There’s a unique charm in holding a vintage TV Guide, a tangible piece of media history that offers a window into another era. For enthusiasts of television history and pop culture, these guides are more than just listings; they are time capsules. Among my prized possessions is a particular issue, a Christmas edition of the TV Guide for St. Paul, Minnesota, from December 22-28, 1962. This isn’t just any old publication; it’s a portal back to a Christmas season of yesteryear, specifically in the St. Paul and Minneapolis region. Let’s delve into the pages of this fascinating artifact and explore what made television, and the holidays, special in St. Paul over sixty years ago.
A Festive Cover and a Glimpse into 1962
What immediately captures the eye is the cover itself. The iconic TV Guide logo, usually emblazoned in red, is rendered in a festive gold, instantly signaling the holiday season. The words “Merry Christmas” are prominently displayed, a greeting that graced the Christmas editions until sometime in the 1980s. A poinsettia adds to the seasonal décor – whether it’s meant to be a real plant or a nod to the popular plastic versions of the 50s and early 60s is delightfully ambiguous. And then there’s the charming Christmas Day graphic, a simple yet evocative design that perfectly encapsulates the holiday spirit of the time. It’s these small details that make this tv guide st paul edition so captivating.
Christmas Specials: Airing Holiday Cheer in Early December
Turning the pages, one is struck by the programming. As was common practice then, Christmas specials began airing early in December, primarily to give advertisers a platform to showcase their Christmas shopping suggestions. By December 22nd, the specials took on a distinctly Christmas message, catering to those last-minute shoppers and, more importantly, viewers seeking holiday entertainment.
Consider the advertisement for NBC’s annual Bell Telephone Hour Christmas edition. Jane Wyatt, a familiar face as the host of these holiday broadcasts, presented a live reading of the Nativity story from the Gospel of Luke. In today’s television landscape, such a direct presentation of religious narrative on network television is rare, highlighting a significant shift in cultural broadcasting. Wyatt’s guests for this broadcast included singers Florence Henderson and Earl Wrightson, the Roger Wagner Chorale, ballet dancers Roberta Lubell and Michael Maule, and the Buffalo Bills singing group – not the football team, but a popular vocal ensemble of the era. For those interested in vintage television, rumors circulate of this episode existing in underground DVD markets, a testament to the enduring appeal of these classic Christmas specials.
Juxtaposed against Bell on ABC was Voice of Firestone, another program embracing the Christmas spirit. This broadcast featured the talents of mezzo-soprano Rise Stevens, tenor Brian Sullivan, and the renowned Columbus Boychoir, offering a half-hour of traditional Christmas music. These competing specials underscore the abundance of high-quality, musically-rich Christmas programming available to St. Paul viewers in 1962.
Bing Crosby’s Color Christmas and a Mystery Solved
At 9:00 p.m. CT on Christmas Eve, Bing Crosby took center stage with his special, featuring Mary Martin and Andre Previn. This particular broadcast holds historical significance as ABC’s first color special. Interestingly, unlike Crosby’s later Christmas specials, this one wasn’t solely focused on seasonal music. The majority of the show comprised show tunes and standards performed by Crosby and Martin. It was only in the final segment that the program turned to Christmas themes, culminating in a performance with a 90-voice choir conducted by Previn.
A curious anecdote surrounds this program. Despite being touted as ABC’s first color special, a clip featured in a documentary about Crosby, hosted by Gene Kelly and Crosby’s widow Kathryn, was shown in black and white. For years, it was assumed that only a kinescope (a film recording of a live broadcast) survived, suggesting the original color broadcast was lost. However, the special has since been rediscovered in color and is available on DVD as part of a boxed set of Crosby’s Christmas television specials. The black and white clip likely stemmed from the color version not being readily accessible when the documentary was produced in the late 1970s. Perhaps, like a fine wine, the color reels were tucked away, waiting to be rediscovered.
Christmas Day Programming: From Sacred Services to Sporting Events
Christmas morning on NBC offered its traditional coverage of the Episcopal service from the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. This was a staple for many viewers, appreciated for its beautiful and well-performed music. NBC continued to broadcast this service well into the 1980s before it transitioned into syndication. In a nod to modern times, it is now reportedly streamed online, although it may have faded from the viewing habits of many.
Most Christmas Day specials in 1962, as reflected in this tv guide st paul, were centered around music and mood. A cynical view might suggest that daytime Christmas Day programming was less about ratings and more about filling airtime when many weren’t watching, making it an ideal slot for Christmas-themed shows. However, for those who did tune in, there was a variety of offerings. Channel 4 featured concerts by the Mora High School choir and the Gustavus Adolphus College choir. NBC’s children’s show Exploring presented Christmas stories and music by Skitch Henderson, then the conductor of the Tonight show orchestra. Later in the evening, Channel 5 broadcast a local favorite, the 8th Annual Christmas on Ice, a skating show from the Minneapolis Figure Skating Club, a program that remained a local tradition for many years, eventually moving to Channel 11.
Christmas in Tyrol: A Local Touch of Holiday Music
One program listed in the tv guide st paul that stands out for its local connection is Christmas in Tyrol. This program, featuring traditional Tyrolian Christmas music, originally aired on Christmas Eve on Channel 11 and was rebroadcast on Christmas Day on Channel 2. The narrator was Father Richard Schuler, a professor of music at the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul. Later known as Monsignor Richard Schuler, he was the pastor of St. Agnes Church in St. Paul, a church with personal significance for the author. Msgr. Schuler was an internationally recognized expert in church music and played a vital role in preserving the Catholic Church’s liturgical heritage after Vatican II. An anecdote shared by the author recounts a conversation with Msgr. Schuler about Christmas in Tyrol, where he fondly recalled the intimate studio atmosphere, the Bavarian costumes, and the intense heat from the television lights. This program adds a unique St. Paul flavor to the Christmas TV landscape of 1962.
Amahl and the Night Visitors and Gridiron Glory
Sunday afternoon, December 23rd, featured the 12th annual broadcast of Amahl and the Night Visitors, a seminal Christmas program in early television. This particular broadcast was the last to use the original production. Starting in 1963, NBC replaced it with a new production, one that was created without the input or approval of composer Gian-Carlo Menotti. Menotti was reportedly so displeased that he withdrew permission for NBC to air it once the broadcast rights reverted to him in 1966. From 1951 to 1962, a new version of Amahl was broadcast each year, even after the transition to videotape. The 1963 version, in contrast, was taped and rebroadcast annually, a cost-saving measure that also eliminated the need to recast the role of Amahl each year.
Interestingly, opposite Amahl on ABC, was a completely different kind of programming: the AFL Championship game between the Houston Oilers and the Dallas Texans. This clash of titans turned out to be one of the greatest football games ever played.
AFL Championship 1962: A Football Classic Opposite Amahl
This 1962 AFL Championship was the third in the league’s history. The Oilers, led by veteran quarterback George Blanda, were seeking their third consecutive title. Their rivals, the Dallas Texans, coached by Hank Stram and quarterbacked by Len Dawson, presented a formidable challenge. The game was a rollercoaster of emotions. The Texans surged to a 17-0 halftime lead, but the Oilers rallied in the second half to tie the score at 17, forcing overtime – only the second professional football game to ever go into extra time.
The coin toss at the start of overtime became infamous. Dallas running back Abner Haynes, winning the toss, was instructed to choose to kick with the wind advantage. However, in a moment of confusion, he stated, “We’ll kick to the clock.” By uttering “We’ll kick,” Haynes inadvertently forfeited the right to choose the advantage. Houston seized the opportunity, opting for the wind, leaving the Texans without the ball or the preferred wind direction. Despite this blunder, the Oilers failed to capitalize immediately. The game stretched into a second overtime before Dallas intercepted a Blanda pass (his fifth of the game) and Tommy Brooker kicked a game-winning 25-yard field goal. At 77 minutes and 54 seconds, it was the longest professional football game ever played, a record that stood until 1971. This historic game, broadcast on ABC, provided a stark contrast to the Christmas cheer on other channels, offering St. Paul viewers a thrilling alternative.
The 1962 season marked the end of the Dallas Texans. Unable to compete with the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, the team relocated to Kansas City the following season and became the Chiefs. Ironically, it was the Kansas City Chiefs who would play in the 1971 Christmas Day game against the Miami Dolphins that broke the record for the longest game, a game they would lose. Jeppesen Stadium, where the 1962 AFL Championship was played, was later renamed Robertson Stadium and served as the home of the University of Houston Cougars until recently, hosting its final game just before being demolished for a new stadium.
More Sports: College Football and Boxing
Beyond the AFL Championship, the tv guide st paul also lists other sporting events for the holiday weekend. Saturday featured two college football games: the North-South Shrine Game from Miami and the Bluebonnet Bowl in Houston. The North-South Shrine Game, a fixture around Christmas for 26 years, featured future Hall of Famer Bobby Bell in the 1962 edition, who would later play for the Kansas City Chiefs and participate in the record-breaking Christmas Day game of 1971. The Bluebonnet Bowl, often played on New Year’s Eve, was another notable college football event of the era, featuring a matchup between Missouri and Georgia Tech in 1962. Both the North-South Shrine Game and the Bluebonnet Bowl are no longer played, replaced by the ever-evolving landscape of college football bowl games.
Saturday night on ABC’s Saturday Night Fights was scheduled to feature a middleweight bout between Gomeo Brennan and Reuben Carter. Brennan was replaced last minute by Holly Mims, but it was Reuben “Hurricane” Carter who would become a figure of significant public interest. While known for his boxing career in 1962, Carter later became famous as a cause célèbre after being wrongly convicted of triple homicide in 1967. His story, marked by retrials and overturned convictions, was dramatized in the 1999 film The Hurricane, starring Denzel Washington. But back in December 1962, Carter was simply a boxer on Saturday Night Fights, and he won his match against Holly Mims, a fight clip of which exists online, a reminder of a time before his life took a dramatic turn.
Detailed Program Listings: A Window to a Lost World
One of the most striking aspects of TV Guides from this era is the level of detail in the program listings. In a pre-cable, pre-internet era, with fewer channels and less 24-hour programming, there was space to provide comprehensive information. Listings included episode titles, scriptwriters, and program descriptions often spanning two to three sentences. This detail not only informed viewers but now ignites curiosity, prompting a desire to learn more about these programs.
This meticulous attention to detail is evident in the Christmas Eve church service listings in this tv guide st paul. CBS’s listing for a Methodist service from Christ Church in New York details that Dr. Harold A. Bosley would deliver the sermon and Dr. Austin C. Lovelace would direct the choir, specifying six musical pieces they would perform. ABC’s listing for Midnight Mass from the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., names Bishop Fulton Sheen as the celebrant and mentions the Marist College Seminary choir, directed by Eugene Stewart, performing Palestrina’s “Missa Aeterna Christi Munera.” Channel 11, the independent station in Minneapolis-St. Paul, covered Solemn High Christmas Mass from the St. Paul Seminary, listing Right Rev. Msgr. Louis J. McCarthy as celebrant, Rev. John Sweeney directing the 200-voice seminary choir in Christmas carols (including a Vaughan Williams arrangement of “The First Noel”), and commentary by Rev. William Baumgaerther on the Latin Mass.
These detailed listings do more than just inform; they transport the reader back in time. For the author, these descriptions sparked an interest in composers like Palestrina and Vaughan Williams, leading to a deeper appreciation of sacred polyphony. In a time before the widespread changes of Vatican II and the decline of the Latin Mass, these listings represent a glimpse into a different cultural and religious landscape. The level of detail in program listings like these is unimaginable in today’s television guides, as is the sheer volume of religious programming on network TV.
Variety Specials and Holiday Cheer
Contrasting with the detailed listings is a somewhat truncated entry for a Saturday morning program on Channel 11. At 10:30 a.m., the independent station presented From This Moment On, a syndicated one-hour variety special hosted by Jerry Lewis for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. This pre-telethon program, featuring ten stars from Steve Allen to Rose Marie, seems to have had a shortened listing. While other sources list it as an hour-long show, the brevity of the tv guide st paul listing raises questions about how many other stars might have appeared and how they were all fit into a single hour. It highlights the occasional inconsistencies and mysteries one can find even within these seemingly straightforward guides.
Advertisements within the tv guide st paul also paint a picture of the era. Liquor ads, prevalent during the holiday season, underscore the association of alcohol with “Holiday Cheer,” a term still used today but perhaps with different connotations.
Recreating a Night of 1962 TV
One remarkable aspect of this 1962 TV Guide is the availability of many listed programs today. From the Bing Crosby special and the Hurricane Carter fight to The Bell Telephone Hour and the AFL Championship, along with movies like Going My Way and episodes of series like The Rifleman and Bonanza, a significant amount of content is still accessible. This raises the intriguing possibility of recreating an entire night of prime-time television as it existed in December 1962. With some effort and perhaps a bit of funding, one could potentially curate a viewing experience that mirrors a night of television in St. Paul from over six decades ago.
A Longer Christmas Season
Finally, the tv guide st paul subtly reminds us of a different perception of the Christmas season. In 1962, and throughout much of the author’s childhood, the Christmas season extended well beyond December 25th, lasting until New Year’s. Advertisements for Andre champagne, featuring “Carol of the Bells,” were shown after Christmas, emphasizing its association with New Year’s Eve. Bowl game ads incorporated Christmas decorations, reinforcing the idea that the holiday spirit lingered into the New Year. Christmas was not just a single day but a week-long celebration.
In a charming detail, WCCO Channel 4 concluded its broadcast day with “Christmas Carols” from December 23rd through the end of the week. Whether live or recorded, a formal presentation or simple background music, this nightly sign-off was a gentle and festive way to end the day, extending the Christmas spirit beyond December 25th. It was a simple touch, but one that embodied the extended Christmas season of 1962, a gift that kept on giving throughout the week.
This vintage tv guide st paul is more than just a listing of television programs; it’s a portal to a bygone era. It offers a nostalgic glimpse into Christmas in St. Paul in 1962, showcasing the television programming, cultural values, and seasonal spirit of a time long past. It’s a reminder of how much television and the holiday season have evolved, and a testament to the enduring charm of vintage media.
