What's on TV? Tuesday, December 25, 1973

Happy Boxing Day! In many of the world's civilized countries, the day after Christmas is a legal holiday, but here in the United States, where we don't celebrate Boxing Day, we have today off anyway because Christmas fell on a Sunday. (Interestingly, where Boxing Day is celebrated, it remains December 26, and the Christmas day off is December 27. Go figure.) But I digress, other than to say that I hope you all had a happy and blessed Christmas. 

Today we're looking at Christmas, 1973, I could have chosen a TV Guide from Minneapolis-St. Paul rather than this one, which includes Philadelphia and New York City, but quite frankly the Yuletide programming for the Twin Cities was fairly underwhelming. This way, with larger metropolitan areas and more TV stations to choose from, I've got a lot more to work with! 

For the most part, the Christmas season is over as far as the networks are concerned, since all the presents have already been purchased, so most of our Christmas television comes from the locals. There's one exception, although, which is NBC's annual coverage of the Christmas Day Service from Washington's National Episcopal Cathedral (10:00 a.m.). This was always a lovely program which some wonderful Christmas music; I think the service is still shown online. WOR and WPVI also have live coverage of Christmas services, and WKBS rebroadcasts Pope Paul's Midnight Mass (10:30 a.m.). ABC's movie of the week is Home for the Holidays (8:30 p.m.) with Eleanor Parker, Sally Field, Jessica Walter, Julie Harris, Jill Haworth and Walter Brennan, but it's not what you think: a holiday family reunion in which one of the family members is a murderer.

Other programs today are rebroadcasts from earlier in the week (such as WTAF's Ranch Hope Christmas Show), but WNET presents A Joyful Noice, music from the Beers Family (10:00 a.m.), followed by a quintet of short Christmas stories (11:30 a.m.), and KYW's Christmas Story (noon) has entertainment from area ensembles, including the Philadelphia Civic Ballet, Holy Trinity Church Choirs, Westminster Bell Ringers, and LaSalle College Singers. There are a couple of airings of Christmas Is, an animated special with Hans Conried as the voice of the Innkeeper, and WABC has Christmas in Jazz (10;30 a.m.), with Tommy and Ernie Furtado and their jazz groups. And of course, there are movies for the kiddies, including Pinocchio in Outer Space and The Wacky World of Mother Goose. Here are the complete listings; enjoy the day!

	2  WCBS (NYC) (CBS)
	MORNING
	6:20	NEWS
	6:30	SUNRISE SEMESTER
	7:00	CBS NEWS—Rudd/Quinn
	8:00	CAPTAIN KANGAROO
	9:00	ANYTHING YOU CAN DO
	9:30	PAT COLLINS
	10:00	JOKER’S WILD—Game
	10:30	$10,000 PYRAMID—Game Betsy Palmer, Leonard Nimoy
	11:00	GAMBIT—Game
	11:30	LOVE OF LIFE—Serial
	11:55	CBS NEWS—Douglas Edwards
	AFTERNOON
	12:00	YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS—Serial
	12:30	SEARCH FOR TOMORROW—Serial
	1:00	WHAT’S MY LINE?
	1:30	AS THE WORLD TURNS—Serial
	2:00	GUIDING LIGHT—Serial
	2:30	EDGE OF NIGHT—Serial
	3:00	PRICE IS RIGHT—Game
	3:30	MATCH GAME June Lockhart, Jack Cassidy, Loretta Swit Charles Nelson Reilly, Brett Somers Klugman, Richard Dawson
	4:00	SECRET STORM—Serial
	4:30	MIKE DOUGLAS Co-host: Bill Hayes. Robert Klein and Brenda Boozer, Susan Strasberg, Christopher Finch, Hugh McDonald, Bobby Sandler
	EVENING
	6:00	NEWS
	7:00	CBS NEWS—Walter Cronkite
	7:30	NEW TREASURE HUNT
	8:00	MAUDE
	8:30	HAWAII FIVE-O
	9:30	HAWKINS—Crime Drama
	11:00	NEWS
	11:30	MOVIE—Adventure “Ivanhoe” (1952)
	1:40	MOVIE—Comedy BW  “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town” (1936)
	3:55	MOVIE—Drama BW  “All Mine to Give” (1957)

 

 

	-3- KYW (PHILADELPHIA) (NBC)
	MORNING
	6:05	FARM MARKET REPORT
	6:10	NEWS
	6:15	SPEAK FOR YOURSELF Lesson: “Scarlet Ribbons”
	6:45	FARM, HOME AND GARDEN
	7:00	TODAY—McGee/Walters
	9:00	SOMERSET
	9:30	JEOPARDY
	10:00	CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICES Special: From Washington National Cathedral
	11:00	WIZARD OF ODDS—Game
	11:30	HOLLYWOOD SQUARES James Coco, James Brolin, Joan Rivers, Carol Lynley, Marty Allen, John Davidson, Paul Lynde, Charley Weaver
	AFTERNOON
	12:00	CHRISTMAS STORY Special
	1:30	THREE ON A MATCH—Game
	2:00	DAYS OF OUR LIVES—Serial
	2:30	DOCTORS—Serial
	3:00	ANOTHER WORLD—Serial
	3:30	RETURN TO PEYTON PLACE—Serial
	4:00	MIKE DOUGLAS Guests: Anne Baxter, Kreskin, Desi Arnaz Jr., Don Goodwin
	5:30	NEWS
	EVENING
	6:00	NEWS
	6:30	NBC NEWS—John Chancellor
	7:00	WHAT’S MY LINE? Soupy Sales, Carole Shelley, Gene Shalit, Arlene Francis. Host: Larry Blyden
	7:30	NEW TREASURE HUNT
	8:00	CHASE—Crime Drama
	9:00	MAGICIAN—Drama
	10:00	POLICE STORY—Crime Drama
	11:00	NEWS
	11:30	JOHNNY CARSON Guest host: Jerry Lewis. Guest: Enzo Stuarti
	1:00	TOMORROW—Discussion
	2:00	NEWS

 

 

	4  WNBC (NYC) (NBC)
	MORNING
	6:30	EMPLOYMENT SERVICES
	7:00	TODAY—McGee/Walters
	9:00	NOT FOR WOMEN ONLY Guests: Viveca Lindfors, Harry Hershfield, Nada Skerly
	9:30	TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES
	10:00	CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICES Special: From Washington National Cathedral
	11:00	WIZARD OF ODDS—Game
	11:30	HOLLYWOOD SQUARES James Coco, James Brolin, Joan Rivers, Carol Lynley, Marty Allen, John Davidson, Paul Lynde, Charley Weaver
	AFTERNOON
	12:00	JEOPARDY—Game
	12:30	WHO, WHAT OR WHERE—Game
	12:55	NBC NEWS—Edwin Newman
	1:00	CONCENTRATION
	1:30	THREE ON A MATCH—Game
	2:00	DAYS OF OUR LIVES—Serial
	2:30	DOCTORS—Serial
	3:00	ANOTHER WORLD—Serial
	3:30	RETURN TO PEYTON PLACE—Serial
	4:00	SOMERSET—Serial
	4:30	MOVIE—Comedy “Merry Andrew” (1958)
	EVENING
	6:00	NEWS
	7:00	NBC NEWS—John Chancellor
	7:30	NEWARK BOYS CHORUS Special
	8:00	CHASE—Crime Drama
	9:00	MAGICIAN—Drama
	10:00	POLICE STORY—Crime Drama
	11:00	NEWS
	11:30	JOHNNY CARSON Guest host: Jerry Lewis. Guest: Enzo Stuarti
	1:00	TOMORROW—Discussion
	2:00	MOVIE—Drama BW  “The Green Helmet” (English; 1961)

 

 

	5  WNEW (NYC) (Ind.)
	MORNING
	6:30	CHRISTMAS IS Special
	7:00	UNDERDOG
	7:30	FLINTSTONES
	8:00	BUGS BUNNY
	8:30	FLYING NUN—Comedy
	9:00	HAZEL—Comedy BW
	9:30	MOTHERS-IN-LAW—Comedy
	10:00	I LOVE LUCY—Comedy BW
	10:30	GREEN ACRES—Comedy
	11:00	ANDY GRIFITH—Comedy BW
	11:30	MIDDAY LIVE Celeste Holm, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, Bobby Short
	AFTERNOON
	1:00	MOVIE—Comedy BW  “Horse Feathers” (1932)
	2:30	MOVIE—Comedy BW  “Man on the Flying Trapeze” (1935)
	4:00	CHRISTMAS IS
	4:30	CARTOONS
	5:30	FLINTSTONES
	EVENING
	6:30	ANDY GRIFFITH—Comedy
	7:00	I LOVE LUCY—Comedy BW
	7:30	BEWITCHED—Comedy
	8:00	THAT GIRL—Comedy
	8:30	MERV GRIFFIN Florence Henderson, Jack Jones, Karen Valentine, Susan George
	10:00	NEWS—Bill Jorgensen
	11:00	HOGAN’S HEROES—Comedy
	11:30	MOVIE—Drama BW  “Going My Way” (1944)
	2:05	COMBAT—Drama BW
	3:05	BIG ATTACK—Drama BW

 

 

	-6- WPVI (PHILADELPHIA) (ABC)
	MORNING
	6:30	OPERATION ALPHABET
	7:00	CHRISTMAS LOST AND FOUND—Puppets Davey and Goliath
	7:30	CAPTAIN NOAH
	9:00	DIRECTOIONS
	10:00	UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN—Religion
	10:30	CHRISTMAS IS
	11:00	CHRISTMAS SERVICE Special: From St. Thomas Episcopal Church
	AFTERNOON
	12:00	NEWS
	12:30	SPLIT SECOND—Game
	1:00	ALL MY CHILDREN—Serial
	1:30	LET’S MAKE A DEAL—Game
	2:00	NEWLYWED GAME
	2:30	GIRL IN MY LIFE
	3:00	GENERAL HOSPITAL—Serial
	3:30	ONE LIFE TO LIVE—Serial
	4:00	I LOVE LUCY—Comedy BW
	4:30	BIG VALLEY—Western BW
	5:30	TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES
	EVENING
	6:00	NEWS
	6:30	ABC NEWS—Smith/Reasoner
	7:00	TO TELL THE TRUTH Nipsey Russell, Kitty Carlisle
	7:30	WILD KINGDOM
	8:00	TEMPERATURES RISING—Comedy
	8:30	MOVIE—Drama “Home for the Holidays” (Made-for-TV; 1973)
	10:00	MARCUS WELBY, M.D.
	11:00	NEWS
	11:30	MEDICINE SHOW
	1:00	PERSPECTIVE

 

 

	7  WABC (NYC) (ABC)
	MORNING
	6:30	LISTEN AND LEARN—Science BW
	7:00	A.M. NEW YORK
	9:00	FAMILY THEATRE
	10:30	CHRISTMAS IN JAZZ
	11:00	GOMER PYLE, USMC
	11:30	TO BE ANNOUNCED
	AFTERNOON
	12:00	PASSWORD—Game Sandy Duncan, Bill Bixby. Host: Allen Ludden
	12:30	SPLIT SECOND—Game
	1:00	ALL MY CHILDREN—Serial
	1:30	LET’S MAKE A DEAL—Game
	2:00	NEWLYWED GAME
	2:30	GIRL IN MY LIFE
	3:00	GENERAL HOSPITAL—Serial
	3:30	ONE LIFE TO LIVE—Serial
	4:00	LOVE, AMERICAN STYLE
	4:30	MOVIE—Adventure “Seven Cities of Gold” (1955)
	EVENING
	6:00	NEWS
	7:00	ABC NEWS—Smith/Reasoner
	7:30	WILD, WILD WORLD OF ANIMALS
	8:00	TEMPERATURES RISING—Comedy
	8:30	MOVIE—Drama “Home for the Holidays” (Made-for-TV; 1973)
	10:00	MARCUS WELBY, M.D.
	11:00	NEWS
	11:30	MEDICINE SHOW
	1:00	MOVIE—Mystery BW  “Fast Company” (1938)

 

 

	9  WOR (NYC) (Ind.)
	MORNING
	7:30	NEWS BW
	8:00	GARNER TED ARMSTRONG
	8:30	JOURNEY TO ADVENTURE
	9:00	CHRISTMAS DAY MASS Special
	10:00	MOVIE—Musical “The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T” (1953)
	AFTERNOON
	12:00	MI DULCE ENAMORADA BW
	12:55	NOTICIAS
	1:00	MOVIE—Cartoon “Pinocchio in Outer Space” (1965)
	2:30	BEVERLY HILLBILLIES BW
	3:00	MOVIE—Drama BW  “Outcasts of Poker Flats” (1937)
	4:00	MOVIE—Drama BW  “Tom Brown’s School Days” (English; 1951)
	EVENING
	6:00	WILD WILD WEST—Adventure BW
	7:00	LUCY SHOW—Comedy BW
	7:30	BOWLING FOR DOLLARS
	8:00	MOVIE—Musical “For the First Time” (1959)
	10:00	CELEBRITY BOWLING Bob Newhart and James Farentino vs. Robert Lansing and Stephen Young. Host: Jed Allan
	10:30	NEWS—Tom Dunn
	11:00	WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE—Western BW
	11:30	MOVIE—Drama “The Long Gray Line” (1955)
	2:00	JOE FRANKLIN
	3:00	NEWS

 

 

	10 WCAU (PHILADELPHIA) (CBS)
	MORNING
	6:30	WAKE UP!
	7:00	CBS NEWS—Rudd/Quinn
	8:00	CAPTAIN KANGAROO
	9:00	BETTY HUGHES AND FRIENDS
	9:30	SAFARI TO ADVENTURE
	10:00	JOKER’S WILD—Game
	10:30	$10,000 PYRAMID—Game Betsy Palmer, Leonard Nimoy
	11:00	GAMBIT—Game
	11:30	LOVE OF LIFE—Serial
	11:55	CBS NEWS—Douglas Edwards
	AFTERNOON
	12:00	YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS—Serial
	12:30	SEARCH FOR TOMORROW—Serial
	1:00	SECRET STORM—Serial
	1:30	AS THE WORLD TURNS—Serial
	2:00	GUIDING LIGHT—Serial
	2:30	EDGE OF NIGHT—Serial
	3:00	PRICE IS RIGHT—Game
	3:30	MATCH GAME June Lockhart, Jack Cassidy, Loretta Swit Charles Nelson Reilly, Brett Somers Klugman, Richard Dawson
	4:00	MOVIE—Drama “Friendly Persuasion” (1956)
	EVENING
	6:30	NEWS
	7:00	CBS NEWS—Walter Cronkite
	7:30	JOHNNY MANN’S STAND UP AND CHEER Guest: Rich Little
	8:00	MAUDE
	8:30	HAWAII FIVE-O
	9:30	HAWKINS—Crime Drama
	11:00	NEWS
	11:30	MOVIE—Adventure “Ivanhoe” (1952)
	1:40	MOVIE—Musical “The Vagabond King” (1956)
	3:30	GIVE US THIS DAY
	3:35	MOVIE—Musical “Bundle of Joy” (1956)

 

 

	11 WPIX (NYC) (Ind.)
	MORNING
	7:00	NEWS—Roy Whitfield
	7:30	LITTLE RASCALS BW
	8:00	COURAGEOUS CAT
	8:30	LIVING EASY WITH DR. JOYCE BROTHERS Co-host: Hermoine GIngold
	9:00	PUERTO RICAN NEW YORKER
	9:30	EQUAL TIME
	10:00	MOVIE—Drama BW  “Bush Christmas” (Australian; 1947)
	11:00	MAN WHO KILLED CHRISTMAS
	11:30	ABBOTT AND COSTELLO BW
	AFTERNOON
	12:00	NEW ZOO REVUE—Children
	12:30	CHRISTMAS IS
	1:00	GALLOPING GOURMET Pumpkin and oyster soup
	1:30	GET SMART—Comedy
	2:00	FATHER KNOWS BEST BW
	2:30	NANNY AND THE PROFESSOR
	3:00	MAGILLA GORILLA
	3:30	FELIX THE CAT BW
	4:00	POPEYE
	4:30	BATMAN—Adventure Guest Villain: Cesar Romero (The Joker)
	5:00	F TROOP—Comedy
	5:30	GILLIGAN’S ISLAND—Comedy
	EVENING
	6:00	I DREAM OF JEANNIE—Comedy
	6:30	BEAT THE CLOCK Guest: Tom Poston
	7:00	BILL DAILY’S HOCUS POCUS GANG Special: Guests: Jerry Lewis, Ruth Buzzi, Frank Gorshin, Art Metrano
	8:00	NORTH-SOUTH SHRINE GAME Special Football from Miami
	11:00	NEWS
	11:30	PERRY MASON BW

 

 

	12 WHYY (WILMINGTON-PHILADELPHIA) (PBS)
	AFTERNOON
	4:00	SESAME STREET
	5:00	MISTER ROGERS
	5:30	ELECTRIC COMPANY—Children
	EVENING
	6:00	DELAWARE NEWS BW
	6:30	ANTIQUES
	7:00	TAKE 12
	7:30	ON TOP OF IT BW
	8:00	WAR AND PEACE Part 6
	9:30	PERFORMANCE—Music Maryland Baroque Ensemble
	10:00	FIRING LINE Guest: Dr. Malachi Martin

 

 

	13 WNET (NYC) (PBS)
	MORNING
	9:00	SESAME STREET
	10:00	A JOYFUL NOISE Special
	11:00	SOUNDS OF JOY—Drama
	11:30	CHRISTMAS QUINTET 1. “The First Christmas” 2. “How the Animals Discovered Christmas” 3. “Little Shepherd and the First Christmas” 4. “The Little Drummer Boy” 5. “Twelve Days of Christmas”
	AFTERNOON
	12:30	McKONKEY’S FERRY—Documentary Special
	1:00	THE MESSIAH—Music Special: Arion Music Club of Milwaukee
	3:00	SILENT COMEDY FILM FESTIVAL
	4:00	SESAME STREET
	5:00	MISTER ROGERS
	5:30	ELECTRIC COMPANY—Children
	EVENING
	6:00	HODGEPODGE LODGE
	6:30	ZOOM
	7:00	REALIDADES
	8:00	WAR AND PEACE Part 6
	9:30	INSIDE THE WORLD OF JESSE ALLAN
	11:00	PERFORMANCE—Music
	11:30	JANAKI

 

 

	17 WPHL (PHILADELPHIA) (Ind.)
	MORNING
	11:40	NEWS
	11:45	BULLETIN BOARD
	AFTERNOON
	12:00	CARTOON CLUB
	12:30	GOMER PYLE, USMC—Comedy
	1:00	MOVIE—Puppets “The Wacky World of Mother Goose" (1967)
	2:30	PATTY DUKE—Comedy BW
	3:00	BULLWINKLE—Cartoon
	3:30	ASTRO BOY—Cartoon BW
	4:00	MARINE BOY—Cartoon
	4:30	POPEYE—Cartoon
	5:00	SPIDERMAN—Cartoon
	5:30	JOHNNY SOKKO
	EVENING
	6:00	UNTOUCHABLES—Crime Drama BW
	7:00	BONANZA—Western
	8:00	OF LANDS AND SEAS
	9:00	MOVIE—Drama “Three Coins in the Fountain” (1954)
	11:00	ALFRED HITCHCOCK—Drama BW
	11:30	MOVIE—Comedy BW  “Topper Takes a Trip” (1939)
	1:30	BULLETIN BOARD

 

 

29 WTAF (PHILADELPHIA) (Ind.)

AFTERNOON

2:00

RANCH HOPE CHRISTMAS SHOW Special

3:00

DENNIS THE MENACE—Comedy BW

3:30

THREE STOOGES BW

4:30

SUPERMAN—Adventure BW

5:00

BATMAN—Adventure Guest Villains: Ida Lupino (Dr. Cassandra Spellcraft) and Howard Duff (Cabala)

	5:30	BATMAN—Adventure Guest Villain: Zsa Zsa Gabor (Minerva)
	EVENING
	6:00	BEWITCHED—Comedy
	6:30	COURTSHIP OF EDDIE’S FATHER—Comedy-Drama
	7:00	THAT GIRL—Comedy
	7:30	HOGAN’S HEROES—Comedy
	8:00	NORTH-SOUTH SHRINE GAME Special: Football from Miami
	11:00	BOWLING

	48 WKBS (PHILADELPHIA) (Ind.)
	MORNING
	10:30	POPE PAUL’S CHRISTMAS MASS Special
	AFTERNOON
	12:00	MOVIE—Comedy BW  “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946)
	3:00	HUCK AND YOGI—Cartoon
	3:30	SPEED RACER—Cartoon
	4:00	LITTLE RASCALS BW
	4:30	FLINTSTONES—Cartoon
	5:30	GILLIGAN’S ISLAND—Comedy
	EVENING
	6:00	STAR TREK—Adventure
	7:00	MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE
	8:00	MOVIE—Drama BW  “The Jazz Singer” (1927)
	10:00	PERRY MASON BW
	11:00	NIGHT GALLERY
	11:30	MOVIE—Comedy BW  “Holiday Affair” (1949)

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