Put Another Log on the Fire

Not long ago a dear friend of mine wrote about her Thanksgiving traditions when she was growing up and one of those that she wrote about struck a chord for all of us kids who grew up in the Tri-State area of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. It was when a local channel, WPIX, would air the 1934 movie “March of the Wooden Soldiers” also known by its original title, Babes in Toyland. Now don’t confuse this movie with the “Babes in Toyland” starring Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon. No sir, this movie featured Laurel and Hardy in all of their black-and-white splendor (although it has since been colorized. Blasphemy!)

The story in a nutshell is that an evil man, Barnaby, is going to throw the Old Lady Who Lived in a Shoe out of her shoe if one of her daughters, Little Bo Peep, doesn’t marry him. Booo! Hisss!!

Barnaby’s evil henchmen were the Bogeymen, really creepy creatures that were sent to abduct Little Bo Peep. My friend wrote how the Bogeymen scared the Dickens (holiday pun) out of her.

What scared me in that movie is towards the end when the wooden soldiers march through town to save the day. One of them walked through a door that was too short for him to get through and he knocked his own head off! Oh, and the weird little mouse. Creepy.

But reading her story made me think back to those happier times of childhood and just like Santa Claus appearing at the end of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade the airing of that movie signaled one thing for us kids – the start of the holiday television viewing season. From that moment on until the big day, Christmas Day, our grainy black and white televisions would be filled with Christmas special after special.

I grew up in the Tri-State area of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut in the 60s/early 70s. We were fortunate when it came to television in that we had the 3 major television networks, 3 local independent stations, and one PBS station to choose from, seven channels in all. When the holidays rolled around I was granted rare access to the TV in the evening so that I could watch a few Christmas shows but do not under any circumstances take control of the set when my Mom was in charge! She didn't watch a lot of TV but by God, when it came to Christmas she had her favorite shows and she was going to watch them. There was no argument. We would watch them without argument. Even my Dad would sit there helpless when she commandeered the television

The shows she loved were variety shows with a holiday flare, shows like the “Hollywood Palace” when Bing Crosby would host it and the “King Family Christmas Special” that featured the King Cousins including Tina Cole, what dreams are made of for young boys of the time.

Another of her favorites was the “Andy Williams Christmas Special” with all of his special guests, his wife at the time Claudine Longet, and my favorite, the “talking” black bear, Cookie Bear. Yes, I was into cheesy movies and TV even back then. Years later when I had a chance to meet and interview Andy my questions quickly went from "Tell us about your new record" to, “So tell me about that bear.” He was not impressed.

I could write an entire blog about kids holiday programming in the 60s and I will soon. I was an aficionado of the genre, a true connoisseur. My love of the programs at Christmas went way beyond the classics. I always found the odd and off the wall stuff.

There was one program, though, that became a staple in our house. It was truly unique and for as many people that loved the show there were just as many that ridiculed it. It was actually a feat of programming genius that has recently become a nationwide phenomenon.

Once again it was WPIX in New York that began the tradition. It was in 1966 that the President and CEO of the station, Fred Thrower, wanted to do something for the residents of New York City who didn’t have fire places. He also wanted to give his employees time off for the holiday.

With the permission of the city’s mayor, John Lindsay, Thrower sent a crew to the mayor’s home, Gracie Mansion, and filmed a few seconds of a fire burning in the ornate fire place. It’s said that a rogue spark damaged a $4,000 rug during the filming.

That Christmas Eve WPIX cancelled over $4,000 in advertising and the broadcast of a local roller derby match so that they could air the Yule Log. The resulting 17-second film would be looped for hours with holiday music played over it.

It’s hard to believe but the show was a huge hit and it ran every Christmas Eve and morning until it was cancelled in 1990. In 2001 following the 9-11 attacks the show was brought back, digitally remastered, of course, and has been on ever since. And now, several satellite and cable companies have produced their own version of the "Yule Log" and you can actually by DVD’s of the show.

An unlikely but remarkable holiday tradition that has thankfully survived.