage for carols and a quiz - it's a musical Christmas party for children. Presented for television by RAYMOND SHORT
	19.15	Bruce Forsyth and The Generation Game
			A special edition for Christmas Day starring Bruce Forsyth with Anthea Redfern Family couples from all over the country compete in a test of their general knowledge, skill and ingenuity. Orchestra directed by RONNIE HAZLEHURST Programme associates BARRY CRYER, GARRY CHAMBERS Designer PAUL TRERISE Producer ALAN BOYD Executive producer ROBIN NASH
	20.20	Mike Yarwood Christmas Show
			starring Mike Yarwood Special guest stars . Wings PAUL MCCARTNEY LINDA MCCARTNEY DENNY LAINE with Jenny Lee-Wright written by ERIC DAVIDSON and NEIL SHAND Musical director ALAN BRADEN ,. Designer VALERIE WABBKNDER Directed by ALAN BOYD produced by JAMES MOIR
	20.55	Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show
			A star-studded holiday special starring Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise written by EDDIE BRABEN with special guests Penelope Keith Elton John Francis Matthews Angharad Rees Stella Starr and a host of guest celebrities Musical arrangements and orchestra directed by PETER KNIGHT Vocal backing THE MIKE SAMMES SINGERS Designer VICTOR MEREDITH Produced by ERNEST MAXIN
	22.00	News
			with Angela Rippon Weather
	22.05	Funny Girl
			The feature film starring Barbra Streisand Omar Sharif Barbra Streisand sings her irrepressible way from Lower East Side to Broadway, as Fanny Brice - star of the Ziegfeld Follies. Playing the talented ugly-duckling determined to achieve stardom, Barbra Streisand brings her distinctive style to the hit songs: ' Second-hand Rose', Sadie, Sadie', and ' People' and is joined by Omar Sharif (making his musical d6but) in ' You are Woman, I am Man.' Music and lyrics by JULE STYNE and BOB MERRILL Screenplay by ISOBEL LENNART based on her musical play Directed by WILLIAM WYLER

	BBC TWO
	12.45	Sing All Ye Faithful
			A presentation of popular carols sung by local choirs in the chapel of St Mary's College, Strawberry Hill, with Cantanti Camerati of Richmond director GEOFFREY BOWYER The Choirs of St Catherine's School, Twickenham director HEATHER HURRELL The Choir of St Mary's College director DONALD RAY In true folk-song fashion The Chorale sing in the ancient grounds of Strawberry Hill Narrator ANDREW CRUICKSHANK Organist MARTIN EVERETT Musical co-ordinator DONALD RAY Producer DOUGLAS HESPE
	13.30	News Review
			This week we forget the stresses and strains of the news and take a continental holiday with a party of deaf children. Quietly in Switzerland Film editor ANDY STEVENSON Presenter BILL NORTHWOOD
	14.15	The World About Us
			The Predators Narrated by David Attenborough To the early American pioneers, the larger predatory animals - cougar, wolf and bear-were part of the threatening face of the wilderness which surrounded them. Shot and harassed wherever they were encountered, their numbers dwindled as the wild was opened up for settlement. This spectacular film explores the relationship of predators and their prey, showing how both benefit from the struggle for survival. Outstanding footage shot in 25 states follows the trail of hunters and prey, from the grizzlies and bald eagles of Alaska, where spawning salmon provide a bumper food harvest, to the southern marshes of Texas and Louisiana where red wolves and white-tailed deer seek sanctuary in an environment into which man has not yet intruded. Film cameramen MARTY STOUFFER, MARK STOUFFER A STOUFFER PRODUCTIONS film BBCtv presentation by KEENAN SMART Series editors MICHAEL ANDREWS and ANTHONY ISAACS BBC Bristol
	15.00	Alpha Omega
			A prize-winning satirical cartoon which follows the life of a typical 20th-century man from childhood to old age. Created by BRUNO BOZZETTO
	15.10	The Lively Arts - In Performance
			ROBIN RAY introduces Coppelia Choreography by ROLAND PETIT Music by LEO DELIBES Designed by ENZIO FRIGERIO This new version of the familiar story of the doll Coppelia and her sinister creator makes a number of substantial changes in the setting and interpretation of the story. It is danced by Karen Kain as Swanilda Rudy Bryans as Franz Roland Petit as Dr Coppélius with the CORPS DE BALLET OF THE BALLETS DE MARSEILLE and the ORCHESTRA OF THE MARSEILLE OPERA conducted by JACQUES BAZIRE Director DIRK SANDERS Produced for French television
	16.40	In Deepest Britain
			Waders in Winter At high tide this little bay on the south coast is lashed by cold grey waves. But it has another mood. As the waters recede a whole new world of plants and animals is revealed - brent geese which have flown hundreds of miles to winter in the bay, little sanderlings which run like clockwork toys along the water's edge, cord-grass which didn't even exist 100 years ago and now covers acres of mudflats, slipper limpets which change sex as they grow older, and clumps of gorse on the shore line, golden with blossom even in the short days of winter. Today, naturalists Chris Mead and David Streeter look at the bay in both its moods. Film cameramen JIM SAUNDERS, MAURICE TIBBLES Producer DILYS BREESE BBC Bristol
	17.10	Celebration
			A portrait of The Queen's summer Jubilee tour. As the commentators remarked at the time, one really striking feature of this year's Jubilee festival was the spontaneous, almost overwhelming, response by the British people themselves. In villages, towns and cities all over the country they turned out in thousands to welcome the royal visitors. Camera teams from BBCtv News covered dozens of receptions, street parties and displays; this is a pictorial impression of the Jubilee summer when THE QUEEN and her subjects together celebrated a 25-year partnership. Reporter LARRY HARRIS Film editor MARTIN O'COLLINS Producer GORDON CARR
	17.40	The Queen
			The Queen speaks to the Commonwealth
	17.50	Storm Boy
			starring Greg Rowe Peter Cummins David Gulpilil The British PremiÃ¨re of an enchanting film about a small boy, an aborigine and a pelican, which won the Australian Academy Award as Best Picture of the Year. Storm Boy lives with his father in an isolated wilderness on the coast of South Australia. One day, he discovers another human being living among the giant sand dunes -Fingerbone Bill, an aborigine who becomes his friend. Then three young pelicans, whose mother has been shot by hunters, come into Storm Boy's life and one of them becomes a very special friend indeed. and schoolchildren from Port Elliot Primary School Directed by HENRI SAFRAN
	19.15	Thanks for the Memory
			The Viewer's View Every day, in pubs, on buses and at work, people talk about last night's programmes. What do you think about TV? The question is deceivingly simple. What do you switch on, or off? What are your favourite programmes, who are your favourite people? What is your first memory? Thanks for the Memory is based on people's views of television and personal memories from the last 25 years, and illustrated from the BBC's archives. 8.15* Interlude Producer COLIN STRONG This is an edited version of the programme first shown in July.
	21.35	Christmas Past
			Introduced by James Cameron Forty years ago tonight you almost certainly wouldn't have been sitting down to an evening of television shows for Christmas. But you might have been looking forward to an evening of home cinema - and just possibly you might even have been filming yourself a record of your own Christmas at home. Quite a few people did and their home-movies can make the Christmases of the 20s and 30s live again today, with all their tin-plate toys, uncles and aunts, seasonable snowfalls and home-made plum puddings. Christmas Past is followed next Sunday by the first episode of a 13-part weekly series called Caught in Time which is devoted to the work of those pre-war amateur film enthusiasts. Film research KATHLEEN DARBY Film editor KATE RIVERS Executive producer DAVID COLLISON Produced by PAUL JORDAN
	22.05	Country Holiday
			Three Nashville stars - Crystal Gayle, Larry Gatlin and George Hamilton IV get together at The Snape Maltings to sing Country Music Songs especially for the Christmas Holiday, where they are joined by British star Pete Sayers Backings by PEACE AND QUIET, FAMILY AND FRIENDS and THE BILL CLARKE 5 Director RICK GARDNER Producer DOUGLAS HESPE
	22.50	News on 2
			Weather
	22.55	The Big Sleep
			A feature film starring Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall with Martha Vickers, Dorothy Malone Private detective Philip Marlowe, summoned to the home of bed-ridden General Sternwood, learns that one of the General's two daughters is being blackmailed. From the novel by RAYMOND CHANDLER Produced and directed by HOWARD HAWKS
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<< Christmas Day 1977 >>