Balladeer’s Blog’s 2023 Christmas Carol-A-Thon continues! This particular blog post will examine episodes of television shows where the Carol was adapted to incorporate the program’s regular cast of characters.
WKRP IN CINCINNATI
Episode Title: Bah, Humbug
Original Broadcast Date: December 20th, 1980
Comment: Mr. Carlson (Gordon Jump), the station owner, is the Scrooge stand-in in this fairly good sitcom version of the Carol.
Eating some of DJ Johnny Fever’s drug-laced brownies, a stressed-out and grumpy Carlson dreams about visits from the Ghost of Christmas Past – sexy Jennifer (Loni Anderson), Present – black DJ Venus Flytrap (Tim Reid) and Yet to Come – Dr. Johnny Fever (Howard Hesseman)
Obviously, as with all such television episodes adapting A Christmas Carol, major liberties are taken, but that’s part of the fun. Johnny Fever’s Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come closes out his time with Carlson/ Scrooge by telling him “They say you can change your fate just by missing a bus” to encourage him in his efforts to reform. Continue reading
CARRY ON CHRISTMAS (1969) – Balladeer’s Blog’s 14th Annual Christmas Carol-A-Thon continues with this 50-minute British television version of the Carol starring most of the Carry On regulars. The Carry On movies were long before my time and weren’t my kind of humor for the most part. (I’m more of a Monty Python, Blackadder, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore and Absolutely Fabulous sort of guy.) 
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (2006) – This computer-animation version of the Dickens classic was produced by BKN and distributed by Genius Entertainment, Kidtoon Films and Image Entertainment. Ric Machin directed. The 48 minute film had a brief theatrical run in November of 2006 before being released on home video. 
If it’s the Friday after Thanksgiving, then regular readers of Balladeer’s Blog know it’s the day when I kick off my annual Christmas Carol-A-Thon in which I review several versions of A Christmas Carol. I look at movies, television shows, radio shows and books which adapt the Dickens classic. Every year I present new reviews with a few old classics mixed in since newer readers will have missed them. 
THE PASSION OF SCROOGE (2018) – This 62-minute offering which is out on video is one of the opera versions of A Christmas Carol, NOT the x-rated version which is titled The Passions of Carol. I want to avoid any confusion, right off the bat. 
MERRY CHRISTMAS! Balladeer’s Blog’s Christmas Carol-a-Thon 2022 comes to a close with this look at Simon Callow’s one man show A Christmas Carol. Under Tom Cairns’ direction, Callow’s lauded performance, this time taking place in an abandoned warehouse, gets just enough goosing from smoke, sound effects, fake snow and other enhancements to justify capturing it on film. 
Balladeer’s Blog’s Christmas Carol-A-Thon 2022 continues! Back in the 2012 edition I reviewed 
Balladeer’s Blog’s Christmas Carol-A-Thon 2022 rolls along with Ponsett’s Christmas Carol. Back during 2013’s Carol-A-Thon I reviewed The Trail to Christmas (1957), Jimmy Stewart’s television adaptation of this particular radio play. 
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1997) – This musical cartoon version of the Dickens classic was produced by DIC, the animators known for the early Real Ghostbusters and Sonic the Hedgehog cartoons. The animation quality is adequate but nothing outstanding. However, I will say I find this version’s animation superior to that in the 1982 Australian cartoon A Christmas Carol. 
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