Who would you call a Christmas legend?

[Jeff Westover]

As we continue to work on our new offerings for the Christmas Library for 2011 we're thinking of expanding our "Christmas Legends" area by focusing on individuals who have made significant contributions to the modern Christmas.

Folks that we've researched and profiled before in unique offerings here on MMC include Charles Dickens (http://mymerrychristmas.com/library/christmas-history-9/charles-dickens-a-merry-old-soul-23/), Clement Clark Moore (http://mymerrychristmas.com/library/christmas-history-9/clement-clarke-moore-father-patriot-poet-18/), and George Frederick Handel (http://mymerrychristmas.com/library/christmas-music-12/handels-messiah-20/).

Some that we're working on right now include Norman Rockwell, Thomas Nast and Bing Crosby.

Who else would you include or want to see on that list?

When you think about movies, music, books and history it is very easy to think of people of influence.

[ballcoach]

I would 2nd Bing Crosby!

[Sabine]

Franz Xaver Gruber and Joseph Mohr :-)
Gruber composed the Music and Mohr has written the Lyric of Silent Night Holy Night

[Maureen]

You've already done a bit on James Stewart but it would be nice to expand on him a bit more

What about Vince Guaraldi who, although a well known jazz pianist in his own right, will forever be associated with Peanuts and, for me, in particular, a Charlie Brown Christmas............

[caninemom3]

This is going to seem a bit odd, but what about Boris Karloff ??? After all, what would How The Grinch Stole Christmas be without that voice ??

Also Andy Williams and his Christmas Specials.

[Snow-in-Texas]

You want to talk about Christmas specials, what about Bob Hope?

[Maureen]

You want to talk about Christmas specials, what about Bob Hope?

.....and Perry Como.....

[Christmas-A-Holic]

I 2nd all those mentioned above!

I also would like to add, Perry Como and Jean Shepherd (who wrote A Christmas Story).

To add to A Charlie Brown Christmas, regarding Vince Guaraldi, what about Charles Schulz? A special I watched last year on tv I found out that when he made the cartoon there was some controversy about it. Charles Shulz is a legend to me! =)

I had to google a little about it but it makes an interesting story. Here is a little of what I copied and pasted from another link.

Christmas Critics!
Even Schulz admitted that he was probably the only person who could have gotten A Charlie Brown Christmas made. Television executives hated it from the start. It was criticized as being too religious—Linus quotes straight from the King James Bible (Luke 2:8-14). It was criticized for featuring contemporary jazz, an offbeat choice for a cartoon. It was criticized for not having a laugh track. It was criticized for using the voices of real children (except for Snoopy, who was voiced by animator Melendez).


Maybe this story has been told before but it was new to me last year. Very interesting to see how successful it became even though critics hated it. Here is the link to the rest of the story:


CBS; Cancel the Charlie Brown Christmas Story (http://hoguenews.com/?p=6597)

.

[MerryCarey]

I'm trying to think of some folks who weren't so much performers as authors, composers, or others whose work is an indelible part of the Christmas season---Irving Berlin, perhaps, for "White Christmas" and "Happy Holiday," or Jean Shepherd for the novel on which "A Christmas Story" is based (and for his role as the narrator of the film), or Charles Tazewell, who wrote "The Littlest Angel," "The Small One," and other Christmas stories.

Sort of a Christmas Hall of Fame ...

[made582]

I'm going to agree with CM3 and say Andy Williams.

[RadioJonD]

With Jean Shepherd (http://www.mymerrychristmas.com/forum/showthread.php?p=64121&highlight=jean+shepherd#post64121) (not to be confused with the female country singer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Shepard)) you get book (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_God_We_Trust,_All_Others_Pay_Cash), radio (http://www.maskmusic.com/other_music.html), movie (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085334/), and musical (http://achristmasstorythemusical.com/) all in one!

[caninemom3]

I thought of one more I don't know if anyone has mentioned - Nat King Cole. I mean The Christmas Song STILL gives me happy childhood memories because of that marvelous voice and The Christmas Song I believe has become a legendary song of its own right along with Mel Torme !

[Jeff Westover]

Outstanding suggestions.

I was also thinking of a guy like Jim Yellig (http://santaclausoath.webs.com/jimyellig.htm), who is not a household name. But I've learned a lot about him recently. Or, Charles W. Howard (http://santaclausoath.webs.com/charleswhoward.htm).

Both were recently selected to the Santa Claus Hall of Fame and have a unique place in American Christmas history.

[Meceka]

Wallace Bronner

[Jeff Westover]

Wallace Bronner

That's interesting...maybe you could go do an interview! (Record it, we'd put it on the podcast).

[sdkluger]

Rankin and Bass
Robert Mays - author of Rudolph stories

[Jeff Westover]

Rankin and Bass
Robert Mays - author of Rudolph stories

We did Mays. He's on the last podcast and the companion article posts up in about a month.

[xmas365]

Haddon Sundblom -the artist who did the pictures of Santa Claus for Coca Cola

[dvdelf]

I agree on a Rankin Bass story or perhaps Burl Ives

Or an off the wall suggestion, Robert Zemeckis. Polar Express & A christmas Carol 2 modern Christmas films

[Maureen]

Burl Ives is an EXCELLENT idea............

and I know just the person for it!!!!

[RadioJonD]

Burl Ives is an EXCELLENT idea............

and I know just the person for it!!!!I know you know the right person for it!!

[Jeff Westover]

This is turning into quite the list. Who's going to research/write all this stuff?

[Christmasstar]

As we continue to work on our new offerings for the Christmas Library for 2011 we're thinking of expanding our "Christmas Legends" area by focusing on individuals who have made significant contributions to the modern Christmas.

Folks that we've researched and profiled before in unique offerings here on MMC include Charles Dickens (http://mymerrychristmas.com/library/christmas-history-9/charles-dickens-a-merry-old-soul-23/), Clement Clark Moore (http://mymerrychristmas.com/library/christmas-history-9/clement-clarke-moore-father-patriot-poet-18/), and George Frederick Handel (http://mymerrychristmas.com/library/christmas-music-12/handels-messiah-20/).

Some that we're working on right now include Norman Rockwell, Thomas Nast and Bing Crosby.

Who else would you include or want to see on that list?

When you think about movies, music, books and history it is very easy to think of people of influence.
I like all the choices so far.
Can I add to that Francis Pharcellus Church, the newspaper man who wrote the famous response to Virginia's question "Is there a Santa Claus"?

[Christmas-A-Holic]

What about, Gene Autry, for singing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer? I find it an interesting story that Bing Crosby turned it down and how Gene Autry decided to sing it.

Also the story of, Rudolph the Reindeer, itself and how it started out as a promotional book for Montgomery Ward and he is now legendary!
:rudolph:

[Jeff Westover]

Also the story of, Rudolph the Reindeer, itself and how it started out as a promotional book for Montgomery Ward and he is now legendary!
:rudolph:

Covered that in the last podcast so the article companion to it will be out soon.

[Christmas-A-Holic]

Covered that in the last podcast so the article companion to it will be out soon.
I am really behind on the podcast. I need to catch up!

My daughter is on vacation next week so I won't have the kids. Maybe I will have time to listen to them.