CHRISTMAS IN NEW YORK (TV)
Summary
This special presentation, shot at Tavern on the Green restaurant in New York City's Central Park, features the cast of several current Broadway shows celebrating the Christmas season with performances of holiday tunes. Host Lauren Bacall welcomes the live audience and introduces New York City mayor Ed Koch. Koch turns the floor over to the cast members of the musical "The Wiz," who sing their version of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." Next, Betty Comden and Adolph Green sing "New York, New York" from their musical "On the Town," and the cast of "Grease" sings "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree." Next, Alan King reads aloud to the assembled children from Isaac Bashevis Singer's description of a Hanukkah evening in Warsaw, and Nell Carter and company from "Ain't Misbehavin'" perform "Go Tell it on the Mountain" at Harlem's Abyssinian Baptist church. The cast of "Beatlemania" sings "Christmas Time is Here Again," and Mason Reese introduces film footage of a New York snowstorm earlier in the year. The cast of "Runaways" then sings a Christmas tune, and a member of the mime troupe "Mummenschanz" performs for those gathered. New York Governor Hugh Carey introduces the U.N. International School Choir, which sings in various languages, and "On the Twentieth Century" star Imogene Coca portrays a bag lady on an adventure in the famous FAO Schwarz toy store. Jerry Stiller recites a piece written by Bruce Jay Friedman explaining how a lonely guy can get through the trying Christmas holidays, and Melba Moore sings "O, Holy Night." The cast of "Grease" returns with "Jingle Bell Rock," and Annie and Daddy Warbucks from "Annie" sing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." Santa (Tommy Smothers) tries valiantly throughout the program to find a taxicab to bring him to the celebration, but he never quite succeeds.
Cataloging of this program has been made possible by Senator Roy M. Goodman, 1999/2000.
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: November 30, 1977
- RUNNING TIME: 0:58:18
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:04042
- GENRE: Specials; Music
- SUBJECT HEADING: Christmas; Christmas music; Hanukkah; Specials; Music, popular (songs, etc.); Musical revues, comedies, etc. - Excerpts; New York City
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV, 1978
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Riff Markowitz … Producer, Director
- Andrew Linsky … Associate Producer
- Hannah Sobel … Associate Producer
- Michael Campbell … Created by
- U.N. International School Choir … Choir/Chorus
- Lauren Bacall … Host
- Nell Carter … Singer
- Imogene Coca … Performer
- Betty Comden … Singer
- Peter Gallagher … Performer
- Adolph Green … Singer
- Alan King … Performer
- Melba Moore … Singer
- Mason Reese … Performer
- Tommy Smothers … Performer
- Jerry Stiller … Performer
- Cast of "Ain't Misbehavin'" … Performers
- Cast of "Annie" … Performers
- Cast of "Beatlemania" … Performers
- Cast of "Grease" … Performers
- Cast of "Mummenschanz" … Performers
- Cast of "Runaways" … Performers
- Cast of "The Wiz" … Performers
- Hugh Carey
- Bruce Jay Friedman
- Edward Koch
- Isaac Bashevis Singer