Thursday, December 15, 2022

Countdown to Christmas: It's OK to be a Kid at Christmas (1979)

 50's teen idol Pat Boone had matured into a family man by the end of the 70's. Daughter Debby scored her only #1 hit with "You Light Up My Life" on the Hot 100. If she had any more chart-toppers, they were likely on the gospel charts.

ABC took a chance and had Pat, Debby, and the rest of the family headline a Christmas special in 1979, joined by the Hudson Brothers, Gavin McLeod (The Love Boat) with wife Patti, Tom Bosley (Happy Days, That's Hollywood!), Norman Fell & Audra Lindley in character as The Ropers, and costumed dancers dressed as Hanna-Barbera's Scooby-Doo, Dynomutt, Snagglepuss, Huckleberry Hound, Fred Flintstone & Barney Rubble, & Hong Kong Phooey.

The complete show is available for streaming on Tubi. For now, we have the opening number, "It's OK to be a Kid at Christmas". Pat's already showing signs of losing his boyish good looks. Dick Tufeld is the announcer.



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