The Spirit of Christmas
This Christmas film, created as a special for television broadcast throughout the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania viewing region, was produced by puppeteer Mabel Beaton and her husband Les for Bell Telephone Company and first aired in 1953. Following a short live-action opening portion, featured are two extended marionette segments, the first dramatizing Clement Moore's "A Visit from St. Nicholas", the second reverently telling the Nativity story; the two stories are staged in classic, traditional style. From 1953 onward, for several years, The Spirit of Christmas was broadcast in the intended region multiple times per holiday season. It was also available as a 16mm film licensed to schools for showings to students. This film often is misstated to have originally been broadcast in 1950.
The Spirit of Christmas (1953)
Mabel Beaton
At a glance
Countries
United States of America
Ratings
TMDB users
6.5/10
6 votes
Rating consensus
65/100 blend
Sources: TMDB
Moderate-to-positive blended read — weighted ~65/100 across 1 rating source. The listed meters mostly agree.
Cast
Alexander Scourby
Clement Moore / 'Nativity' Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
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The Spirit of Christmas (1953)
Mabel Beaton
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