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The Little Rascals Christmas Special
''The Little Rascals' Christmas Special'' is an animated Christmas television special based on the ''Our Gang'' comedies of the 1920s-40s. The special was produced by King World Productions, and first aired December 3, 1979 on NBC. It is a spoof of the 1905 O. Henry short story ''The Gift of the Magi''. Plot Spanky (Philip Tanzini) and Porky (Robby Kiger)'s mother (Darla Hood) is a single mother during the Depression. Money is tight with very little left over to buy anything nice. When the boys overhear Mom talking on the phone about a blue comet, they think she is ordering for them a ''Blue Comet'' train set for the holidays. However, Mom was talking about the train, but rather a vacuum cleaner. Realizing that she confused her sons, she exchanges a coat she had ordered for the train. When she gets sick and the boys realize the truth, they enlist the help of the gang to raise the money to get the coat back. Meanwhile, two neighborhood bullies steal the train set so now there ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Christmas By Medium
Christmas themes have long been an inspiration to artists and writers. A prominent aspect of Christian media, the topic first appeared in in literature and Christmas music. Filmmakers have picked up on this wealth of material, with both adaptations of Christmas novels, in the forms of Christmas films, Santa Claus films, and Christmas television specials. It also includes animation, comics, and children's books, including '' A Charlie Brown Christmas'', ''How the Grinch Stole Christmas!'', and ''Frosty the Snowman''. Films Many Christmas stories have been adapted to movies and TV specials, and have been broadcast and repeated many times on TV. Since the popularization of home video in the 1980s, their many editions are sold and re-sold every year during the holiday shopping season. Notable examples are the many versions of the ballet ''The Nutcracker'', the 1946 film ''It's a Wonderful Life'', and the similarly themed versions of Dickens' ''A Christmas Carol'', in which th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blue Comet
The ''Blue Comet'' was a named passenger train operated by Central Railroad of New Jersey from 1929 to 1941 between the New York metropolitan area and Atlantic City. Designed by Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ) president R.B. White in 1928, this train whisked passengers from Communipaw Terminal in Jersey City to Atlantic City, making the total trip from Manhattan (via ferry to the Jersey City terminal) to Atlantic City in three hours. The ''Blue Comet'' would take NY&LB trackage to Red Bank, then follow the Southern Division Main Line to Winslow Junction, where it would travel over the Atlantic City Railroad's tracks to Atlantic City.When the ''Blue Comet'' started service in 1929 the Atlantic City Railroad was wholly owned by the Reading Railroad. By 1933 the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines were jointly owned by the Reading Company and the Pennsylvania Railroad. The colors chosen for the ''Blue Comets locomotive and passenger cars were ultramarine and Packard Bl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Our Gang Personnel
The Our Gang personnel page is a listing of the significant cast and crew from the ''Our Gang'' short subjects film series, originally created and produced by Hal Roach which ran in movie theaters from 1922 to 1944. The series was produced by Hal Roach Studio's from 1922 until 1938, and from 1938 and 1944 by MGM pictures After being purchased by MGM studios, the title was changed to The Little Rascals, for subsequent theatrical re-releases from the Roach-produced era, as well as for syndicated television broadcasts starting from 1955. Of the official cast, only Sidney Kibrick is known to still be alive. ''Our Gang'' cast * The series franchise having been produced in various formats, is in general depicted by 3 different eras , The Hal Roach Silent Film era (1922–1929), The Hal Roach Sound era (1929–1938) and the MGM produced era (1938–1944) Hal Roach silent film period 1922–1926 * Ernie Morrison as Sunshine Sammy * Jackie Condon * Mickey Daniels * Allen Hoskins as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anniversary Trouble
''Anniversary Trouble'' is a 1935 ''Our Gang'' short comedy film directed by Gus Meins. It was the 134th ''Our Gang'' short (46th talking episode) that was released. Plot Spanky's appointment as treasurer of the Ancient and Honery Order of Woodchucks occurs on the same day as his parents' wedding anniversary. Spanky's father (Johnny Arthur) puts money in an envelope as an anniversary gift for his wife (Claudia Dell), then absent-mindedly uses the envelope as a bookmark. Spanky's mother sees Spanky hide the gang's club money in a cookie jar and jumps to the conclusion that Spanky stole her gift envelope. She takes that money and shows it to Spanky's father who also jumps to the wrong conclusion. Spanky is looking for the money and cannot find it. Minutes later, the other Woodchucks demand the return of their "dough," as the club had just broken up. Spanky cannot accommodate them. Spanky's father calls the maid/nanny and tells her to send him to his dad's office for punishment immed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
ABC Family
The American cable television, cable and satellite television network that is now known as Freeform (TV channel), Freeform was originally launched as the CBN Satellite Service on April 29, 1977, and has gone through several different owners (and six different name changes) during its history. This article details the network's existence from its founding by the Christian Broadcasting Network to its current ownership by The Walt Disney Company, which renamed ABC Family to Freeform on January 12, 2016. CBN Satellite Service The network was founded by Pat Robertson as the CBN Satellite Service (CBN Satellite Network), an arm of his television ministry, the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN). When the channel launched on April 29, 1977, it became the first Cable television in the United States#Basic cable, basic cable channel to be transmitted via communications satellite, satellite from its launch and, effectively, the first national basic cable-originated network. Initially, the ne ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Television Syndication
Broadcast syndication is the practice of leasing the right to broadcasting television shows and radio programs to multiple television stations and radio stations, without going through a broadcast network. It is common in the United States where broadcast programming is scheduled by television networks with local independent Network affiliate, affiliates. Syndication is less widespread in the rest of the world, as most countries have centralized networks or television stations without local affiliates. Shows can be syndicated internationally, although this is less common. Three common types of syndication are: ''first-run'' syndication, which is programming that is broadcast for the first time as a syndicated show and is made specifically to sell directly into syndication; ''off-network'' syndication (colloquially called a "rerun"), which is the licensing of a program whose first airing was on network TV or in some cases, first-run syndication;Campbell, Richard, Christopher R. Ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ike Eisenmann
Ike Eisenmann (born July 21, 1962) is a former American actor, producer, and sound effects specialist who has been active in the entertainment industry since childhood. Early life and education Eisenmann was born in Houston, Texas, the son of Ruth Ann ('' née'' Gumney) and Albert Able Eisenmann Sr., an actor who appeared as "Cadet Don" on an eponymous children's television show that aired on KTRK (Channel 13) in Houston from 1959 to 1968. Ike's younger brother, Albert Able "Al" Eisenmann Jr., is also an actor, as are Al's daughter Hannah and her brother Stone. Career Having appeared on TV shows in the early 1970s, Ike Eisenmann first came to prominence as Tony, the brother of Tia (Kim Richards), in Walt Disney Productions' film ''Escape to Witch Mountain'' (1975) and its sequel, ''Return from Witch Mountain'' (1978). For Green Giant commercials in the 1970s and 1980s, he voiced the Little Green Sprout. He also appeared in '' Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan'' (1982) as engineeri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Naomi Lewis
Naomi Lewis (3 September 1911 – 5 July 2009) was a British poet, essayist, literary critic, anthologist and reteller of stories for children. She is particularly noted for her translations of the Danish children's author, Hans Christian Andersen, as well as for her critical reviews and essays. She was a recipient of the Eleanor Farjeon Award. Early life Born in Great Yarmouth to a Latvian Jewish father who was a herring exporter, she was the second of four siblings. Her mother was a talented artist and musician. Due to the antisemitism of the 1930s, the family took the mother's surname, Lewis. They moved to London's Red Lion Square in 1935, into the block of flats in which Naomi was to reside until her death. Having studied at the local Great Yarmouth High School, Naomi then went on to win a scholarship to read English at Westfield College, University of London. Career Following a number of jobs working as a teacher and a copywriter, she started her career as a wr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hal Smith (actor)
Harold John "Hal" Smith (August 24, 1916 – January 28, 1994) was an American actor. He is credited in over 300 film and television productions, and was best known for his role as Otis Campbell, the town drunk on CBS's ''The Andy Griffith Show'' and for voicing Owl in the first four original ''Winnie the Pooh'' shorts (the first three of which were combined into the feature film '' The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh'') and later ''The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.'' He also did a cameo in The Apartment as a drunken Santa Claus. Early life Harold John Smith was born on August 24, 1916 in Petoskey, Michigan. He was the son of Jay D. Smith (1875-1969) and Emma Smith (nee Ploof) (1881-1977). He was the third of four children and he had three siblings: two older sisters, Kathleen (1912-2005) and Bernadeen (1914-2002) and one younger brother, Glenford “Glen” (1918-2003). After graduation from high school, Smith worked from 1936 to 1943 as a DJ and voice talent for WIBX ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frank Nelson (actor)
Frank Brandon Nelson (May 6, 1911 – September 12, 1986) was an American comedic actor best known for playing put-upon foils on radio and television, and especially for his "EEE-Yeeeeeeeeesssss?" catchphrase. He made numerous guest appearances on television shows, including ''The Jack Benny Program'', ''I Love Lucy'', ''The Real McCoys'', ''The Addams Family'', '' Alice'', and '' Sanford and Son''. He also provided voices for animated series such as ''The Flintstones'', ''Mister Magoo'', ''The Jetsons'', ''Dinky Dog'', and '' The Snorks''. Career Radio Nelson began his entertainment career in radio, and later moved into television and movies. In 1926, at age 15, Nelson played the role of a 30-year-old man in a series broadcast from KOA in Denver, Colorado. In 1929, Nelson moved to Hollywood, California, and worked in local dramatic broadcasts, usually playing the leading man. The first sponsored program in which he appeared that reached a national market was ''Flywheel ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cliff Norton
Clifford Charles Norton (March 21, 1918 – January 25, 2003) was an American character actor and radio announcer who appeared in various movies and television series over a career spanning four decades. Early years Norton was born in Chicago, and grew-up there, graduating from Senn High School. His early jobs included selling shoes and working as a floorwalker. His first broadcasting experience came as a disc jockey at a radio station there. During World War II he was a bombardier in the U.S. Army Air Corps. Career Norton was probably best known as the announcer for Dave Garroway's radio program. He also appeared on an episode of ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' (Season 2, Episode 11) as a game warden sent out to nab a woodpecker terrorizing Richie in "A Bird in the Head Hurts" . On old-time radio, Norton was a member of the cast of ''Terry and the Pirates''. On television, he was a regular on ''Your Show of Shows'', ''Sid Caesar Presents Comedy Preview'', '' Garroway at La ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Matthew Beard (American Actor)
Matthew Beard Jr. (January 1, 1925 – January 8, 1981) was an American actor. As a child actor, he was most famous for portraying the character of Stymie in the ''Our Gang'' short films from 1930 to 1935. The role was so high-profile that he adopted the name Stymie Beard, being credited as such in some later roles, such as his 1978 appearance in ''The Buddy Holly Story''. Early life Matthew Beard Jr. was born near Los Angeles, California. His father was Matthew Beard, and his mother was Johnnie Mae Beard (née Clay). His father was the founding pastor of Beloved Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles. ''Our Gang'' years Beard previously played baby parts in many films, then signed a five-year contract to play in ''Our Gang''. In contrast to Farina, the character he replaced, Stymie was a slick-tongued con-artist who always was self-assured, nonchalant, and ready with a sly comment as well as clever ideas to solve the problems he faced. Stymie could offer sound, common sense ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
