getTV’s FIFTH ANNUAL “MOST WONDERFUL MONTH OF THE YEAR” CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

Bing Crosby and family - image via: getTV

PRESS RELEASE VIA getTV:

getTV’s FIFTH ANNUAL
“MOST WONDERFUL MONTH OF THE YEAR”
CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION,
BEGINNING SUNDAY NOVEMBER 17,
WILL DELIVER A SLEIGHFUL OF CLASSIC SEASONAL VARIETY SHOWS, MOVIES AND COMEDY EPISODES

HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE 24-HOUR MARATHONS OF BING CROSBY’S ‘70’S CHRISTMAS SPECIALS AND HOLIDAY-THEMED SITCOM EPISODES

*CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD getTV's FULL CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE*

CULVER CITY, CA – November 15, 2019 - getTV kicks off its fifth annual “Most Wonderful Month of the Year” Christmas programming celebration beginning November 17 with classic holiday-themed variety shows, movies and sitcom episodes that will delight viewers of all ages with the spirit of the season.

Jeff Meier, SVP Programming and General Manager of getTV said, “From Christmas variety specials hosted by musical greats like Bing Crosby, Andy Williams, Johnny Cash and Perry Como to heartwarming and hilarious Christmas movie favorites, to memorable Christmas-themed episodes of such popular comedy series as “All in the Family,” “Married with Children” and “Hot in Cleveland,” getTV is THE destination for classic holiday entertainment this season.”

Sunday nights, November 17 through December 22 from 10PM to 1AM ET, getTV is the place for classic Christmas variety shows featuring such performers as Perry Como, Reba McEntire, Johnny Cash, John Wayne, Andy Griffith, Sonny and Cher, The Smothers Brothers, Mac Davis, Gladys Knight, The Osmonds, Barbara Mandrell, Vanessa Williams, Phil Collins, Shania Twain and Luther Vandross, among others. Included in the mix are getTV’s two original holiday music specials, 2017’s “A Nashville Christmas,” starring Wynonna, Emmylou Harris and Lorrie Morgan, airing Sunday, November 24 at 11PM ET (and multiple times throughout December), and 2018’s “The Soul & Spirit of Christmas,“ with CeCe Winans, BeBE Winans, Anthony Hamilton & the HamilTones, Take 6, Koryn Hawthorne and Kyla Jade, airing Sunday, December 8 at 10PM ET (with additional airings during the month).

On Black Friday, November 29 and on Christmas Eve Tuesday December 24 beginning at 6AM ET getTV will present a 24-Hour White Christmas Marathon featuring seven of Bing Crosby’s Christmas specials from the ‘70s--six of which have not been seen since they were originally broadcast over 40 years ago--with such guest stars as Sally Struthers, Jackie Gleason, Fred Astaire, Robert Goulet, Michael Landon, Connie Stevens, Bernadette Peters, Twiggy, Kathryn Crosby and more. Leading into midnight EST on Christmas Eve, getTV will be featuring “Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas” special from 1977. This special was the star’s final appearance, filmed just prior to his death and aired afterward. The show’s highlight is his legendary cross-generational duet with Rock & Roll Hall of Famer David Bowie, “Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy.”

Saturday afternoons, November 23, December 7, 14 and 21 from 12 noon to 6PM ET, and Christmas Day, Wednesday December 25 from 6AM – 6:30PM ET, getTV goes all in for Christmas movies, with such stars as Bob Hope, Cicely Tyson, Naomi Judd, Chuck Norris, Valerie Bertinelli, Dixie Carter, Roma Downey, Patricia Heaton, Peter Falk, Debbie Reynolds, John Denver, Robert Young, Cynthia Nixon and many more. Of particular note is the new-to-getTV 1971 TV-movie “The Homecoming,“ starring Patricia Neal and Richard Thomas, which served as the pilot for the long-running series “The Waltons.”

On Saturday November 30 12 noon-10PM ET and Monday, December 23 beginning 6AM for 24 hours, getTV will air Christmas-themed sitcom episodes, including “All in The Family,” “Married with Children,” “Hot in Cleveland,” “Sanford and Son,” “Amen,” “Good Times,” “The Steve Harvey Show” and “Designing Women.”

About getTV

Anchored by Sony Pictures Entertainment’s vast TV and film library, getTV is a national TV network dedicated to your favorite movies and TV series. getTV features action, crime, vintage comedy and western TV series along with classic motion pictures from all eras. For information, visit get.tv and connect with the network on Facebook and Twitter @getTV.

*CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD getTV's FULL CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE*

Remembering Dixie Carter ~ and the night a light went out in TV land ...

I learned on Saturday evening, April 10, 2010, that the lovely actress, Dixie Carter, had passed away that morning, from Cancer. I was stunned to learn of this news - it just didn't seem possible. To me, she embodied her Designing Women character, Julia Sugarbaker, so strongly - that she seemed invincable. 

Many of you, who love Hallmark Movies, may remember Dixie Carter from the 2008 Hallmark Channel Christmas Movie - Our First Christmas. She portrayed the Grandmother, Evie Baer... and she looked Beautiful and Fabulous at 68 (at that time)! I thought this was a wonderful family Christmas Movie... and was hopeful that she would be in more Hallmark Movies.

I'm sure we all remember Dixie Carter from various shows & movies... I, however, remember Dixie's acting career best as Julia, on Designing Women. The role she played as Julia Sugarbaker suited her perfectly. She was a classy, sassy, determined, opinionated, kind-hearted, and sophisticated proud Southern woman. Whenever she spoke, everyone listened... for her words were always spoken with such wisdom, conviction, and passion! I think of Dixie just like that - vivacious, strong-willed, a natural born leader, and a true friend. I had heard over the years that she was close to her fellow cast members, including Delta Burke, who played her sister, Suzanne Sugarbaker. I think they cared for each other like real sisters do... always deeply loving the other. Dixie was also Delta's matron of honor in her wedding to actor Gerald McRaney (Simon & Simon / Designing Women ~ Dash Goff - the Writer).

One of Dixie's most memorable scenes as Julia Sugarbaker was the episode, "The Beauty Pageant"... when Julia sticks up for her Sister and tells off Marjorie, the current Miss Georgia World, who has been making fun of Suzanne. Julia tears into her with the power of her words and tongue so sharply- it's wonderful!!! Don't we all wish we'd had a moment like that. Dixie delivered that scene so perfectly - I felt her rage, her passion, and her deep love for her baby sister - all in that powerful little speech... The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia!

In real life, Dixie was also passionate about her beliefs... she once described herself as "the only Republican in show business".  According to Wikipedia, though her Designing Women character, Julia Sugarbaker, was known for her liberal political views and subsequent monologues, Carter disagreed with many of her character's left-of-center commentaries, and made a deal with the producers that for every speech she gave, Julia would get to sing a song in a future episode. I just love the episode of Designing Women when she sang the beautiful hymn, How Great Thou Art... what a beautiful voice she had!

My thoughts and prayers go out to her family... her husband Hal Holbrook, her daughters ~ Mary Dixie and Ginna, her sister ~ Melba Helen Heath, and several nieces and nephews.

A bright light has certainly gone out now in TV land... at the passing of Dixie Carter.

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Find Additional Information on Dixie Carter, here:

Dixie Carter Official Web-site

Dixie Carter From Wikipedia

Designing Women Online

Dixie Carter Acting Credits - IMDB
Dixie Carter - Our First Christmas
Dixie Carter - Designing Women

Our First Christmas

MOVIE REVIEW

OUR FIRST CHRISTMAS:
Hallmark Channel Christmas Movie starring Julie Warner, (“Tommy Boy”), Steven Eckholdt, (“Secret Santa”), Dixie Carter (“Family Law” and “Designing Women”) and John Ratzenberger (“Cheers”).





CAST:

Julie Warner .... Cindy
Steven Eckholdt ... Tom
Dixie Carter ... Evie Baer
John Ratzenberger ... Joe
Katerina Graham ... Bernie
Richard Riehle ... Santa
Cassi Thomson ... Tory
Grace Fulton ... Lilly
Carly Bondar ... MG
Maxim Knight ... Jacob


PLOT:

from Hallmark:

Recently-married couple Cindy (Julie Warner, “Tommy Boy”) and Tom (Steven Eckholdt, “Secret Santa”) are a perfect match, but when they try to unite their families from previous marriages their children aren’t interested in getting to know their new siblings. Cindy’s husband has passed away, as has Tom’s wife, leaving each of them with two children to raise. With Christmas right around the corner, the kids are looking forward to taking part in their usual family traditions, but there’s no way the family can keep both. All Cindy and Tom want is for their family to stay together, but with nobody willing to give an inch, it starts to look like their first Christmas may be ruined. Dixie Carter (“Designing Women”) and John Ratzenberger (“Cheers”) also star in “Our First Christmas”.


Movie Review:

I am a big fan of Dixie Carter and John Ratzenberger... so it was a delight to see both of them in this movie about a new family deciding what traditions to uphold at Christmastime. Dixie and John played the grandparents from opposite sides of this newly combined family. It was a sweet family story - very happy - decent - and sweet - with nothing objectional for family viewing.

It was nice to see how the children eventually realized their love for one another and decide that spending Christmas together as a family is more important than keeping all of their past traditions.

It's a good story of healing from the loss of a loved one and learning compromise in relationships, friendships, and family situations.

Loving one another and being together - is the best gift of all.


See or Skip:

See with your family.