Holiday season brings back TV memories

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Or, if you prefer, reruns – but reruns of classics. Tribune Company’s WGN America is ready to celebrate the holidays throughout November December with a holiday-themed episodes, movies and specials, ranging from the sentimental to the silly.


In fairness, the shows aren’t all reruns. The McDonald’s Thanksgiving Parade in Chicago will be new – live even. Otherwise, the holiday classics go as far back as 1947 for the Christmas classic of all classics, “Miracle on 34th Street.” Who knew The Beverly Hillbillies did so many Thanksgiving- and Christmas-themed shows back in the 1960s? We just may have to watch them to refresh our memory.

Anyway, here’s what WGN America has on tap as you retreat to the couch to digest too much holiday feasting.

NOVEMBER

Sunday, 11/21 
6:30p ET / 3:30p PT                     Just Shoot Me “The First Thanksgiving” (2000)

Wednesday, 11/24 
8:30a ET / 5:30a PT                    The Beverly Hillbillies “Turkey Day” (1963)
4:30p ET / 1:30p PT                    Bewitched “Samantha’s Thanksgiving to Remember” (1967)
5:30p ET / 2:30p PT                    Cheers “Thanksgiving Orphans” (1986)
9:30p ET / 6:30p PT                    How I Met Your Mother “Belly Full of Turkey” (2005) (HD)
10:30p ET / 7:30p PT                  Just Shoot Me “The First Thanksgiving” (2000)

Thursday, 11/25 
8a ET / 5a PT                               The Beverly Hillbillies “The Thanksgiving Spirit” (1968)
8:30a ET / 5:30a PT                    The Beverly Hillbillies “The Courtship of Homer Noodleman” (1968)

9a ET / 6a PT                               McDonald’s Thanksgiving Parade (Live) (HD)
Chicago’s 77th annual holiday parade kicks off the 2010 holiday season on historic State Street with giant balloons, spirited marching bands, high-stepping equestrians, fabulous floats, performance groups, and celebrities.  WGN’s Robin Baumgarten and Paul Konrad host coverage.

12p ET / 9a PT                             Bozo, Gar & Ray: WGN TV Classics (2005) (Digitally Remastered)
A look back at three of WGN’s most beloved television series: “Bozo’s Circus,” “Garfield Goose and Friends” and “Ray Rayner and His Friends.”  The classic TV trilogy starred Chicago television legends Bob Bell, Frazier Thomas, Ray Rayner, Roy Brown and Ned Locke among others.  1950s holiday favorites “Hardrock, Coco and Joe,” “Suzy Snowflake” and “Frosty the Snowman” are also featured.  WGN’s Dean Richards hosts.

7p ET / 4p PT                               Dharma & Greg “The First Thanksgiving” (1997)
7:30p ET / 4:30p PT                    Dharma & Greg “Thanksgiving Until It Hurts” (1999)
9p ET / 6p PT                               How I Met Your Mother “Slapsgiving” (2007) (HD)
9:30p ET / 6:30p PT                    How I Met Your Mother “Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the Slap” (2009) (HD)

DECEMBER

Saturday, 12/18 
9p ET / 6p PT                              Movie: Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Edmund Gwenn, Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, Gene Lockhart, Natalie Wood
Kris Kringle is hired as a New York City department store Santa and outstanding at his job.  But when he tries to convince cynics that he’s the real thing, they accuse him of being insane.

Sunday, 12/19 
11a ET / 8a PT                             Movie: Secret of Giving (1999)
Reba McEntire, Thomas Ian Griffith, Ronny Cox, Devon Alan, Philip Granger
The lives of a widow and her young son in the 1800s are forever changed by a mysterious stranger, who is being hunted by the law.

1p ET / 10a PT  Movie:                 The Man Who Saved Christmas (2002)
Jason Alexander, Kelly Rowan, Ari Cohen, C. David Johnson, Jayne Eastwood
Toy pioneer A.C. Gilbert fights to keep Christmas alive when the U.S. government proposes a ban on toy production during World War I.  Based on a true story.

3p ET / 12p PT  Movie:                 A Diva’s Christmas Carol (2000)
Vanessa Williams, Rozonda ‘Chilli’ Thomas, John Taylor, Brian McNamara
Temperamental and self-centered pop singer Ebony Scrooge orders her underpaid staff to work on Christmas for a charity concert that in reality is designed to benefit her popularity and bank account.  But on the eve of the concert, she is visited by a number of spirits who try to persuade her to change her ways.

Wednesday, 12/22
8a ET / 5a PT                              The Beverly Hillbillies “Home for Christmas” (1962)
8:30a ET / 5:30a PT                    The Beverly Hillbillies “No Place Like Home” (1962)
4:30p ET / 1:30p PT                    Bewitched “Humbug Not to Be Spoken Here” (1967)
6p ET / 3p PT                               America’s Funniest Home Videos (holiday-themed episode)

 

Thursday, 12/23
8a ET / 5a PT                              The Beverly Hillbillies “Christmas at the Clampetts” (1963)
8:30a ET / 5:30a PT                   The Beverly Hillbillies “The Christmas Present” (1966)
10a ET / 7a PT                           Matlock “Santa Claus” (1986)
4:30p ET / 1:30p PT                   Bewitched “Santa Comes to Visit and Stays and Stays” (1969)
6p ET / 3p PT                              America’s Funniest Home Videos (holiday-themed episode)

Friday, 12/24
8a ET / 5a PT                              The Beverly Hillbillies “The Week Before Christmas” (1968)
8:30a ET / 5:30a PT                   The Beverly Hillbillies “Christmas in Hooterville” (1968)
9a ET / 6a PT                             Matlock “The Christmas Show” (1987)
10a ET / 7a PT                           Matlock “The Scrooge” (1989)
11a ET / 8a PT                           In the Heat of the Night “My Name is Hank” (1989)
12p ET / 9a PT                            In the Heat of the Night “Blessings” (1990)
2p ET / 11a PT                            Walker, Texas Ranger “A Ranger’s Christmas” (1996)
3p ET / 12p PT                            Walker, Texas Ranger “A Matter of Faith” (1999)
4:30p ET / 1:30p PT                    Bewitched “Sisters at Heart” (1970)
5p ET / 2p PT                              Cheers “The Book of Samuel” (1986)
5:30p ET / 2:30p PT                   Cheers “Christmas Cheers” (1987)
6p ET / 3p PT                              America’s Funniest Home Videos (holiday-themed episode)
9:30p ET / 6:30p PT                    How I Met Your Mother “How Lily Stole Christmas” (2006) (HD)

10:30p ET / 7:30p PT                  Movie: Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Edmund Gwenn, Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, Gene Lockhart, Natalie Wood
Kris Kringle is hired as a New York City department store Santa and outstanding at his job.  But when he tries to convince cynics that he’s the real thing, they accuse him of being insane.

Late Friday, 12/24 (Early Saturday, 12/25)

12:30a ET / 9:30p PT Movie:        A Diva’s Christmas Carol (2000)
Vanessa Williams, Rozonda ‘Chilli’ Thomas, John Taylor, Brian McNamara Temperamental and self-centered pop singer Ebony Scrooge orders her underpaid staff to work on Christmas for a charity concert that in reality is designed to benefit her popularity and bank account.  But on the eve of the concert, she is visited by a number of spirits who try to persuade her to change her ways.

 2:30a ET / 11:30p PT Movie:        The Man Who Saved Christmas (2002)
Jason Alexander, Kelly Rowan, Ari Cohen, C. David Johnson, Jayne Eastwood Toy pioneer A.C. Gilbert fights to keep Christmas alive when the U.S. government proposes a ban on toy production during World War I.  Based on a true story.

4:30a ET / 1:30a PT Movie:            Secret of Giving (1999)
Reba McEntire, Thomas Ian Griffith, Ronny Cox, Devon Alan, Philip Granger
The lives of a widow and her young son in the 1800s are forever changed by a mysterious stranger, who is being hunted by the law.

Saturday, 12/25
9a ET / 6a PT                                  In the Heat of the Night “My Name is Hank” (1989)
10a ET / 7a PT                                In the Heat of the Night “Blessings” (1990)
9p ET / 6p PT                                  America’s Funniest Home Videos (holiday-themed episode)