Santa Claus and the Tenth Avenue Kid
- Episode aired Dec 18, 1955
- TV-14
- 30m
While working as a department store 'Santa Claus', a paroled convict tries to help a troubled boy.While working as a department store 'Santa Claus', a paroled convict tries to help a troubled boy.While working as a department store 'Santa Claus', a paroled convict tries to help a troubled boy.
- Girl
- (as Wendy Winkleman)
- Boy
- (as Anthony Blankley)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe model airplane hanging from the ceiling represents an F-94C Starfire, a missile-armed interceptor of the early 1950s. It appears to be made of balsa wood, possibly from a kit by Comet.
- GoofsThe airplane hanging from the ceiling has correct US Air Force markings at first, but later on the markings change to a completely incorrect version with black stars instead of white ones.
- Quotes
[first lines]
[Bricking up fireplace]
Himself - Host: Oh, good evening. I thought I might as well brick this up. I don't expect I'll be using this fireplace anymore. I expect the chimney to be closed very soon. I've, uh, loosened the bricks so they'll fall in if anyone should brush against them on the way down. Santa Claus is always bringing surprises to others. I thought it would be interesting if someone surprised him for a change. I'm rather tired of his tracking soot in here every year. There. Let him "Ho ho ho" himself out of that. At the risk of overburdening our program with the spirit of the season, we have arranged to dramatize a very appropriate story for tonight's divertissement. It is called Santa Claus and the Tenth Avenue Kid.
- SoundtracksFuneral March of a Marionette
Written by Charles Gounod
The story actually has a positive theme to it, and the more sarcastic moments actually serve to make the upbeat point more believable. The setup has Fitzgerald as a recently paroled petty criminal, who is given holiday employment as a department store 'Santa Claus'. Gregg is the overly cheerful employment agent who takes an interest in him, while Clark is a bad-tempered boy whom the equally grouchy 'Santa' views as a personal challenge. The story line is concise and the script is carefully written, fitting perfectly into the half-hour television format.
Fitzgerald was excellent at portraying this kind of hardened character who nevertheless has something good somewhere inside him. He makes the character likable and sympathetic even when he is behaving in a disreputable fashion, and he never overdoes things in either direction. There are many similar holiday-themed features that are based on similar ideas, yet this one is still worth seeing for the simple yet skillful way that it presents its story and its characters.
- Snow Leopard
- Feb 23, 2006
Details
- Runtime30 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1