acsgjjp@sunybcs.UUCP (Jim Poltrone) (12/28/84)
[Apologies, mistress. Command not understood. Walkies?]
I was at my cousin's house on Christmas night, where I watched "The Curious
Case of Santa Claus", starring James Coco and Jon Pertwee, on the Arts &
Entertainment channel (here, it's Nickolodeon while moonlighting). James
Coco played Santa, who went to a psychiatrist in New York City (played by Jon)
because he "had a multiple personality" -- everywhere he went, he saw himself.
The program went on to discuss the origins of some of Santa's traditions,
such as coming through the chimney, and filling the stockings. They discussed
everything from St. Nicholas to Clement Clark Moore (who wrote "A Visit
From St. Nicholas"). I'm disappointed that they forgot Thomas Nast, who
first came up with the caricature of Santa that we know and love. I enjoyed
it; the Australian Broadcasting Co. (ABC as it's called down under, not to
confuse it with the alphabet[-soup] network based in New York City) did a
fine job. If only American television can be as good....
As for Pertwee's role: he wore his reading glasses for the part,
which was second only to Coco's. (It wasn't as minor as "ol' teeth and
curls" had on Remington Steele last year.) Did anyone else see the program?
--
Jim Poltrone (a/k/a Poltr1, the Last of the Raster Blasters)
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"Oh, very young, what will you leave us this time?
You're only dancin' on this earth for a short time,
And though your dreams will toss and turn you now...."