ITV CHRISTMAS TV 1957
Christmas Eve Tuesday 24th December 1957
Associated Rediffusion
4.40pm The Nativity
The story of the birth of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of the 15th Century
Flemish painters and made familiar by the word of St Matthew and St Luke.
Behind the story, music of the period recorded on Brompton Oratory sets the mood
of rejoicing associated with the birth of our saviour
5.00pm Let's Get Together
On Christmas Eve!
Your presence is requested at a party given by Tom Glazer and Peter Ling
Music will be provided by Steve Rice and his trio and many old and new friends
have promised to appear. RSVP (which stands for Rip Roaring Surprises and
Valuable Prizes)
Balloons hung up by Jim Nicholson and blown up by Daphne Shadwell
5.30pm Fury in the Film : Joey and the Stranger
starring Robert Diamond, Peter Graves, William Fawcett and Fury
Joey befriends a tramp who was once a famous ventriloquist, but who is now
a fugitive from a chain gang
6.00pm Christmas Carol Service
from St Martin-in-the-Fields, London conducted by the vicar, Rev Austen Williams
6.30pm News and Weather
6.45pm Cool for Cats
Introduced by Kent Walton
Discs arranged by Ker Robertson
7.00pm Four Star Playhouse : The Gift
starring Charles Boyer and Maureen O'Sullivan
Charles Baxter tries to ignore Christmas because of the memories it arouses.
On forcing himself to buy a gift for his wife he rediscovers the true meaning
of this festive season (Repeat)
7.30pm Emergency - Ward 10
8.00pm The Christmas Eve Show
starring Paul Anka, Petula Clark, Hughie Green, Michael Holliday, Dick Henderson Sr, Elizabeth Larner,
Dennis Lotts, Ben Lyon, Laurie Payne, Tommy Steele, Sabrina, Anne Shelton, Sister Rosetta Tharpe,
Dickie Valentine, Frankie Vaughan, Jerry Verno, Steve Race and his Orchestra, Norrie Paramor and his
Big Ben Banjo Band, Ted Heath and his Music, Johnny Duncan and the Blue Grass Boys,
Humphrey Lyttelton and his Band
9.15pm Tell the Truth
A mixed foursome starring John Skeaping, Bill Owen
Chairman : David Jacobs
9.45pm Life with the Lyons
starring Bebe Daniels and Ben Lyon with Barbara and Richard Lyon in 'Twas the Night Before
All children between 9 and 90 believe in Santa Claus and Bebe sets out to prove this to the family
10.15pm Zane Grey Theatre
presents John Forsythe in "Decision at Wilson's Creek"
Torn between his loyalty to the South and his marriage to a Northern girl, Lt David Marr has a
difficult decision to make
10.46pm News, Weather
11.00pm Mystery Junction
starring Sydney Tafler and Barbara Murray
Murder on a train and the field of suspicion is narrowed. As the case progresses fear and tension mount
12.00 First Eucharist of Christmas
from Southwark Cathedral
1.00am Close-down
Granada (as Associated Rediffusion except)
4.40pm no programme
5.00pm Let's Get Together
5.30pm The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (until 6.00)
6.38pm Northern News
7.00pm The New Adventures of Charlie Chan (until 7.30)
10.15pm Alfred Hitchcock presents Barry Fitzgerald in "Santa Claus and the 10th Avenue Kid"
11.00pm Variety Jubilee
Christmas Day Wednesday 25th December 1957
Associated Rediffusion
11.30am Christmas Morning Service
from St Martin-in-the-Fields conducted by the Rev Austen Williams
12.15pm Close-down
12.45pm Christmas Box
with "The Lunch Box Gang"
A special edition of the popular Midlands daily programme featuring
Noele Gordon, Jerry Allen, Lionel Rubin, Alan Grahame, Ken Ingarfield, David Galbraith,
Sheila Buxton, Terry Burton and guests
2.00pm Mantovani and His New Music
present A Christmas Day Programme with guest stars Dave King, Jacqueline Delman,
George Elrick, The Bournemouth Girls Choir
3.00pm Her Majesty The Queen
For the first time television cameras visit Sandringham when Her Majesty the Queen
broadcasts her Christmas Day message to her peoples this afternoon
3.15pm The Lady from Boston
starring Paul Henreid and Merle Oberon
Boston schoolmistress Elizabeth Rockwell inherits a chateau in France. She finds it full
of unusual tenants
4.30pm Cool for Cats
Introduced by Kent Walton
Discs arranged by Ker Robertson
4.45pm Rin-Tin-Tin
Rusty Volunteers
To prevent rebel leader Don Cortez from capturing the US Ambassador en route to Mexico
Lt Rip Masters is ordered to pose as the Ambassador
5.15pm Popeye
The popular cartoon character brings viewers 30 minutes of laughter
5.45pm The Big Top
presented by Wolf Mankowitz
a Russian film of some of the world's greatest circus acts
6.45pm News
7.00pm Home at Christmas
with friends from near and far introduced by the Rev Derrick Greeves, Minister of the Westminster
Methodist Central Hall
7.28pm Weather Forecast
prepared by Laurie West
7.30pm Spot the Tune!
Ken Platt and Marion Ryan are joined by Margaret Lockwood, Petula Clark, Thora Hird,
Ted Heath, Ronald Shiner, Tony Wright in a special Christmas edition of this popular musical quiz.
There will be plenty of fun and excitement as guest stars play for prizes of toys which will be given
to a children's home
8.15pm The Carroll Levis Christmas Show
Carroll Levis introduces discoveries who are guests at his Christmas Show with
Jerry Allen and his Trio
8.45pm Film of the Week : You Were Never Lovelier (1942)
starring Rita Hayworth and Fred Astaire
10.25pm News, Weather
10.30pm The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel
The Christmas Present
with Marius Goring as the immortal character
10.55pm Epilogue and Close-down
Granada (as Associated Rediffusion except)
12.45pm no programme (until 2.00)
4.45pm Annie Oakley (until 5.15)
10.30pm News
10.35pm Christmas in the North Boxing Day
Boxing Day Thursday 26th December 1957
Associated Rediffusion
2.15pm Professional Wrestling
from Wimbledon Palais
Commentator : Kent Walton
3.15pm Film : The Saint's Return (1953)
starring Louis Hayward, Sydney Tafler, Naomi Chance
"The Saint" comes to England in response to a desperate appeal from a girl. Despite attempts
from his old adversary, Inspector Teale of Scotland Yard, to keep him out of the case, the Saint
comes to grips with the criminals
4.30pm Small Time
and Mr Happy returns! and young viewers are invited to
Come Out and Play with Jackie and Gillian Moran
4.45pm Zoo Party
Chimpanzees Congo, Jamie and Charlie entertain Desmond Morris and their friends from the
London Zoo at a party in the Den
5.30pm Cisco Kid
starring Duncan Renaldo and Leo Carrillo
The Cisco Kid slips through the bars of a ghost town jail to subdue a formidable gang of
stagecoach robbers
6.00pm On Stage
A weekly programme about the theatre and its personalities introduced by Ludovic Kennedy
bringing into the limelight not only the stars but also the producers, playwrights, critics,
backstage staff and the audience
6.30pm Sports Results and News
6.45pm Cool for Cats
Introduced by Kent Walton
Discs arranged by Ker Robertson
7.00pm Sheriff of Cochise
starring John Bromfield in The Kidnapper
When a 15 year old girl disappears, the townsfolk immediately suspect her boyfriend, Jim
7.28pm Weather Forecast
prepared by Laurie West
7.30pm Shadow Squad
starring Peter Williams as Don Carter in
Double Exposure (Episode One)
with George Moon and John Horsley
8.00pm Double Your Money
starring Hughie Green who presents a special Boxing Day children's edition of Double Your Money
and also thanks the hundreds of young people who have written asking to take part. So many
have applied it has been impossible to see them all or answer all the letters
8.30pm This Week
ITV's special news magazine introduced by Michael Westmore
Exclusive news flashes, features and interviews from all over the world
9.00pm A Santa for Christmas
a seasonal fantasy featuring in order of appearance, Dickie Henderson, Joyce Blair, Joan Savage,
The Eleanor Fazan Dancers, Jack Parnell and His Orchestra, Anthea Askey, Arthur Haynes,
Arthur Askey, Tommy Cooper, Terry-Thomas, Avril Angers, Leslie Mitchell, Donald Gray,
Diana Decker, William Hartnell, Geoffrey Sumner, Paddie O'Neil, Robin Bailey, Michael Miles,
Hughie Green, David Jacobs, Irene Handl, Pat Coombs, Freddie Mills, Jack Solomons, Alfred Marks,
Bill Owen, Danny Green, Len Harvey, Eric Boon, Kid Lewis, Bombardier Billy Wells, Dave Crowley,
Val Parnell, Norman Wisdom, Johnnie Ray, Shani Wallis, Joan Regan, Rosemary Miller, Jill Browne,
Charles Tingwell, Glyn Owen, Frederick Bartman and many other stars
10.30pm Just What I Wanted
A peep into the homes of television personalities and a glimpse at their Christmas Gifts
10.46pm News, Weather
11.00pm Douglas Fairbanks presents Stand By
Bill, a young naval lieutenant, loses faith with the Navy when his childhood hero, a captain
is court-martialed for an unfortunate accident that could not be prevented. Bill plans to
resign but his wife intervenes (Repeat)
11.30pm The Epilogue
Close-down
Granada (as Associated Rediffusion except)
5.30pm The Buccaneers (until 6.00)
7.00pm Paris Precinct Murder Without a Corpse, starring Louis Jourdan, Claude Dauphin
7.30pm Shadow Squad (until 8.00)
10.30pm Hangover
11.00pm Colonel March of Scotland Yard
11.30pm Goodnight
Associated Rediffusion
4.40pm The Nativity
The story of the birth of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of the 15th Century
Flemish painters and made familiar by the word of St Matthew and St Luke.
Behind the story, music of the period recorded on Brompton Oratory sets the mood
of rejoicing associated with the birth of our saviour
5.00pm Let's Get Together
On Christmas Eve!
Your presence is requested at a party given by Tom Glazer and Peter Ling
Music will be provided by Steve Rice and his trio and many old and new friends
have promised to appear. RSVP (which stands for Rip Roaring Surprises and
Valuable Prizes)
Balloons hung up by Jim Nicholson and blown up by Daphne Shadwell
5.30pm Fury in the Film : Joey and the Stranger
starring Robert Diamond, Peter Graves, William Fawcett and Fury
Joey befriends a tramp who was once a famous ventriloquist, but who is now
a fugitive from a chain gang
6.00pm Christmas Carol Service
from St Martin-in-the-Fields, London conducted by the vicar, Rev Austen Williams
6.30pm News and Weather
6.45pm Cool for Cats
Introduced by Kent Walton
Discs arranged by Ker Robertson
7.00pm Four Star Playhouse : The Gift
starring Charles Boyer and Maureen O'Sullivan
Charles Baxter tries to ignore Christmas because of the memories it arouses.
On forcing himself to buy a gift for his wife he rediscovers the true meaning
of this festive season (Repeat)
7.30pm Emergency - Ward 10
8.00pm The Christmas Eve Show
starring Paul Anka, Petula Clark, Hughie Green, Michael Holliday, Dick Henderson Sr, Elizabeth Larner,
Dennis Lotts, Ben Lyon, Laurie Payne, Tommy Steele, Sabrina, Anne Shelton, Sister Rosetta Tharpe,
Dickie Valentine, Frankie Vaughan, Jerry Verno, Steve Race and his Orchestra, Norrie Paramor and his
Big Ben Banjo Band, Ted Heath and his Music, Johnny Duncan and the Blue Grass Boys,
Humphrey Lyttelton and his Band
9.15pm Tell the Truth
A mixed foursome starring John Skeaping, Bill Owen
Chairman : David Jacobs
9.45pm Life with the Lyons
starring Bebe Daniels and Ben Lyon with Barbara and Richard Lyon in 'Twas the Night Before
All children between 9 and 90 believe in Santa Claus and Bebe sets out to prove this to the family
10.15pm Zane Grey Theatre
presents John Forsythe in "Decision at Wilson's Creek"
Torn between his loyalty to the South and his marriage to a Northern girl, Lt David Marr has a
difficult decision to make
10.46pm News, Weather
11.00pm Mystery Junction
starring Sydney Tafler and Barbara Murray
Murder on a train and the field of suspicion is narrowed. As the case progresses fear and tension mount
12.00 First Eucharist of Christmas
from Southwark Cathedral
1.00am Close-down
Granada (as Associated Rediffusion except)
4.40pm no programme
5.00pm Let's Get Together
5.30pm The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (until 6.00)
6.38pm Northern News
7.00pm The New Adventures of Charlie Chan (until 7.30)
10.15pm Alfred Hitchcock presents Barry Fitzgerald in "Santa Claus and the 10th Avenue Kid"
11.00pm Variety Jubilee
Christmas Day Wednesday 25th December 1957
Associated Rediffusion
11.30am Christmas Morning Service
from St Martin-in-the-Fields conducted by the Rev Austen Williams
12.15pm Close-down
12.45pm Christmas Box
with "The Lunch Box Gang"
A special edition of the popular Midlands daily programme featuring
Noele Gordon, Jerry Allen, Lionel Rubin, Alan Grahame, Ken Ingarfield, David Galbraith,
Sheila Buxton, Terry Burton and guests
2.00pm Mantovani and His New Music
present A Christmas Day Programme with guest stars Dave King, Jacqueline Delman,
George Elrick, The Bournemouth Girls Choir
3.00pm Her Majesty The Queen
For the first time television cameras visit Sandringham when Her Majesty the Queen
broadcasts her Christmas Day message to her peoples this afternoon
3.15pm The Lady from Boston
starring Paul Henreid and Merle Oberon
Boston schoolmistress Elizabeth Rockwell inherits a chateau in France. She finds it full
of unusual tenants
4.30pm Cool for Cats
Introduced by Kent Walton
Discs arranged by Ker Robertson
4.45pm Rin-Tin-Tin
Rusty Volunteers
To prevent rebel leader Don Cortez from capturing the US Ambassador en route to Mexico
Lt Rip Masters is ordered to pose as the Ambassador
5.15pm Popeye
The popular cartoon character brings viewers 30 minutes of laughter
5.45pm The Big Top
presented by Wolf Mankowitz
a Russian film of some of the world's greatest circus acts
6.45pm News
7.00pm Home at Christmas
with friends from near and far introduced by the Rev Derrick Greeves, Minister of the Westminster
Methodist Central Hall
7.28pm Weather Forecast
prepared by Laurie West
7.30pm Spot the Tune!
Ken Platt and Marion Ryan are joined by Margaret Lockwood, Petula Clark, Thora Hird,
Ted Heath, Ronald Shiner, Tony Wright in a special Christmas edition of this popular musical quiz.
There will be plenty of fun and excitement as guest stars play for prizes of toys which will be given
to a children's home
8.15pm The Carroll Levis Christmas Show
Carroll Levis introduces discoveries who are guests at his Christmas Show with
Jerry Allen and his Trio
8.45pm Film of the Week : You Were Never Lovelier (1942)
starring Rita Hayworth and Fred Astaire
10.25pm News, Weather
10.30pm The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel
The Christmas Present
with Marius Goring as the immortal character
10.55pm Epilogue and Close-down
Granada (as Associated Rediffusion except)
12.45pm no programme (until 2.00)
4.45pm Annie Oakley (until 5.15)
10.30pm News
10.35pm Christmas in the North Boxing Day
Boxing Day Thursday 26th December 1957
Associated Rediffusion
2.15pm Professional Wrestling
from Wimbledon Palais
Commentator : Kent Walton
3.15pm Film : The Saint's Return (1953)
starring Louis Hayward, Sydney Tafler, Naomi Chance
"The Saint" comes to England in response to a desperate appeal from a girl. Despite attempts
from his old adversary, Inspector Teale of Scotland Yard, to keep him out of the case, the Saint
comes to grips with the criminals
4.30pm Small Time
and Mr Happy returns! and young viewers are invited to
Come Out and Play with Jackie and Gillian Moran
4.45pm Zoo Party
Chimpanzees Congo, Jamie and Charlie entertain Desmond Morris and their friends from the
London Zoo at a party in the Den
5.30pm Cisco Kid
starring Duncan Renaldo and Leo Carrillo
The Cisco Kid slips through the bars of a ghost town jail to subdue a formidable gang of
stagecoach robbers
6.00pm On Stage
A weekly programme about the theatre and its personalities introduced by Ludovic Kennedy
bringing into the limelight not only the stars but also the producers, playwrights, critics,
backstage staff and the audience
6.30pm Sports Results and News
6.45pm Cool for Cats
Introduced by Kent Walton
Discs arranged by Ker Robertson
7.00pm Sheriff of Cochise
starring John Bromfield in The Kidnapper
When a 15 year old girl disappears, the townsfolk immediately suspect her boyfriend, Jim
7.28pm Weather Forecast
prepared by Laurie West
7.30pm Shadow Squad
starring Peter Williams as Don Carter in
Double Exposure (Episode One)
with George Moon and John Horsley
8.00pm Double Your Money
starring Hughie Green who presents a special Boxing Day children's edition of Double Your Money
and also thanks the hundreds of young people who have written asking to take part. So many
have applied it has been impossible to see them all or answer all the letters
8.30pm This Week
ITV's special news magazine introduced by Michael Westmore
Exclusive news flashes, features and interviews from all over the world
9.00pm A Santa for Christmas
a seasonal fantasy featuring in order of appearance, Dickie Henderson, Joyce Blair, Joan Savage,
The Eleanor Fazan Dancers, Jack Parnell and His Orchestra, Anthea Askey, Arthur Haynes,
Arthur Askey, Tommy Cooper, Terry-Thomas, Avril Angers, Leslie Mitchell, Donald Gray,
Diana Decker, William Hartnell, Geoffrey Sumner, Paddie O'Neil, Robin Bailey, Michael Miles,
Hughie Green, David Jacobs, Irene Handl, Pat Coombs, Freddie Mills, Jack Solomons, Alfred Marks,
Bill Owen, Danny Green, Len Harvey, Eric Boon, Kid Lewis, Bombardier Billy Wells, Dave Crowley,
Val Parnell, Norman Wisdom, Johnnie Ray, Shani Wallis, Joan Regan, Rosemary Miller, Jill Browne,
Charles Tingwell, Glyn Owen, Frederick Bartman and many other stars
10.30pm Just What I Wanted
A peep into the homes of television personalities and a glimpse at their Christmas Gifts
10.46pm News, Weather
11.00pm Douglas Fairbanks presents Stand By
Bill, a young naval lieutenant, loses faith with the Navy when his childhood hero, a captain
is court-martialed for an unfortunate accident that could not be prevented. Bill plans to
resign but his wife intervenes (Repeat)
11.30pm The Epilogue
Close-down
Granada (as Associated Rediffusion except)
5.30pm The Buccaneers (until 6.00)
7.00pm Paris Precinct Murder Without a Corpse, starring Louis Jourdan, Claude Dauphin
7.30pm Shadow Squad (until 8.00)
10.30pm Hangover
11.00pm Colonel March of Scotland Yard
11.30pm Goodnight
