PAGE 6 The Elwood Call-Leader, The Alexandria Times-Tribune and The Tipton County Tribune Christmas Opening Edition; Wednesday, November 27, 2013

ing skills but she is unable toactually cook a Christmasdinner for her boss, veteranSydney Greenstreet.

Also appearing in the 40swas a movie called“Christmas in July” withsinger Dick Powell and EllenDrew. This film was aboutcontests and shopping, butwas a forgettable comedy.The year 1944 gave us thecartoon, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” which hitthe airways and theaters.Written by cowboy star GeneAutrey, this show made him avery rich man. The hit songhas been a popularChristmas tune for 70 years.

The 1944 film, “Meet Me inSt. Louis,” was also not aChristmas movie but con-tains a famous Christmassong, “Have Yourself a MerryLittle Christmas” sung by avery famous Judy Garlandand child star, MargaretO’Brien. Garland was mar-ried to the director of the film,Vincent Minelli. The storytakes place in St. Louis dur-ing the 1903 World’s Fair.

For several years therewere no remarkable filmsabout Christmas except

reruns and remakes.“Christmas Lilies of the Field”came in 1968 starring BillyDee Williams. The storylinewas about a convent andorphans in the Arizonadesert. The year 1968brought the film, “TheChristmas Kid” starringJeffrey Hunter. This westernfilm included cowboys, hors-es, cows, etc. Hunter por-trayed a saddle tramp lookingfor his true identity. The car-toon, “Santa and the ThreeBears” was shown starting in1969. The story line was theold child’s story with anadded Santa. Wiliam Holdenand Verna Lisi starred in “TheChristmas Tree,” a movieabout a father learning thathis son’s death is imminent.This wasn’t a “SunsetBoulevard” of 1950 or anoth-er “Picnic” for the handsomeHolden.

In 1974, “The Grinch WhoStole Christmas,” from the Dr.Seuss collection, was madeespecially for television.

In 1978, George Englundand Jason Robards starredin “A Christmas toRemember” which was abouta farm in the Depression era.Mike Ryan appeared in“Christmas Coal MineMiracle” in 1977. “TheNativity” of 1978 featured

Madeline Stowe and JohnShea. This was one of thevery few movies about thebirth of Christ and the firstChristmas. The modernizedstoryline of the 1979 film,“American Christmas Carol”appeared with Scroogeplayed by Henry Winkler in aNew England town in the1930s.

Coming in the 1980s was“Yogi’s First Christmas” withCindy Bear. Animated for thescreen, the characters stayawake all winter. The 1980 “AChristmas Without Snow” isa heartwarming story about awidow who sings in a churchchoir. Charlie Brown andPeppermint Patty portraytheir version of “Christmas” in1980. Slim Pickens andMack Miller starred in the1980 “Christmas Mountain”about a cowboy and a familydinner.

The year 1983 gave us“Christmas Evil” about aninsane toymaker. 1983 alsogave us the film, “ChristmasStory” with Darren McGavinand Melinda Davis. Themovie is about the hardshipsof a 1940s winter and a boywho wants a Red Ryder BBgun. Jacklyn Smith, of“Charlie’s Angels” fame andArt Carney, known in his por-trayal of Jackie Gleason’s

sidekick, starred in the 1984film, “The Night They SavedChristmas,” as they manageproblems in a toy factory.

In the 1985 movie, “SantaClaus,” the English star,Dudley Moore, and JohnLithgow gave us the story ofan elf named Patch and all ofhis antics. In 1986, the movie“Christmas Eve” starred thelovely Loretta Young, return-ing after 23 years off screenin her first made for televisionfilm. This one is good for atear or two as this story linegave us the final holiday cel-ebration of a family.

In 1987, “Child’s Christmasin Wales” starred DenholmElliot. This was also a famousradio program read byRichard Burton, the famousstage and screen actor withthe beautiful voice who wasalso the husband of ElizabethTaylor. “Christmas Comes toWillow Creek” also wasfilmed in 1987 and starredJohn Schneider and TomWopat in an Alaskan village.In 1988, viewers were treatedto “The Christmas Wife.” Thefragile but ever strong JulieHarris and Jason Robards

star in the story of a lonelywidower who hires a lovelylady as a companion forChristmas. Harris is famousfor her role in “Member of theWedding.”

The 1990s Christmas sto-ries included in 1991, “What IWant for Christmas” withThora Birch appearing in astory about a child who asksSanta to find her mother. In1991, the animated versionof the “Nutcracker Prince”included the voices of PeterO’Toole and Phyllis Diller.O’Toole is famous for his rolein “Lawrence of Arabia” andDiller is famous as a comedi-enne. In 1994, Tim Allenappeared in the first of the“Santa Claus” films. His char-acter must become Santa,save Christmas and still be afather and husband.

“The Grinch Who StoleChristmas” in 2000 starredthe multitalented Jim Carrey,complimented by amazingmake-up work. This moviewas good for a belly laugh.Carrey got his start on “TheJohnny Carson Show.” Theyounger comic, Will Ferrell,and the older comedian, Bob

Newhart, starred in the makebelieve comedy “Elf.” Ferrellwas already popular from his“Saturday Night Live”appearances, and Newhartwas a big star on television,in stand-up comedy and insitcoms. This voice of TomHanks narrates the story linein the 2006 “Polar Express”movie. Many have felt thatthis completely computerizedfilm was lifeless, dark andcold.

The incredible leaps ofmovie technology startedway back in 1892 whenThomas Edison and GeorgeEastman first invented “toy”moving pictures. Behind allthe applied science of story-telling there has been ahuman voice. Dickens’ TinyTim comes across the screenwith “God Bless Us,Everyone” as does a comput-erized Saint Nicholas, shout-ing, “Happy Christmas to Alland to All a Good Night” ashe flies across the moon inhis sleigh.

Moviescontinued from page 1

concert features a musicalline-up of world-class artistssinging inspirational andChristmas favorites. The ros-ter of artists includes: Bill andGloria Gaither, The GaitherVocal Band (David Phelps,Mark Lowry, Wes Hampton,and Bill Gaither), The Isaacs,Buddy Greene, The Martins,Angie Primm, CharlotteRitchie, Carl Erskine, andmany others, plus Indy’s ownIndianapolis Children’s Choir

and a 1,600 voice choralefrom Greater Indianapolischurches, schools and uni-versities.

This fundraising concepttranscends your averagebenefit concert, and theGaithers hope this will be thebeginning of a movement,across Indiana and beyond,to begin meeting both theimmediate and the deeperneeds of our city’s homelesscommunity.

“This night is going to bevery special. But most impor-tantly, I want to send thehomeless in this city a mes-

sage,” Gaither states. “I wantthem to know there are awhole lot of people who care.We are all human beingswho need support from timeto time, and these folks needour support now.”

Tickets to the GaitherHomecoming ChristmasSpectacular are available atthe Bankers Life FieldhouseBox office, online at www.gaither.com, or by phone at1-800-745-3000. Grouporders of 15 or more receivetwo free tickets. For grouptickets call 1-800-965-9324or go to www.iTickets.com fordetails.

Benefitcontinued from page 1

Matthew Cassel ofAlexandria is shown onPage 1 and exemplifiesthe awe and joy of chil-dren during the Christ-mas season.

Picture onPage 1

Alexandria SeniorGuild Christmas

pitch inThe Alexandria Senior

Guild will host its annualChristmas pitch in Thursday,Dec. 12 at noon at the BobRogers/Senior Guild Centerin Alexandria. Seniors fromAlexandria and surroundingcommunities are invited tojoin the group for the lunch-eon followed by bingo.

Saturday withSanta

Saturday with Santa will beheld from 10 a.m. to noonDec. 14 at the Elwood ElksLodge.

The event is sponsored byKappa Delta Phi Sorority andis free to all children throughthe age of 10.

There will be games, cakewalk and door prizes. Santawill be there for photos.

Enter through the side doorat the lodge.

317-773-3383 Noblesville

Get$50 OFF

with purchase of $100 or moreCoupon offer expires 1-15-2014

Mon - Fri 10-6 pm & Sat 10-5 pm www.SmithsOnTheSquare.com

Call forextended holiday hours.