A Christmas Story: 1777, The Red Ske lton Hour – a different Christmas special, with two funny sketches, and a very serious Christmas at Valley Forge
A Christmas Story: 1777, The Red Skelton Hour, season 18, originally aired December 24, 1968 – with Everett Dirksen
The program begins with several of Red’s characters coming to the Skelton home, presenting Georgia Skelton (Little Red) with Christmas presents for the family:
- Willy Lump Lump brings an (empty) bottle of his favorite booze.
- Clem Kadiddlehopper brings a Southern You-All log (yule log)
- Deadeye brings a wrapped present. “It’s better to give than to receive. I don’t know who said that, probably someone at the Internal Revenue Service.”
- Since he’s heard that the people in the Skelton neighborhood are filthy rich, Freddie the Freeloader brings … a cake of soap. “That’s the Christmas spirit — if you have something you don’t need, share it with someone else.
Rooftop Santa
Afterward, Senator Everett Dirksen does a short monologue about getting slippers for Christmas, and wishes that the Christmas spirit lasted all year. Then Red and Emmaline Henry do a sketch where the wife insists that the husband put on a Santa suit, climb up onto the snowy rooftop, and climb down the chimney with the kids’ presents. It’s a comedy of errors, And at the end, after nearly killing himself on the roof, the husband blatantly refuses to try it again! While they’re “discussing” it, they see Santa Claus coming up out of the chimney, and leaving in his sleigh.
A Visit from Saint Nicholas
US Senator Everett Dirksen of Illinois appears next seated in a comfortable easy chair in a homey room with a fireplace, Christmas tree, and stockings hung on the fireplace. Dirksen recites ‘A Visit From St. Nicholas.’
Following the famous poem, Dirksen presents the Tom Hansen Dancers with a productions number involving the Sugar Plum Fairies.
A Christmas Story: 1777
Next, Dirksen introduces the main skit, featuring Skelton presenting ‘A Christmas Story – 1777. The sketch features Christmas during the Revolutionary War at Valley Forge. It’s a very serious sketch, which frankly took me by surprise. It shows Red as one of many soldiers, enduring hardship through the harsh winter, and trying to hold on. It’s truly excellent. At the end, Red risks his life from enemy fire to go cut down a small fir tree, to serve as a Christmas tree for himself and his fellows. A reminder of the hope of Christmas — very touching.
Songs
- Deck the Halls
- Christmas Comes Once Every Year
Cast of characters
- Red Skelton … Self – Host / Valley Forge Soldier
- Jan Arvan …
- Sam Edwards …
- Joan Freeman …
- Emmaline Henry (I Dream of Jeannie) … Wife in the Santa on the Rooftop sketch
- The Alan Copeland Singers … Themselves
- Robert Artz … Revolutionary War Soldier
- David Rose and His Orchestra … Themselves
- Everett Dirksen … U.S. Senator / Narrator
- Art Gilmore … Announcer (voice)
- Tom Hansen Dancers … Themselves
- Currie Pederson … Dancer (uncredited)
- Alton Ruff … Dancer (uncredited)
- Ted Sprague … Dancer (uncredited)