A Christmas Carol Revisited

Matt, it's great to hear from you as well. Happy Holidays to you and
your wife! We need to touch base and catch up.

Anne, I'm glad to see you enjoyed the link. I had no idea there were
so many versions, including the silent ones. And I call myself a
collector... I just ordered the 1935 version on DVD, which is rather
dark and atmospheric. Marley's spirit is actually invisible in this
one, but I think that makes it even creepier.

Here's another to throw out... Has anyone ever seen Rich Little's "A
Christmas Carol?" This one has Rich playing out the cast of characters
entirely by himself, doing his perennial impersonations. I remember
this show as an HBO special when I was in school yet, and picked up
the VHS format on E-Bay. I think it contains some hilarious moments
and classic one-liners. Scrooge is an alcoholic W.C. Fields, with his
man Cratchit played by a cynical Paul Lynde. Scrooge empties the
bottles, and Bob stuffs the ships inside. ;>) Nephew Fred is played as
Johnny Carson, constantly cracking jokes, and there are a slew of
other appearances. I really liked this version, but I have a demented
sense of humor to begin with.

In case this message starts anew, I'm still trying to figure out how
to reply properly. ;>) Happy New Year people!

Paul Melniczek.

"Paul Melniczek" <mrzek.TakeThisOut@aol.com> wrote in message
news:10708d2c.0412310718.1cacebf6@posting.google.com...
 > Here's another to throw out... Has anyone ever seen Rich Little's "A
 > Christmas Carol?" This one has Rich playing out the cast of characters
 > entirely by himself, doing his perennial impersonations. I remember
 > this show as an HBO special when I was in school yet, and picked up
 > the VHS format on E-Bay. I think it contains some hilarious moments
 > and classic one-liners. Scrooge is an alcoholic W.C. Fields, with his
 > man Cratchit played by a cynical Paul Lynde. Scrooge empties the
 > bottles, and Bob stuffs the ships inside. ;>) Nephew Fred is played as
 > Johnny Carson, constantly cracking jokes, and there are a slew of
 > other appearances. I really liked this version, but I have a demented
 > sense of humor to begin with.

Yes!! Rich Little is something of a Canadian institution (or was), and I
actually got to go to the set of his version of CHRISTMAS CAROL, which was
filmed on a soundstage at the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
building in Vancouver, as part of a high school media project. It was
wonderful; don't remember seeing the great man himself, but every time I
watch the broadcast I recall walking the sets, and seeing the painted
backdrops, and the various rooms, and the tombstone with Ebenezer Scrooge on
it that was made of Styrofoam.

I have the broadcast on a taped-from-TV video, and also have the soundtrack
album. Highlights for me are Johnny Carson's Nephew Fred, Jean Stapleton as
Edith Bunker's Mrs Cratchit, Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau's Ghost of
Christmas Yet To Come, and Richard Nixon's Jacob Marley. And W.C. Fields as
Scrooge has supplied me with several catchphrases, notably 'I'd like to
compliment you on your work; let me know when you're going to start' and
'When I give to charity I like to remain anonymous; that's why I never sign
the cheque.' Great stuff!

Barbara<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->