Evening star., 1948-12-19

most every one else, are full ol
Christmas plants. They already
have begun to celebrate the season
with special programs and are aim
ing toward a climax on Christmas
Day with both video and audio shows
dedicated to the Yuletide spirit.
This will be television's first
Christmas, the first, that is, that 1t
is old enough to enjoy, and 1t will
be taking full advantage of the fact
Video will have, for example, two
versions of Charles Dickens "A
Christmas Carol" to be seen as
well as heard. The first is scheduled
for tonight at 9 o'clock, when Dennis
King will play Scrooge on the "Tele-
vision Playhouse" (WNBW). This
also is the program on which Bing
Crosby will make his television de-
but, singing Silent Night" and a
pair of other Christmas songs.
Barrymore Plays Scrooge Again.
The second Christmas Carol" will
be a special marionette version pre-
pared for the ABC network by Rufus
and Margo Rose. This will be a
Christmas eve feature, to be seen
on WMAL-TV from 8 to 9 o'clock.
The third Christmas Carol" on
the air will be radios traditional
one, with Lionel Barrymore playing
Scrooge for the 18th time on the
CHS Christmas Festival" to be
heard on WTOP from to 6 pm. on
Christmas Day. A host Of other CHS
stars will take part in this annual
Festival" At the same time a to
6o'clock Saturday evening" NBC will
be having its own Two Hours of
Stars" on the air, with Edgar Berg
en-, Bob Hope and host of others
featured.
On Christmas eve, those who did
their Christmas shopping early and
thus have time for looking and list
ening, will find a host of special
features. One of these will be the
account of the Christmas tree light
ing at the White House. (The pro-
gram listings will let you know
whether or not your favorite station
will be there) Later Christmas
eve, or rather the first thing Christ
mas morning, both video CWMAL-
Tv) and audio will broadcast mid
night mass services.
Other Christmas Programs.
Other Yule Programs: Handels
"The Messiah" will be sung by the
Naval Academy Choir and the Girls
Choir of Hood College on WASH
. FM at pm today :. The Rt. Rev.
Henry Knox Sheriff., Presiding
Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal
Church will read the story of the
Nativity over VOL on Christmas
eve. King George vi Of England
will broadcast a Christmas message
at 10 am. Saturday. . WWDC
and WWDC-FM will broadcast the
Christmas eve services from the
Shrine of the Immaculate Concep-
ton here, starting at 11:30 pm. Fri
day. The National Press Club
Chorus will present program Of
Yule music over WBCC at 8 O'Clock
this afternoon. .. The seasonal pro-
gram Of the 'Theater Guild on the
Air" (WMAL, Sunday, $50 pm)
will feature Fred Allen as RIP Van
Wrinkle on December 26 A one
hour condensation of Humperdinck' S
"Hansel and Gretel" will be broad
cast by ABC and WMAL immedi-
ately following the Christmas Day
message by the King of England.
r
The pioneering art of televiSion
scored another first" Friday by
taking its electronic cameras aloft
in an Air Forces CAT to send aerial
pictures of Washington to all view
ers of the Eastern network Of the
National Broadcasting Co. The tele-
cast was part of the video report Of
the ceremonies at the Smithsonian
Institution when the Wright Broth
ers' first airplane was officially pre-
sented to the United States.
Following the ceremonies, the
WNBW-NBC television audience
was taken aloft for the broadcast
from the plane as flight of mod
ern aircraft flew down across the
Mall and over the red brick build
ing where the Kitty Hawk has been
placed on display.
1t was an impressive moment for
the viewer at home, and one gene
rating not a little awe, as a flight Of
B-29s thundered overhead. to appear