Forgotten Christmas specials/movies

[Jeep's Phoenix]

Originally Posted by crowmanyclouds

The Cinnamon Bear

The Rankin-Bass production of L. Frank Baum's The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus?
IMHO the best non-Christian Christmas story.

CMC

That's definitely the plot, but I don't remember it being stop-action. Looks like ABC Family is airing it on the 18th...I'll be setting the DVR.

[Jim's Son]

"Dragnet" first on radio in 1949 and then on television in 1952 had an episode called "A Gun for Christmas" where a child was killed by a gun he got for Christmas. The NRA howled but Jack Webb and the LAPD threatened to broadcast a dozen similar stories. The NRA backed down and instead asked for copies for its members to learn about the consequences of unsupervised kids with guns.

http://archive.org/details/Dragnet_A_Gun_For_Christmas

[Scumpup]

Originally Posted by Jim's Son

The NRA howled but Jack Webb and the LAPD threatened to broadcast a dozen similar stories. The NRA backed down and instead asked for copies for its members to learn about the consequences of unsupervised kids with guns.

http://archive.org/details/Dragnet_A_Gun_For_Christmas

I doubt it. At that time the NRA was not the political organization it would later become and didn't react to TV or movies the way it does today. It was an organization dedicated to gun safety and marksmanship. Further, in those days when VCR's, DVD players and such were all still the stuff of science fiction, in what format did the NRA supposedly supply copies of the episode to their members?

[installLSC]

Originally Posted by That Don Guy

Barbara Mandrell had a Christmas special that ran twice on CBS; I think the only part of it that's available on YouTube is the part where Irlene saws Barbara and Louise in half.

Because nothing says Christmas like dismembering your siblings.

[MacCat]

Originally Posted by ralph124c

a long forgotten movie, starring Lloyd Bridges -"Silent Night, Lonely Night"

I did see it back then, and probably only then. Very deep in the recesses, your post jogged the thought I liked the movie, and when I checked on IMDB, I remember rooting for the people, 43 years ago

Watching Harry and Tonto the other night reminded me of the Twilight Zone Christmas episode, Night Of The Meek also starring Art Carney. Not everyone's cup of tea, I'm sure.

[Hottius Maximus]

Several come to mind:

"The Christmas That Almost Wasn't" where mean old Mr. Prune (Rossano Brazzi perhaps?) owns the North Pole and threatens to foreclose the mortgage on Santa's Castle. I remember this used to come out on weekend kiddie matinees every year.

"Santa Claus & The Three Bears" a feature length cartoon, also broadcast in kiddie matinees during the season.

I guess I'll throw in "Littlest Angel" with Johnny Whittaker, "Santa Claus" where he helps a young girl battle the wicked demon Pitch; "The Magic Christmas Tree" and of course the musical version of "Scrooge" starring Albert Finney (although it always bothered me that on network television the best scene in the movie with Scrooge and Marley in Hell is always cut)! Most of these are cheap low-budget foreign films, but there's still a charm about them when seen in an old one screen movie theater with sticky floors and enjoying hot salty popcorn covered in buttery flavored grease while washing it all down with a high-calorie soft drink.

Ahh, 70s memories...

[Hermione]

Originally Posted by Hottius Maximus

Several come to mind:

"The Christmas That Almost Wasn't" where mean old Mr. Prune (Rossano Brazzi perhaps?) owns the North Pole and threatens to foreclose the mortgage on Santa's Castle. I remember this used to come out on weekend kiddie matinees every year.

I remember that on HBO. Very cheesy but quite charming in its way! I'd like to see Rifftrax tackle that one. Or even someone to do a homemade riffing (several of those are for sale on Rifftrax).

and of course the musical version of "Scrooge" starring Albert Finney (although it always bothered me that on network television the best scene in the movie with Scrooge and Marley in Hell is always cut)!

I agree with that one, but I kind of think the hell scene (which I never saw until I rented the VHS) was kind of over-egging the pudding. I mean, we saw the consequences of Scrooge's life both on earth and in what Marley suffered, so why go that far? Besides, I liked the more subtle version of hell that Dickens implied--not fire or brimstone, but "incessant torture of remorse."

Which reminds me--I never did see it all the way through, but An American Christmas Carol with Henry Winkler updated the story to Depression-era New England, and from what I understand did a rather good job of it. Its Marley analogue said something along the lines of what I just described: "Hell isn't brimstone or pitchforks...it's living with all of your mistakes, all of the time, forever." So there's another one that could use more love. (And another one which ABC Family used to show in the old days instead of Santa Paws.)

(Oh, and this version and the aforementioned Scrooge are the only two live-action versions I can think of where the same actor plays old and young Scrooge--thanks to the most convincing age makeup I've ever seen.)

There are also a couple different filmed versions of Truman Capote's wonderful story A Christmas Memory. The older of the two had Capote's narration--unfortunately. I say "unfortunately" because although his writing is superb his voice is enough to make me want to drive nails into my eardrums.

And I've never seen this one at all (except for the one scene that's on YouTube), but Denholm Elliott, Marcus Brody himself, starred in and narrated a TV movie of Dylan Thomas' wonderful book A Child's Christmas In Wales. (A story which, in itself, deserves more recognition and love.)

[salinqmind]

"The Santa Suit" from 2010, featuring Kevin Sorbo as the 'evil' CEO of a toy company. Seen by viewers as a Scrooge-like business man in a suit, but through mystical mumbo jumbo is seen by people in movie as 'Santa Claus'. Learns true meaning of giving, spirit of Christmas, mends his ways, etc.... It's surprisingly watchable, not bad at all, and it has Kevin Sorbo!

[Earl Snake-Hips Tucker]

J.T. (1969), about a ghetto kid who wants to keep a cat for a pet.

[Hermione]

Originally Posted by Uncle Jocko

Straight play. Our set was awesome - we had a bridge span soaring over a corner of the stage for the "contemplating suicide" scene. I didn't know there was a musical version ... Joe Raposo, you say?

Yup. It's simply called A Wonderful Life. It never made Broadway because of some sort of rights flap over the original short story IAWL was based on, but it's made the rounds of smaller theatres and I saw it a couple years ago at a local community theatre--and liked it a lot. I also understand it had a concert version with Brian Stokes Mitchell, baritone god. I don't think it ever had a cast album, though.

The adaptation's good and (not to sound as though I'm spitting on a classic) actually improves on the movie in one or two ways. For example, Harry's rescue (which isn't depicted, only described) wasn't a near-drowning in an icy river--George pushed him out of the way of a speeding truck, ending up with a steel plate that impaired his hearing in the one ear. Which very neatly sidesteps the plot hole of "why would Harry have been sledding that day if there were no big brother to tag along with?"

I also liked the fact that after Harry returned to Bedford Falls with a new wife and a job offer, George actually called him out on how he flat-out WELSHED on his promise to take over the Building and Loan. (Look, you weasel, you wouldn't even be ALIVE if not for George! Which the show's Harry acknowledged as well.) And Harry was allowed to present his side. ("Things have changed, George--I've changed. This is a dead end and if you had any sense you'd get out of it!")

Also, the suicide attempt wasn't a bridge but a train track. This was probably logistical--few stage plays short of Les Mis could depict a bridge jump--but also a very nice callback to George's wish that a train would one day take him out of Bedford Falls.

[Ms Boods]

No one ever knows what I'm talking about when I mention Bernard and the Genie.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bernard-Geni...4892537&sr=8-2

Remember, Say the words "I wish" with the caution you would normally reserve for "Please castrate me."

[Max Torque]

Oh yeah, another one came to me: A Christmas Memory, the 1967 version narrated by Truman Capote. Basically just a sweet tale of an eccentric woman and a young boy, who can't afford anything more as Christmas presents but fruitcakes, so every year they gather the nuts, save pennies to buy flour and whiskey, and bake the cakes.

[Scumpup]

The Three Little Dwarfs.

[Doug K.]

One I had forgotten about until I saw it mentioned in a Cracked article just last night:

Rich Little's Christmas Carol

[Casey1505]

I've noticed that for the last couple years, ABCFamily will show The Santa Clause and The Santa Clause 3, often back to back in marathon. The Santa Clause 2 is never included. Are they trying to make us forget it?

[astorian]

Originally Posted by Rahne McCloud

John Denver & The Muppets: A Christmas Together. I have the cd and I remembering watching it in the 70's.

The special is forgotten, but their rendition of "The 12 Days of Christmas" still gets played a lot this time of year.

I still love Beaker's part!

[astorian]

Originally Posted by Hottius Maximus

Several come to mind:

"The Christmas That Almost Wasn't" where mean old Mr. Prune (Rossano Brazzi perhaps?) owns the North Pole and threatens to foreclose the mortgage on Santa's Castle. I remember this used to come out on weekend kiddie matinees every year.

"Santa Claus & The Three Bears" a feature length cartoon, also broadcast in kiddie matinees during the season.

I guess I'll throw in "Littlest Angel" with Johnny Whittaker, "Santa Claus" where he helps a young girl battle the wicked demon Pitch; "The Magic Christmas Tree" and of course the musical version of "Scrooge" starring Albert Finney (although it always bothered me that on network television the best scene in the movie with Scrooge and Marley in Hell is always cut)! Most of these are cheap low-budget foreign films, but there's still a charm about them when seen in an old one screen movie theater with sticky floors and enjoying hot salty popcorn covered in buttery flavored grease while washing it all down with a high-calorie soft drink.

Ahh, 70s memories...

Older than that- mid Sixties!

When I was 5, I used to watch Paul Tripp as host of some kiddie TV show in New York. He was the writer and star of The Christmas That Almost Wasn't. I saw the commercials for it, and got my parents to take me to it. It was AWFUL! So bad, even a 5 year old couldn't appreciate it. Worse yet, apart from Paul Tripp, the entire cast was Italian, and their lines were all dubbed in badly later.

I also remember The Littlest Angel. Incredibly cheesy, but I remember liking the number by the philosopher Democritus (played by Tony Randall). He has died and gone to Heaven, but his strictly logical philosophy leads him to conclude that he is merely dreaming, and he sings a song about how much he'll miss the angels he's meeting when he finally wakes up.

[Jim's Son]

Originally Posted by Scumpup

I doubt it. At that time the NRA was not the political organization it would later become and didn't react to TV or movies the way it does to day. It was an organization dedicated to gun safety and marksmanship. Further, in those days when VCR's, DVD players and such were all still the stuff of science fiction, in what format did the NRA supposedly supply copies of the episode to their members?

The quote from the book "My Name's Friday: the unauthorized but true story of Dragnet and the films of Jack Webb" by Michael J Hayde in dealing with the 1952 telecast. "This time, the NRA chose not to fight City Hall. Instead, they asked for a print of the show to use as an educational tool,as part of a program to encourage parents to teach their children the proper way to handle firearms. Webb obliged". it appears about 15% into the kindle edition.
There were actually ways to distribute filmed material before VHS and DVD.

[Scumpup]

Originally Posted by Jim's Son

The quote from the book "My Name's Friday: the unauthorized but true story of Dragnet and the films of Jack Webb" by Michael J Hayde in dealing with the 1952 telecast. "This time, the NRA chose not to fight City Hall. Instead, they asked for a print of the show to use as an educational tool,as part of a program to encourage parents to teach their children the proper way to handle firearms. Webb obliged". it appears about 15% into the kindle edition.
There were actually ways to distribute filmed material before VHS and DVD.

I'm still not buying it. The whole story is so grossly "out of character" for the NRA of that time period that it sounds to me like somebody's fantasy. I'll email somebody at the NRA when I get a chance and see what they have to say about it. I'm not going to hijack this thread any further.

[Hottius Maximus]

I believe that this was a television movie but I don't recall the title of it. It was a mostly black cast, and a boy of about 10 befriends a stray cat. I believe that Grandma is in a rocking chair and she asks: "What do you want for Christmas, Child?" He replies "A cat."

If I'm not mistaken, at one point he's feeding the cat and eats some of what he's feeding the cat. Does anybody know the title or even remember this one?

[Hottius Maximus]

I also forgot: "The House Without A Christmas Tree" starring (I think William Windom and Lisa Lucas).

[Doug K.]

Originally Posted by Jim's Son

The quote from the book "My Name's Friday: the unauthorized but true story of Dragnet and the films of Jack Webb" by Michael J Hayde in dealing with the 1952 telecast. "This time, the NRA chose not to fight City Hall. Instead, they asked for a print of the show to use as an educational tool,as part of a program to encourage parents to teach their children the proper way to handle firearms. Webb obliged". it appears about 15% into the kindle edition.
There were actually ways to distribute filmed material before VHS and DVD.

Before VCRs and DVDs shows were distributed on 16mm film and shown with projectors.

[jsc1953]

Originally Posted by CalMeacham

The Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer that's not well-known is the Max Fleischer-directed 1948 color cartoon based on the original book by May:

http://video.search.yahoo.com/video/...1a6shfd4&&tt=b

The Rifftrax Live folks did this one a few years ago...Santa's line at the 5:47 mark ("Rudolph...I need you" while sitting at the foot of his bed) drew the largest laugh I think I've ever heard from any viewing audience.

[jsc1953]

Originally Posted by CalMeacham

The one I like best is the first made-for-TV Christmas Cartoon*, Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol. I've got it on VHS and DVD, so I can watch it every year. It still shows up occasionally on TV, but it's not vetry commonly shown.



Good UPA animation, and songs by Broadway songwriters Jule Styne (Gypsy, Funny Gitl, Sugar ,and others) and Bob Merrill (Sugar, Hello Dolly and 1950s novelty tunes). Surprisingly faithful (right down to including the dismissive "Walk---er!" near the end). With the voices of Jim Backus, a surprisingly amiable Jack Cassidy, an underused Morey Amsterdam, and the great Paul Frees.

I've heard that Styne and Merrill wrote "People" for Mr Magoo but it didn't make the cut, so they threw it into their next show: Funny Girl. It makes more sense, plot-wise, in Mr. Magoo.

And another vote for Will Vinton's Claymation Christmas.

[Earl Snake-Hips Tucker]

Originally Posted by Hottius Maximus

I believe that this was a television movie but I don't recall the title of it. It was a mostly black cast, and a boy of about 10 befriends a stray cat. I believe that Grandma is in a rocking chair and she asks: "What do you want for Christmas, Child?" He replies "A cat."

If I'm not mistaken, at one point he's feeding the cat and eats some of what he's feeding the cat. Does anybody know the title or even remember this one?

Sounds vaguely familiar. . . .

[CalMeacham]

Originally Posted by jsc1953

I've heard that Styne and Merrill wrote "People" for Mr Magoo but it didn't make the cut, so they threw it into their next show: Funny Girl. It makes more sense, plot-wise, in Mr. Magoo.

And another vote for Will Vinton's Claymation Christmas.

I've heard this story, too, but the general consensus is that it's not true.

[Push You Down]

I remember watching this tv movie as a kid, "The Three Kings" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094136/


It's about three mental patients who escape and steal costumes and live camels from a Natvity scene and travel through Los Angeles. I don't remember much else about it.

[MegaBee]

Originally Posted by Earl Snake-Hips Tucker

J.T. (1969), about a ghetto kid who wants to keep a cat for a pet.

I forgot that was an Xmas movie!

[Kieran]

I remember one Christmas special that was made along time ago and was played on Teletoon about a Bear who was angry at Santa or something and so he used witch craft to put Santa to sleep. I don't remember the name of the film but I remember it being pretty good. If anyone on her remembers it could you please tell me? been dying to see it again.

[tdn]

Originally Posted by Panthan

The Littlest Angel. I think it was Johnny Whitaker.

And Fred Gwynn.

Anyone remember one called The House without a Christmas Tree? It was about a poor girl who lived with her grumpy father. All she wanted for Christmas was a tree, and he wouldn't get her one.

[neofishboy]

I loved "A Cosmic Christmas" from 1977. Three aliens arrive on Earth searching for the meaning of a cosmic event two thousand years ago which turns out to have been the Bethlehem star. Cool, kind of low-rent Ralph Bakshi style animation and actually fairly touching ... to an eight-year-old anyway. I'm pretty sure they only showed it for three or four years, then it vanished.

http://www.bcdb.com/bcdb/cartoon.cgi?film=54747

[kath94]

Originally Posted by thirdwarning

Mac Davis did a Christmas special one year, at least part of which centered around a time in the future when the official holiday was known as Commerce Day and celebrating Christmas was forbidden. I remember a scene where people were hiding in one room in somebody's house, singing Christmas carols and police or somebody broke in, but that's about all.
Somewhere in the late seventies, early eighties, maybe?

That sounded so bizarre that I had to look it up. "A Mac Davis Special: A Christmas Odyssey - 2010." I'm two years too late!

Originally Posted by Panthan

The Littlest Angel. I think it was Johnny Whitaker.

I remember that! I guess that means I'm old. Anybody else remember the family gathing to watch the King Family every year?

Originally Posted by Ms Boods

No one ever knows what I'm talking about when I mention Bernard and the Genie.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bernard-Geni...4892537&sr=8-2

Remember, Say the words "I wish" with the caution you would normally reserve for "Please castrate me."

LOVE it! That was my introduction to Lenny Henry. My husband is British, from Brum, and couldn't believe that I'd never heard of 'im. Now, of course, I've been to restaurants on the Ladypool Road with autographed photos of Henry on the walls.

[Infovore]

A few I remember that I haven't seen around lately:

1. "Santa and the Three Bears," an animated movie about three bears at Yellowstone Park and the ranger who helps them celebrate Christmas (the cubs want to skip hibernation so they can see Santa). Cute and sweet.

2. "Christmas on Division Street," from 1991, with Hume Cronyn and Fred Savage. Only ever saw it once, but I remember liking it.

3. "J. T.": Not sure I'd call this a "favorite,"--I saw it when I was a little kid in the 70s and it traumatized me. Found it again on Christmas Day in 1992 and, while it didn't traumatize me this time, it still made me sad. I know it has a happy ending, but with my trigger about beloved pets (especially cats) being killed, this one is hard for me to watch. Youtube here.

[Baker]

Well, it was never made, but right here on the Dope we had "Little Timmy Cthulhu's Christmas Miracle!"

http://www.teemings.net/extras/humor/fenris16.html

[Ms Boods]

Originally Posted by kath94

LOVE it! That was my introduction to Lenny Henry. My husband is British, from Brum, and couldn't believe that I'd never heard of 'im. Now, of course, I've been to restaurants on the Ladypool Road with autographed photos of Henry on the walls.

Yay! That was the first time I'd seen both Lenny Henry or Alan Cumming in anything; I'd tuned in because I was a Blackadder fan and wanted to see Rowan Atkinson. I think I saw it originally on A & E in the early 1990s (filled with adverts) and was well pleased when it came out on VHS. Due to various legal reasons it's never been (officially) released on VHS or DVD over here in the UK.

Bugger ye off.

Yours, in crayon,

ms boods

[FriarTed]

I knew of It's A Wonderful Life but I don't recall ever seeing it before I saw I Happened One Christmas, which I loved & wish it would get released on DVD.

The Littlest Angel with Johnny Whittaker & Fred Gwynn was always a favorite & I think that came out on DVD a couple of years ago in a pack with other Christmas specials.

My offering to this- Dickens' A Christmas Carol with Alistair Sim.

No! Not the famous 1951 movie! The 1971 animated version produced by Richard Williams & Chuck Jones & voiced by Sim. Based on the old illustrations, it's every bit as dark & creepy as the book, which legend is what led ABC to take it out of rotation- parental complaints about it being too scary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iN6IMZFwY50

[panache45]

When I was a kid back in the '50s, they showed Menotti's opera "Amahl and the Night Visitors" every holiday season. The only things I remember are the kid who walked with a crutch and his mother, who looked like my great aunt.

[Lute Skywatcher]

Originally Posted by CalMeacham

The one I like best is the first made-for-TV Christmas Cartoon*, Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol. I've got it on VHS and DVD, so I can watch it every year. It still shows up occasionally on TV, but it's not vetry commonly shown.

Netflix has it.

[Don Draper]

Anyone remember the Halloween special Witches' Night Out with Gilda Radner as the voice of the witch? Well, if you do - I swear I saw a sequel cartoon about the same characters (except not the witch) at Christmas time. It was called "Gift of Snow" or something like that. Anyway, it had to do with the 'invention' of snow. Everybody in town is mad about something or other (I forget what), and a bunch of the characters set out to visit "Father Christmas." When snow comes down from the sky for the very first time, someone asks "What is all this white stuff? Do you know what it's called?" And Father Christmas answers no, but with a lisp so it comes out like "S'nooo."

I have only the haziest memory of it, can't locate anything about it on IMDB.com, but it came out in the late 70s - possibly even before "Witches' Night Out." Anyone remember it?

[Ranchoth]

Originally Posted by crowmanyclouds

The Rankin-Bass production of L. Frank Baum's The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus?
IMHO the best non-Christian Christmas story.

CMC

...and the only one I can remember that has Samurai in it.

• Santabear's High-Flying Adventure (Starring John Malkovich as Santa)(!)
• Ralph Bakshi's Christmas in Tattertown.
• The Forgotten Toys.

[Eugene of Sandwich]

As mentioned, I wondered for many years "Whatever happened to Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol?" Sadly over time I've forgotten about it. It never gets shown.

[bup]

Originally Posted by Eugene of Sandwich

As mentioned, I wondered for many years "Whatever happened to Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol?" Sadly over time I've forgotten about it. It never gets shown.

Me-TV is showing it at 9pm on Christmas Eve.


He-Man and She-ra save Christmas earlier in the day - at 6 pm. I would say that one's forgotten, but in order to be forgotten it had to earlier be in memory.

[Lute Skywatcher]

Originally Posted by Eugene of Sandwich

As mentioned, I wondered for many years "Whatever happened to Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol?" Sadly over time I've forgotten about it. It never gets shown.

Do you have Netflix?

[joebuck20]

Originally Posted by Uncle Jocko

On topic, before the advent of DVRs and DVDs, I used to record TV Christmas specials on VHS so our kids could watch them whenever they wanted. One of the ones we taped was the Claymation Christmas special featuring the California Raisins. That has some really, really fun moments (my personal favorite is the walrus skating dance, with the penguins getting in the way). You don't see that one on TV any more, I don't think.

I remember watching that back when I was in elementary school. Don't think I've seen it since.

Anyway, does anyone remember an ALF Christmas special back in the day - not a regular episode but an actual special? I seem to remember it involved him helping out some sick kids. I very vaguely recall seeing it years ago when my family and I were vacationing in Mexico for the holidays, but I haven't been able to find out anything about it since.

[Student Driver]

I have a DVD from the Museum of Broadcast Communications containing three shorts that were annual traditions on WGN's The Bozo Show: Suzy Snowflake, Hardrock, Coco, and Joe, and Frosty the Snowman. The first two are stop-motion and creepy.

MBC offers a DVD of the three shorts with a fourth, Peter Cottontail, but I bought the DVD from them several years ago when the fourth piece wasn't Peter Cottontail, but a bizarre Kukla, Fran, and Ollie Christmas special from the 1970s. It had a disco interlude. I can't find mention of this one online anywhere.

[Hottius Maximus]

Originally Posted by Earl Snake-Hips Tucker

Sounds vaguely familiar. . . .

J.T. You're right! My goodness I haven't thought of that one in ages!

[jayjay]

Originally Posted by neofishboy

I loved "A Cosmic Christmas" from 1977. Three aliens arrive on Earth searching for the meaning of a cosmic event two thousand years ago which turns out to have been the Bethlehem star. Cool, kind of low-rent Ralph Bakshi style animation and actually fairly touching ... to an eight-year-old anyway. I'm pretty sure they only showed it for three or four years, then it vanished.

http://www.bcdb.com/bcdb/cartoon.cgi?film=54747

Oh, man...that reached right down in my subconscious and yanked a handful of memories out!

MY contribution is Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey

[ralph124c]

Did Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones ever do a Christmas show?

[Spoons]

Originally Posted by Hermione

Others--well, there are many. A rather well-animated Nativity story called The Night The Animals Talked, for one thing.

I remember this one. I liked it; I'd like to see it again.

And ever since, on Christmas Eve, I've asked my cats if there's anything they would like to tell me. They don't reply--at least, not in English, as they did on the show. I keep hoping. Maybe someday, they will.

[Max Torque]

Originally Posted by joebuck20

I remember watching that back when I was in elementary school. Don't think I've seen it since.

Anyway, does anyone remember an ALF Christmas special back in the day - not a regular episode but an actual special? I seem to remember it involved him helping out some sick kids. I very vaguely recall seeing it years ago when my family and I were vacationing in Mexico for the holidays, but I haven't been able to find out anything about it since.

Check out #1: The 4 Craziest Moments in the History of Christmas Specials