BBC CHRISTMAS TV 1961
Christmas Eve Sunday 24th December 1961
BBCTV
10.00am Ar Gyger Heddiw'r Bore
a programme of carols
(Wenvoe, Blaen-Plwyf, Llandrindod Wells, Holme Moss, Sutton Coldfield, Crystal Palace)
10.30am Morning Service
from Monmouth Street Methodist Church, Bridgwater
11.30am Elsa, the Lioness
with Joy and George Adamson
12.00 On the Twelfth Day
a film produced by George K. Arthur devised and directed by Wendy Toye with sets and costumes
designed by Ronald Searle, an amusing fantasy based on the traditional Christmas song
12.20pm Seeing and Believing
The Divine Guest
A Christmas theme illustrated by Margaret Tyzack
John Breslin , Philip Latham and The Galliards with Robin Hall and Jimmie Macgregor
12.40pm Mountain Pastures
second showing of the documentary film from Italy
1.00pm Welcome Christmas
with David Hughes, Doreen Hume, Howell Glynne, Osian Ellis, The Fenland Singers
1.30pm No Room for Wild Animals
What hope is there for wildlife in the face of advancing civilisation? A second showing of this notable film
2.30pm The Singing Years
songs of the century
3.00pm Brian Rix presents...
"Flat Spin" a farce
4.25pm Quillow and the Giant
starring Jeannie Carson also starring
Cardew Robinson, Dick Emery and Biff McGuire who wrote the story for television
5.20pm Overland Trail
Vigilantes of Montana
6.10pm The News
6.15pm A Festival of Carols
from Britain, Denmark, Finland, Germany and Holland
7.05pm What Manner of Child...
a Christmas film
7.25pm What's My Line?
Chairman, Eamonn Andrews
Panel : Isobel Barnett , Barbara Kelly, Arthur Askey
Maurice Edelman, M.F. and a mystery guest celebrity
7.55pm Billy Cotton Band Show
with Eric Sykes and Hattie Jacques
8.40pm Sunday Night Play
The Barretts of Wimpole Street
10.25pm The News
10.30pm Peter Ustinov
Another chance to see an After Supper Conversation with Cliff Michelmore,
Derek Hart, Kenneth Allsop
11.30pm Tibor Varga
violin recital with Geoffrey Parsons (piano), presented by Patricia Foy
11.55pm Midnight Mass of the Nativity
from the Roman Catholic Church of St Francis of Assisi, Gorton
1.30am Closedown
Christmas Day Monday 25th December 1961
BBCTV
9.00am Gwyl y Geni-
a Christmas Service in Welsh
(Wenvoe, Blaen-Plwyf, Llandrindod Wells, Holme Moss, Sutton Coldfield, Crystal Palace only)
9.29am Headline News
9.30am Good Christian Men, Rejoice
A programme of Christmas carols, hymns, and music presented by the boys of
Chethams Hospital School, Manchester
10.00am Sambo and the Snow Mountains
second showing of the BBC film of a story by Walter De La Mare with music specially
composed by John Addison
10.30am O Come, All Ye Faithful
morning service from St Werburgh's Parish Church, Derby
11.30am Max Bygraves
invites you to Meet the Kids in hospital this Christmas
12.20pm Citizen James
starring Sidney James
12.50pm Be My Guest
says Joan Regan
1.25pm Tenderfoot
Stranger in the Town
2.10pm Appeal
on behalf of the Royal National Institute for the Deaf, by Sir Malcolm Sergeant
2.15pm The Christmas Music
from Messiah by Handel recorded at Llandaff Cathedral, Cardiff
3.00pm The Queen
Her Majesty's recorded Christmas Message to the Commonwealth
3.07pm Billy Smart's Circus
4.05pm The World of Walt Disney
introduced by David Jacobs
5.15pm Film : Just William's Luck (1947) Première
with William Graham as William
6.45pm The News
6.55pm Christmas at Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Michael Ramsey gives a Christmas address in a Service of
Lessons and Carols from the Cathedral Church of Christ, Canterbury
7.25pm This Is Your Life
with Eamonn Andrews
8.00pm The Black and White Minstrel Show
starring the Mitchell Minstrels
9.00pm Film : Rebecca (1940) Première
starring Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine
11.05pm Late Night News
11.10pm Television Dancing Club
special Christmas edition
11.55pm The Power of Gentleness
postscript to Christmas by the Dean of Trinity College, Cambridge
12.00 The Weather Man
Closedown
Boxing Day Tuesday 26th December 1961
BBCTV
10.55am Telewele
(Wenvoe, Blaen-Plwyf, Llandrindod Wells, Holme Moss, Sutton Coldfield only)
11.20am Headline News
11.22am The Red Balloon
another showing of this prize-winning film from France
11.55am Juke Box Jury
a new disc-a Hit or a Miss?
Comments and opinions on the latest pop releases
12.30pm Boxing Day Grandstand
including Motor Racing from Brands Hatch,
Racing from Kempton Park, Amateur Boxing from from Cardiff,
Ice Skating from Garmisch, Sports Results and News Service
5.00pm The Princess and the Pea
musical play based on Hans Andersen 's story "The Real Princess"
5.50pm The News
5.55pm Today's Sport
introduced by Kenneth Wolstenholme
Today's sporting headlines and the classified football results
6.00pm Town and Around
news magazine for South-East England
News from the South (Rowridge only)
Weather
6.05pm Here's Harry
starring Harry Worth
This week:
The Last Train with Harold Goodwin, Reginald Marsh, Patrick Connor, Gerald Andersen
Stuart Saunders, Tony Melody, Jack Woolgar, Leslie Clark
6.30pm Cinderella
from the Wimbledon Theatre, London starring Dickie Valentine and Jill Day
8.00pm Brian Rix presents...
"Will Any Gentlemen?" a farce
9.30pm The News
9.40pm Maigret
A Crime for Christmas
10.30pm Film: I'll Be Seeing You (1944)
starring Ginger Rogers Joseph Gotten with Shirley Temple
11.55pm The Weather Man
Closedown