Perry Como's Christmas Show

Like the tape. Good people on tape withhim!!!

I caught this show on a nostalgia-driven digital cable channel, but it was an edited version. This show from 1974 is fun, wholesome family entertainment. It featured entertainers who are retired or no longer with us. I enjoyed the performances by a young Peggy Fleming. She was a beautiful skater, very musical and balletic; it was pure skating skills, deep edges and magic. You can't compare her skating to today's skaters since training and technique have drastically changed since she won her gold medal in 1968. Had Peggy been skating now, you can bet she'd be doing quads. Underneath that lithe, graceful figure was a fierce competitor.It was a treat to see the Carpenters in their prime, looking young and fresh, though Karen was painfully thin. Her silky voice is a pleasure to listen to, whether she's singing Christmas music or her soulful hits. She does a duet with Perry ("Sleep Well Little Children") as well as sing selections from her popular album 'A Christmas Portrait." A bonus is a current documentary about Perry Como that is narrated by Richard Carpenter. Richard discusses Perry's musical and TV career and what made him so special. Perry was always tapped by the different networks to star in variety shows and Christmas-themed shows. All his variety shows did very well in the ratings, and he was the first artist to film Christmas shows in different countries.Rich Little was always entertaining doing his imitations. I had forgotten how funny and versatile he was. However, his references are dated, so this DVD is more appreciated by Baby Boomers or for those who know Boomer Pop culture well. It is bright, cheery and a great show to put on when you're unwrapping presents.

And what a special treat this is. The print has been remastered and looks just as good, if not better, than the first time it aired in 1974. This is all do with special thanks to MPI Home Video.This is the first-ever release on disc for this classic holiday production! This single-disc is only 52 minutes (I wish they would have included other holiday specials, but this is a great start).This special has been unseen anywhere since its one and only CBS-TV broadcast on December 17, 1974, PERRY COMO'S CHRISTMAS SHOW presents the host with special musical guests THE CARPENTERS along with Olympics skating star PEGGY FLEMMING and comedy great RICH LITTLE.Both PERRY COMO and THE CARPENTERS are embraced for their top-selling Christmas music and among the popular favorites featured on this colorful spectacular are "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" (Como), "Toyland" (Como), "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" (The Carpenters), "Sleep Well Little Children" (Como & Karen Carpenter) and "Carol Of The Bells" (Richard Carpenter). Additionally, Perry and The Carpenters team for a medley of each others' million-selling hits, including "Close To You," "It's Impossible," "Yesterday Once More," "And I Love You So" and "We've Only Just Begun."Peggy Fleming performs a beautifully choreographed ice skating production of "The Christmas Waltz" and the entire cast join together for "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" in a scene that recreates the Currier & Ives style Christmases of old. Perry closes the show with his elaborate "Story of Christmas" presentation, singing traditional carols "The First Noel," "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "Silent Night," followed by an encore with "O Holy Night." PERRY COMO'S CHRISTMAS SHOW is the type of old-fashioned, star-studded and lavishly-produced family TV special that gives viewers a warm, nostalgic glow at the holidays.Do yourself a real solid, purchase this disc so it's in your collection next Christmas. There's little that will help you get into the holidays than a special from the crooner of all crooners, Perry Como.

Great Christmas show! Highly recommend for classic Christmas songs performed by Perry Como.

Perry Como made Christmas shows on radio and TV from the 1940s to the early 1990s. This one, taped at NBC Burbank and broadcast on CBS in 1974, features Mr. C., The Carpenters, Olympic figure skating champion Peggy Fleming, and Rich Little - the best impressionist ever. In this special Rich impersonates everyone from Raymond Burr to Jack Benny to Howard Cosell to Johnny Carson to Perry himself. Peggy does two skating routines; The Carpenters perform their then-current Christmas single, "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town," and do a medley with Perry, where each sings the other's hits, including a rare solo by Richard Carpenter. Looking at the footage, Karen Carpenter's face looked gaunt even then; perhaps she was already suffering the effects of the anorexia that would take her life a decade later. Perry also does a few solo Christmas carols, and narrates "The Story Of Christmas."Bonus features include "Mr. C. On TV," a mini-doc narrated by Richard Carpenter (he has really aged); a medley of Christmas carols; Perry's 1975 performance of Schubert's "Ave Maria," introduced by Richard Carpenter; a Como commercial for the show's sponsor, General Telephone & Electronics (GTE), which, years later, merged with two of the Baby Bells - Bell Atlantic and NYNEX - to form Verizon Communications; plus newsreel footage, featuring Perry and President Eisenhower, from 1959.If you're a Como fan, you will love this. I hope MPI Home Video makes more Como specials available, particularly ones from the 1960s and 1970s.

Out of all my Christmas tapes, this one is my favorite. Perry has got a great voice! The part with the Carpenters is priceless! And Rich Little is pure gold! This is a real gem! Wouldn't be a Christmas without this!!!

This took me down memory lane, I loved this DVD and great for Christmas.

Very enjoyable. Sings a lovely duet with Karen Carpenter.

I wanted a nostalgic Christmas special for my Dad. He's a big fan of Perry Como and this was a fun and a beautiful Special to watch! Brings back good memories, Perry Como was one-of-a-kind. Highly recommend.

One needs to consider the era when this was produced and standards are different now. That being said, the content on the whole is entertaining. The quality is the best that can be expected from that time as HD programming did not exist.All in all, money spent on the DVD is not wasted.

Out of all the Christmas specials I've ever seen, whether Bob Hope, Andy Williams, Dean Martin, or Bing Crosby, this one tops them all. Perry Como goes all out in this Christmas special, and keeps it real with the true meaning of Christmas. He was very generous in the whole setup of this superb special. This is a definite must-have. God bless his soul.