Balladeer’s Blog’s Christmas Carol-A-Thon 2024 continues with the 1998 telefilm Ebenezer, the only version of the Dickens classic to feature a brothel! Well, as long as you don’t count whatever under-handed business Scrooge and Marley are running in the Alastair Sim version. (I’m kidding!)
Previously Balladeer’s Blog has reviewed The Trail to Christmas, a version of A Christmas Carol adapted to the American West of the 1800s. Ebenezer adapted the Dickens novel to the wild west of Canada in the 1800s, which adds an extra layer of novelty to this production. Casting Jack Palance as Ebenezer Scrooge was the real strength of this adaptation!
Palance’s Scrooge is a miserly and crooked saloon owner while Bob Cratchit (Albert Schultz) is his much-abused bartender. Rick Schroder (yes, Rick Schroder) portrays gun-slinging Sam Benson, a character unique to this version and Tiny Tim is played by Joshua Silberg. Continue reading
Balladeer’s Blog’s Fifteenth Annual Christmas Carol-a-Thon speeds toward its conclusion! For today’s installment I’m grateful to my fellow blogger at 
WAITRESS AT THE INN/ TAVERN: KATH SOUCIE – The waitress who served Scrooge his dinner at the inn/ tavern he stopped at on his way home after parting company with Bob Cratchit on Christmas Eve. She is in the Dickens novel but has no dialogue and is omitted from most versions of A Christmas Carol. 
GHOSTLY HEARSE DRIVER: ROY EVANS – This phantasmal character from the Dickens novel was rarely featured in screen adaptations of the Carol. Shortly after Scrooge sees Jacob Marley’s face in his door knocker, he gets a brief glimpse of this coachman driving a horsedrawn hearse. 
THE BIONIC BOY (1977) – BAD MOVIE REVIEW – I reviewed this Asian film about a boy who survives a car accident thanks to bionic replacements for some of his body parts. He seeks revenge on the gangsters who killed his parents. Read it 
BUFFALO SOLDIERS – A Frontierado celebration of the famed African-American soldiers of the 1800s west. Click 
RUDOLPH VALENTINO’S SILENT FILMS – I reviewed the movies of the big screen’s 1920s heart-throb and the man Susanna Hoffs sang about “kissing by a crystal-blue Italian stream.” Click 
ANCIENT SCIENCE FICTION: IN THE DEEP OF TIME (1897) – A very imaginative look at life in 2190 A.D. There are “Sun Telephones”, tripod-like vehicles for personal travel, all manner of futuristic technology for everyday life and much, much more. This work deserves far more fame. Click 
THE MICRONAUTS – A look at several of their 1980s crossover stories with Marvel characters like Nick Fury & S.H.I.E.L.D., the Fantastic Four, Ant-Man and others. Plus Baron Karza returns. Click 
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1914) – This British production was directed by Harold M. Shaw and runs a bit over 22 minutes. Charles Rock starred as Ebenezer Scrooge and he delivered a very good performance, diminished only by the brief running time. 
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS fought it out with the defending champs – the KEISER UNIVERSITY SEAHAWKS. Grand View U. led 7-0 to end the 1st Quarter and 21-7 come Halftime. The Vikings shut out Keiser the rest of the way, leading 28-7 in the 3rd Quarter before winning the game 35-7. * THE VIKINGS ARE 2024 NAIA CHAMPIONS * 
MERZAH THE MYSTIC 
Long years ago things were always slapped together right before a shutdown while the corrupt political establishment acted like an apocalypse had been averted. But eventually, arrangements started falling through and we got “government shutdowns” (which were NEVER truly government shutdowns) that resulted in Continuing Resolutions, etc. and our white-collar criminals in office switched to hyping up the repeated “showdowns” over the C.R.s, like is going on now. 
SHOTGUN JOHN COLLINS: NEGLECTED GUNSLINGER – A look at his real-life experiences and encounters with Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp, Johnny Ringo, Bat Masterson and others. Click 
RIN TIN TIN: HIS SILENT FILMS – I examined the real-life original Rin Tin Tin from his adoption as a puppy by American troops during World War One. From 1918 to 1928 the canine superstar became an international sensation who had more endorsement deals than some human actors. Click 
THE BLACK SOLDIERS OF THE CHASSEURS DE SAINT-DOMINGUE DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR – I examined the often overlooked soldiers of color fighting on America’s side during the war. Click 
SILENT FILMS ABOUT THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR – I reviewed silent films about that war made in 1914, 1916, 1917, 1922 and 1924. Plus, an infamous court ruling on one of them. Click 
DEADWOOD DICK (1877) – The very first adventure of this gunslinging Dime Novel character. Click 
JUDGE ROY BEAN: HIS REAL-LIFE SAGA – A look at the stranger than fiction adventures of this old west gunslinger and judge. Click 
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