Thanks for sharing, Amid! Never seen this before. It sure put me in the holiday spirit!

Without a doubt, one of the most charming and clever little promo greetings ever produced ! Music was by Arnold Black and I believe the late Lou Dorfsman commissioned it for CBS.

Willis Pyle was the animator

thank YOO! I was wanting it, needing it, and LOVING it!! What a very fond memory for me!! (They should run it toDAY!)

listening to iron maiden’s “children of the damned” over video.
strange experience. i recommend it.

That was very charming. Call me quaint and antiquated, but I think bringing back a modicum of innocence to mass media would be welcome and refreshing.

I think NBC is the only oldstyle network that still seems to have an identity as a network, mostly because of their comedys. But I do remember the vibe the networks had back then, and this was typically ‘classy’ CBS stuff. I remember this one. Way cool.

Re: robert barker comment.

You can thank Lou Dorfsman for the CBS identity. Google him and enjoy !

charm is never out of date. thank you my dear old friends,bob blechman
and lou dorfsman.

This is a great little piece that takes you back to simpler days. It can be found on the recent DVD release called, “Holiday Treats: TV Sets” by CBS video.

uncle wayne says:
“thank YOO! I was wanting it, needing it, and LOVING it!! What a very fond memory for me!! (They should run it toDAY!)”

I totally agree. They should run it today. If CBS were to run this during commercial breaks this Christmas it would be totally fresh.

I’m sure I remember seeing this on television in the early 70’s so I think they used it for more than one season. Later as a budding young animator and film collector I had a Super-8mm print of it from Blackhawk Films of Davenport , Iowa . (anyone else remember them ? I know Jerry does … ) . It’s always been a favorite of mine.

I’m the one who first posted it on YouTube on Dec. 24, 2006 , with a link from my blog “The Inkling Chronicles” . I think that first year it had like 247 views. Since then it’s had over 22,344 views on YouTube. I’m glad the powers that be have let it stay up . (sshhhhh….. maybe we shouldn’t be talking about it like this ?)

It’s nice to see how this gentle bit of Christmas cheer by the great R.O. Blechman still strikes a chord with people.

Now if we could only get a proper DVD release of Blechman’s PBS Christmas Special “Simple Gifts” . It came out on VHS 12 years ago , but PBS has never released it on DVD .

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“Richard O’Connor says:
“Willis Pyle was the animator”

Thanks for that , Richard. I’ve had a few other people contact me to say it was Willis Pyle who animated the piece. Someone else who I had reason to believe would know, had told me that the animator was Ed Smith (and given Ed Smith’s longtime association with Blechman that sounds reasonable) , but credit where credit is due … I’m sure it could be Willis Pyle . Is anyone directly in touch with Blechman to have him confirm it ?

It’s definitely Willis Pyle (I was Bob’s producer for a decade).

Ed and R. O. didn’t work together until the early 70s for Children’s Television Workshop.

While the lumbering guy looks like classic Ed Smith, the birds are not. Ed has a special touch with animals (especially dogs) that is unmistakable.

Also, this wasn’t exactly a commission- as Bob tells it.

He produced it, then sold it to CBS as an acquisition. He still owns the copyright.

It may have been done with Elektra Films, that I’m not sure.

Thanks Richard ! That’s great first hand info.

I will update the YouTube posting.

Spoke to Ed - HE confirms it was Willis. . .

We retransferred this from the original OCN in 1990 for CBS to use with their “A Special Lucy Christmas” VHS release. I remember Bob saying it was Willis. Sorry i didn’t say anything in response to the original posting - Bob and Ed (and Tissa) are indelibly etched in my brain as a unit. . .

such a great spot. . .