BBC CHRISTMAS TV 1954
Christmas Eve Friday 24th December 1954
BBCTV
3.00pm Road Safety
Jeanne Heal, with the help of experts, enquires into the causes of accidents to children, and in particular
why more than a third of child road casualties are under five years old (Repeat)
3.30pm The Boarder
with Amos 'n' Andy, a comedy film made for television
5.00pm Children's Television : Away in a Manger
written and produced by Dorothea Brooking
Carols recorded by boys of Canterbury Cathedral Choir
7.00pm Ulster Mirror (Kirk O`Shotts and Glencairn only)
A fortnightly Northern Ireland television magazine
7.15pm Closedown
7.25pm Weather Chart
7.30pm News and Newsreel
7.45pm The Grove Family : Christmas Eve
by Michael and Roland Pertwee
8.05pm Amahl and the Night Visitors
a Christmas story with music, by Gian-Carlo Menotti
8.55pm The Spirit of Christmas
carols from St Mary's Hospital, Paddington
9.05pm Film : Beyond Tomorrow (1940)
a story that begins on Christmas Eve with Jean Parker
C. Aubrey Smith, Charles Winninger and Richard Carlson
Even Scrooge found the spirit of Christmas infectious and the three ageing and
prosperous business men who begin this film are not Scrooges. They decide to
toss lightly out of the window their wallets, each containing ten dollars and cards
bearing their names and addresses. Will any of the wallets be returned?
10.20pm Animal, Vegetable, Mineral ?
Glyn Daniel challenges a panel of experts to identify a series of unusual objects, which he has specially
collected for Christmas Eve
The Experts : Sir Mortimer Wheeler, Professor of Archaeology, University of London
Professor Thomas Bodkin, Former Director of the Barber Institute and Professor of Fine Arts at
Birmingham University, Hugh de S. Shortt Curator of Salisbury Museum
10.50pm News Headlines (sound only)
followed by Interlude
10.55pm Mass
from Notre Dame, Paris
Viewers are invited to take part in the Midnight Mass of the Nativity from the famous Cathedral of Paris
12.30am Closedown
Christmas Day Saturday 25th December 1954
BBCTV
11.00am Morning Service
for Christmas Day from St Ann's Parish Church, Manchester
12.00 Closedown
3.15pm The Season's Greetings
from Betty Driver, George Martin, Carole Carr, Robert Harbin Saveen, Rita Martell
Ronald Chesney, The Charmony Three, Sidney Jerome and his Orchestra who entertain disabled
ex-Servicemen and their families and friends at the Star and Garter Home, Richmond
4.15pm Closedown
4.45pm Children's Television
Andy Pandy &
A Christmas Barnstorm : The pleasure of your company is requested at a farm near Glasgow where
Jack Edwardes and Charlie Drake , with some old and new friends, are celebrating at a Christmas party
6.00pm Association Football Results
6.05pm Closedown
7.25pm Weather Chart
7.30pm News and Newsreel
7.45pm Wireless for the Blind
Jeanne Heal appeals on behalf of the British Wireless for the Blind Fund
7.50pm Television's Christmas Party
featuring Arthur Askey, Tommy Cooper,
Fred Emney, David Nixon, Petula Clark, Eve Boswell
Harry Secombe, Wilfred Pickles and Bob Monkhouse,
Sooty and Harry Corbett and Denis Goodwin
9.30pm A Party for Christmas
a comedy in three acts by N. C . Hunter
11.00pm News
(sound only)
11.15pm Closedown
Christmas Sunday 26th December 1954
BBCTV
2.00pm Rhythm on Ice and Snow
Winter sports from the mountain village of Gstaad in the Bernese Oberland
Commentator in Switzerland : Peter Dimmock
3.00pm Closedown
5.00pm Children's Television For Older Children : Film : Tom Brown's School Days (1940)
An American film based on the book by Thomas Hughes with Jimmy Lydon
Freddie Bartholomew , Cedric Hardwicke
6.15pm Closedown
7.25pm Weather Chart
7.30pm News and Newsreel
7.45pm What's My Line
with Isobel Barnett, Barbara Kelly, David Nixon and Gilbert Harding trying to find the answers
and Eamonn Andrews to see fair play
8.25pm John Slater
"It happened to you"
8.30pm Jacqueline Du Bief in 'Aladdin on Ice'
excerpts from Sir Arthur Elvin's pantomime
A special performance before an invited audience from the Empire Pool, Wembley
9.45pm Harcourt Williams in ' The Captive'
from a story by Luigi Pirandello
10.30pm Sleep, Holy Babe
a quiet, reflective programme of music at the end of the first Sunday after Christmas
10.38pm News
(sound only)
Boxing Day Monday 27th December 1954
BBCTV
1.30pm Racing at Kempton Park
(1.45 The Hounslow Handicap Hurdle Race,
2.15 The King George VI Steeplechase, 2.45 The Egham Novices' Hurdle Race)
2.50pm Interlude
3.00pm Alias Troubles
an adventure film of a boy and his dog
starring Lynne Roberts. Douglass Kennedy and Gordon Gebert
3.30pm Television Goes to Sea
The British Railways' car ferry S.S. Lord Warden leaves Boulogne Harbour every afternoon
on her regular Channel crossing to Dover. From the bridge and decks of the S.S. Lord Warden outside
broadcast cameras show the departure from the French port and scenes on board the ship at sea
4.00pm Closedown
5.00pm Children's Television : The Three Princes
A tale of the thousand nights and one night
Made into a play for television and produced by Rex Tucker
5.50pm Association Football Results
6.00pm Dynasty of the Hour Glasses
an impression of the power of the watch in everyday life
The programme includes : A Mimed Ridicule of Time,
by Albert Mol, A Guide to the Ticking Temples of Time by
Cruys Voorbergh, An impression of twenty-four hours in Munt Square in the
heart of Amsterdam, "Time and Tide" by the New Dutch Ballet Group
6.45pm Closedown
7.25pm Weather Chart
7.30pm News and Newsreel
7.45pm War in the Air : 8—Round the Clock
A series of BBC Television films telling the history of air power In the past twenty years
This film covers the day and night bombing of Germany during 1943
8.15pm Top Town Parade
Some of the outstanding artists who have appeared in the present "Top Town" series
9.15pm Tons of Money (1954)
a farce by Will Evans and Valentino starring Frankie Howerd and Eleanor Summerfield
10.45pm News
(sound only)
Tuesday 28th December 1954 (Bank Holiday)
BBCTV
1.30pm Racing at Kempton Park
(1.45 Christmas Handicap Hurdle, 2.15 Kenton Handicap
Steeplechase, 2.45 Littleton Four-Year-Old Hurdle Race)
2.50pm Interlude
3.00pm For Women Leisure and Pleasure
introduced by Andrea Troubridge : I'd Like You To Meet ... Hattie Jacques
Exhibition : Joan Rodker gives a preview of the exhibition of silver from churches in England and Wales,
organised by the Historic Churches Preservation Trust
Film Making : Margaret Thomson discusses with Catherine Paul the art of directing child film actors
Sociable Songs : Singers in Consort directed by Richard Wood
4.00pm Watch with Mother : Andy Pandy
4.15pm Closedown
5.00pm Children's Television
Spot the Tune Another competition introduced by Eric Robinson with Margaret Good (piano)
and members of the Allegri String Quartet
Can You Do It? programme of tricks, stunts, and catches by Geoffrey Robinson
Junior Soccer Skills Contest Bemrose School, Derby v. Norlington Road School, Leyton
Referee, A. E. Ellis (Scunthorpe) Guest star, Billy Wright
5.50pm Closedown
7.25pm Weather Chart
7.30pm News and Newsreel
7.45pm Snooker
John Pullman v John Barrie
8.15pm Music-Hall Parade
with Les Hollywoods (Marionettes) Monsieur John (Acrobat)
Les Eldino and Tonita and Lill (Tight-rope walkers) Don Pamphile (Singing ventriloquist)
La Troupe Bello (Acrobats) Les Ballets de Pacita Thomas (Spanish dancers)
Daniele Darmance (Acrobatic dancer) Les Mains Joly (Hand ballet by Yves Jolyi)
Lyane Dayde (Premiere danseuse of the Paris Opera) Line Renaud (songs)
Georges Ulmer (who entertains in eight languages)
9.30pm Zoo Quest : Part 2
The story of the recent expedition to the forests of West Africa in search of rare birds and animals,
told by the leader, Jack Lester, of the London Zoo
10.00pm Find the Link
with Peter Martyn in the chair and Josephine Douglas, Moira Lister, Kenneth Horne
Peter Noble finding the links between the challengers
Special investigators, Pauline Forrester and Larry Forrester
10.30pm News
(sound only)
BBCTV
3.00pm Road Safety
Jeanne Heal, with the help of experts, enquires into the causes of accidents to children, and in particular
why more than a third of child road casualties are under five years old (Repeat)
3.30pm The Boarder
with Amos 'n' Andy, a comedy film made for television
5.00pm Children's Television : Away in a Manger
written and produced by Dorothea Brooking
Carols recorded by boys of Canterbury Cathedral Choir
7.00pm Ulster Mirror (Kirk O`Shotts and Glencairn only)
A fortnightly Northern Ireland television magazine
7.15pm Closedown
7.25pm Weather Chart
7.30pm News and Newsreel
7.45pm The Grove Family : Christmas Eve
by Michael and Roland Pertwee
8.05pm Amahl and the Night Visitors
a Christmas story with music, by Gian-Carlo Menotti
8.55pm The Spirit of Christmas
carols from St Mary's Hospital, Paddington
9.05pm Film : Beyond Tomorrow (1940)
a story that begins on Christmas Eve with Jean Parker
C. Aubrey Smith, Charles Winninger and Richard Carlson
Even Scrooge found the spirit of Christmas infectious and the three ageing and
prosperous business men who begin this film are not Scrooges. They decide to
toss lightly out of the window their wallets, each containing ten dollars and cards
bearing their names and addresses. Will any of the wallets be returned?
10.20pm Animal, Vegetable, Mineral ?
Glyn Daniel challenges a panel of experts to identify a series of unusual objects, which he has specially
collected for Christmas Eve
The Experts : Sir Mortimer Wheeler, Professor of Archaeology, University of London
Professor Thomas Bodkin, Former Director of the Barber Institute and Professor of Fine Arts at
Birmingham University, Hugh de S. Shortt Curator of Salisbury Museum
10.50pm News Headlines (sound only)
followed by Interlude
10.55pm Mass
from Notre Dame, Paris
Viewers are invited to take part in the Midnight Mass of the Nativity from the famous Cathedral of Paris
12.30am Closedown
Christmas Day Saturday 25th December 1954
BBCTV
11.00am Morning Service
for Christmas Day from St Ann's Parish Church, Manchester
12.00 Closedown
3.15pm The Season's Greetings
from Betty Driver, George Martin, Carole Carr, Robert Harbin Saveen, Rita Martell
Ronald Chesney, The Charmony Three, Sidney Jerome and his Orchestra who entertain disabled
ex-Servicemen and their families and friends at the Star and Garter Home, Richmond
4.15pm Closedown
4.45pm Children's Television
Andy Pandy &
A Christmas Barnstorm : The pleasure of your company is requested at a farm near Glasgow where
Jack Edwardes and Charlie Drake , with some old and new friends, are celebrating at a Christmas party
6.00pm Association Football Results
6.05pm Closedown
7.25pm Weather Chart
7.30pm News and Newsreel
7.45pm Wireless for the Blind
Jeanne Heal appeals on behalf of the British Wireless for the Blind Fund
7.50pm Television's Christmas Party
featuring Arthur Askey, Tommy Cooper,
Fred Emney, David Nixon, Petula Clark, Eve Boswell
Harry Secombe, Wilfred Pickles and Bob Monkhouse,
Sooty and Harry Corbett and Denis Goodwin
9.30pm A Party for Christmas
a comedy in three acts by N. C . Hunter
11.00pm News
(sound only)
11.15pm Closedown
Christmas Sunday 26th December 1954
BBCTV
2.00pm Rhythm on Ice and Snow
Winter sports from the mountain village of Gstaad in the Bernese Oberland
Commentator in Switzerland : Peter Dimmock
3.00pm Closedown
5.00pm Children's Television For Older Children : Film : Tom Brown's School Days (1940)
An American film based on the book by Thomas Hughes with Jimmy Lydon
Freddie Bartholomew , Cedric Hardwicke
6.15pm Closedown
7.25pm Weather Chart
7.30pm News and Newsreel
7.45pm What's My Line
with Isobel Barnett, Barbara Kelly, David Nixon and Gilbert Harding trying to find the answers
and Eamonn Andrews to see fair play
8.25pm John Slater
"It happened to you"
8.30pm Jacqueline Du Bief in 'Aladdin on Ice'
excerpts from Sir Arthur Elvin's pantomime
A special performance before an invited audience from the Empire Pool, Wembley
9.45pm Harcourt Williams in ' The Captive'
from a story by Luigi Pirandello
10.30pm Sleep, Holy Babe
a quiet, reflective programme of music at the end of the first Sunday after Christmas
10.38pm News
(sound only)
Boxing Day Monday 27th December 1954
BBCTV
1.30pm Racing at Kempton Park
(1.45 The Hounslow Handicap Hurdle Race,
2.15 The King George VI Steeplechase, 2.45 The Egham Novices' Hurdle Race)
2.50pm Interlude
3.00pm Alias Troubles
an adventure film of a boy and his dog
starring Lynne Roberts. Douglass Kennedy and Gordon Gebert
3.30pm Television Goes to Sea
The British Railways' car ferry S.S. Lord Warden leaves Boulogne Harbour every afternoon
on her regular Channel crossing to Dover. From the bridge and decks of the S.S. Lord Warden outside
broadcast cameras show the departure from the French port and scenes on board the ship at sea
4.00pm Closedown
5.00pm Children's Television : The Three Princes
A tale of the thousand nights and one night
Made into a play for television and produced by Rex Tucker
5.50pm Association Football Results
6.00pm Dynasty of the Hour Glasses
an impression of the power of the watch in everyday life
The programme includes : A Mimed Ridicule of Time,
by Albert Mol, A Guide to the Ticking Temples of Time by
Cruys Voorbergh, An impression of twenty-four hours in Munt Square in the
heart of Amsterdam, "Time and Tide" by the New Dutch Ballet Group
6.45pm Closedown
7.25pm Weather Chart
7.30pm News and Newsreel
7.45pm War in the Air : 8—Round the Clock
A series of BBC Television films telling the history of air power In the past twenty years
This film covers the day and night bombing of Germany during 1943
8.15pm Top Town Parade
Some of the outstanding artists who have appeared in the present "Top Town" series
9.15pm Tons of Money (1954)
a farce by Will Evans and Valentino starring Frankie Howerd and Eleanor Summerfield
10.45pm News
(sound only)
Tuesday 28th December 1954 (Bank Holiday)
BBCTV
1.30pm Racing at Kempton Park
(1.45 Christmas Handicap Hurdle, 2.15 Kenton Handicap
Steeplechase, 2.45 Littleton Four-Year-Old Hurdle Race)
2.50pm Interlude
3.00pm For Women Leisure and Pleasure
introduced by Andrea Troubridge : I'd Like You To Meet ... Hattie Jacques
Exhibition : Joan Rodker gives a preview of the exhibition of silver from churches in England and Wales,
organised by the Historic Churches Preservation Trust
Film Making : Margaret Thomson discusses with Catherine Paul the art of directing child film actors
Sociable Songs : Singers in Consort directed by Richard Wood
4.00pm Watch with Mother : Andy Pandy
4.15pm Closedown
5.00pm Children's Television
Spot the Tune Another competition introduced by Eric Robinson with Margaret Good (piano)
and members of the Allegri String Quartet
Can You Do It? programme of tricks, stunts, and catches by Geoffrey Robinson
Junior Soccer Skills Contest Bemrose School, Derby v. Norlington Road School, Leyton
Referee, A. E. Ellis (Scunthorpe) Guest star, Billy Wright
5.50pm Closedown
7.25pm Weather Chart
7.30pm News and Newsreel
7.45pm Snooker
John Pullman v John Barrie
8.15pm Music-Hall Parade
with Les Hollywoods (Marionettes) Monsieur John (Acrobat)
Les Eldino and Tonita and Lill (Tight-rope walkers) Don Pamphile (Singing ventriloquist)
La Troupe Bello (Acrobats) Les Ballets de Pacita Thomas (Spanish dancers)
Daniele Darmance (Acrobatic dancer) Les Mains Joly (Hand ballet by Yves Jolyi)
Lyane Dayde (Premiere danseuse of the Paris Opera) Line Renaud (songs)
Georges Ulmer (who entertains in eight languages)
9.30pm Zoo Quest : Part 2
The story of the recent expedition to the forests of West Africa in search of rare birds and animals,
told by the leader, Jack Lester, of the London Zoo
10.00pm Find the Link
with Peter Martyn in the chair and Josephine Douglas, Moira Lister, Kenneth Horne
Peter Noble finding the links between the challengers
Special investigators, Pauline Forrester and Larry Forrester
10.30pm News
(sound only)
