Christmas Eve on Sesame Street
Christmas Eve on Sesame Street is a Sesame Street Christmas special first broadcast in 1978.
Template:Spoiler The story has three principal plotlines. In the main one, Oscar the Grouch tells Big Bird that there will be no Christmas presents if Santa Claus is unable to get down chimneys. Distraught, Big Bird enlists the help of Kermit the Frog to ask children how Santa does it. Their responses vary. Big Bird's friend Patty (a girl around age seven) tries to comfort him, but fails. Big Bird winds up trying to stay up all night on an apartment roof, watching for Santa Claus, but falls asleep while the residents of Sesame Street become very worried looking for him. When Big Bird tries to go inside the apartment building to warm up, Gordon and Susan make sure he stays. They comfort him by showing that there were indeed presents brought.
Meanwhile, Cookie Monster tries to communicate with Santa Claus and request cookies for Christmas. However, he eats the pencil, typewriter, and telephone that he tries to use.
Bert and Ernie want to give each other Christmas presents, but have no money. Bert trades away his prize paper clip collection to buy a soap dish for Ernie's Rubber Duckie, but it has been traded away so Ernie can get Bert a cigar box for the paper clips. Mr. Hooper, the store owner, realizes this and gives both characters their treasured possessions back. This of course is a spirited retelling of O. Henry's The Gift of the Magi.
Awards
- 1979: Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program - Jon Stone (executive producer), Dulcy Singer (producer)
Cast
- Linda Bove as Linda
- Northern Calloway as David
- Debbie Chen as Patty
- Will Lee as Mr. Hooper
- Loretta Long as Susan
- Sonia Manzano as Maria
- Bob McGrath as Bob
- Roscoe Orman as Gordon
Crew
- Producer: Dulcy Singer
- Directed by Jon Stone
- Written by Jon Stone and Joseph A. Bailey
- "True Blue Miracle" Composed by Carol Hall
- "Keep Christmas With You" and "I Hate Christmas" Composed by Sam Pottle and David Axelrod
- Music by Dick Lieb
- Music Coordinator: Danny Epstein
- Music Assistant: Dave Conner
- Associate Director: Ozzie Alfonso
- Production Supervisor: Bob Braithwaire
- Muppet Designers: Kermit Love, Caroly Wilcox, Don Sahlin
- Art Director: Alan J. Compton
- Production Stage Manager: Chet O. Brien
- Stage Manager: Emily Squires
- Set Decorator: Nat Mongioi
- Lighting Directors: David M. Clark, Tony DiGirolamo
- Graphic Artist: Gerri Brosio
- Costume Designer: Bill Kellard
- Wardrobe: Grisha Mynova
- Production Assistants: Mercedes Polanco, Sharen Gray, Cathi Rosenberg-Turow
- Technical Advisor: Walt Rauffer
- Technical Director: Ralph Mensch
- Sound Effects: Dick Maitland, Roy Carch
- Audio: Mike Shoskes, Jay Judell
- Executive Producer: Jon Stone