This festive Larry Fritz illustration graced the cover of TV Guide for the week of December 24, 1955–exactly 60 years ago today. That was back when signals were pulled in from all over on rooftop antennas–for free. Back when there were TV listings magazines–which sold for 15 cents. Back when it used to snow in Toronto
What are the best regular series Christmas episodes ever? I wrote a story this week for The Canadian Press listing 10 of the best-ever Christmas-themed episodes. The hook was Monday’s episode of Murdoch Mysteries, a two-hour Christmas special featuring guest stars Brendan Coyle (Downton Abbey) and TV legend Ed Asner. Even Peter Mansbridge gets in on
Christmas is one week from today–which gives me just six days until I start my Christmas shopping. If you’re like me, you need help at this time of year. That’s why I wrote the handy “Top 10 TV Christmas Gift” feature in today’s Toronto Star. You can jump right to it here. Six out of
“What did Rudolph do? He saved capitalism! Kids got their presents. Can you imagine? The very idea that we won’t get our loot, our gifts, and there’ll be no Black Fridays—O my God!” That was Paul Soles, putting it all in perspective, when I spoke to him last week about Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer. Fifty
This glorious Larry Fritz illustration graced the cover of TV Guide for the week of December 24, 1955. That was back when signals were pulled in from all over on rooftop antennas–for free. To all who visit this site, Merry Christmas. Thanks to my clever daughter Katie and her very practical Christmas gift, you can
Lucy! You’re in colour!! You’ve got some splainin’ to do!! That’s what Ricky Ricardo might say if he tuned in to Friday night’s hour-long CBS salute to I Love Lucy. It begins at 8 p.m. Two episodes from the classic sitcom have been colourized and combined: the “Christmas Episode,” which has only been seen a few
Ever wanted to make your own Fox network Christmas card? Now you can with this handy little app, send to critics this week via email. You can choose which Fox stars you want to party with om your card. I chose all the Canadians, ‘natch.This gift of festive cheer follows a terrible bit of timing
The Beatles celebrate Merry Gimble, circa 1965. Photo from the vast Beatles archives of Bill Harris, who points out that the crappy tree in the background was probably slapped together in two minutes by roadie Mal Evans “with some stuff he found in a closet at Abbey Road”