Season: 2 (Cher)
Episode: 28
Guest(s): The Hudson Brothers, The Lennon Sisters, Redd Foxx, Chastity
CBS Air Date: December 21, 1975
Also aired: GetTV
Torch Open/Opening Song: “White Christmas” and “We Need a Little Christmas” (Video)
from the film Holiday Inn (1942) and the musical Mame (1966)
Cher wears a green cape with white fur trim. She throws off the cape to reveal a floor-length green dress with a white fur bottom and she sings and claps loudly. The band is dressed in Santa ouftifts. The tongue is rimmed red. There are bells hanging onstage.
Monologue (Video, 2:56)
Cher talks about the holidays. Chastity comes out in a matching dress. Cher’s nails are painted green. Cher puts on a Santa beard to talk to Chastity who wants a new racing car set and a Planet of the Apes treeshouse (who wouldn’t want that??) and Planet of the Apes men. Cher takes umbrage at the fact that Chastity can’t name a favorite thing about Christmas (“You mean I work my…um (audience laughs)…you mean I work hard all year tp bring you lots of presents and you don’t know what you like about Christmas?”) Cher tries to get Chastity to sing a song Chastity has forgotten it. Cher takes her hat and beard off and finishes the opening with Chastity on her lap.
Guest Spot (Video, 7:36)
The Hudson brothers sing “Here Comes Santa Claus” to frame the Redd Foxx sketch.
Skit: (Video, 8:34)
Redd Foxx is a judge on a case against Saint Nicholas, assused of disturbing the pease on Christmas Eve. Foxx is now bald in this episode. Cher, dressed in a nightgown, pink robe and nightcap is the plaintiff who provides testimony in the form of the poem “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.” The case is dismissed eventually.
Life with Laverne (Video, 14:00)
Laverne is in bed waiting for Harry to get home from a wild office party. She blows bubblegum in bed and turns on the TV. She falls asleep after watching a bit of A Christmas Carol and then dreams about a visit from the Ghost of Christmas Past, collectively The Hudson Brothers. She doesn’t believe them and asks them to sing her favorite song, which turns out to be “Popeye the Sailor Man.” They talk about all the parties on the dock they used to have. Laverne comes to realize she burns mens hearts like chili dogs and onions. She sings a satirical version of “I’ll Be Seeing You” (from the musical Right This Way, 1938).
Skit: Redd Foxx is a policeman giving Santa Clause directions to Virginia.
Guest Spot: The Lennon Sisters sing “Jingle Bells” with international accents.
Skit (Video, 1825)
Cher is in a pretty and shiny red dress and a short bobbed wig (where is her hair?). Cher mentions his 52 comedy albums and all the bad words in them. Redd Foxx tells Cher his wishes this Christmas: all the children of the world health and happiness; all the adults of the world peace, love and togetherness; and a special wish for all the bigots everywhere of every color which amounts to a complicated series of tragedies and misfortunes. The audience claps and Cher says ‘That’s very sweet.”
Skit: Redd Foxx and The Hudson Brothers do a spoof of travelers’ check commercials.
Guest Duet (Video, 20:17)
Cher, wearing a green outfit and looping braids, introduces the song “Caroling, Caroling” and the composer Alfred Burt who wrote a Christmas song a year for all his friends. The Lennon Sisters then “Star Carol” (1954).
Cher Solo: “Some Children See Him” (Video)
Cover of Alfred Burt, first recorded by Tennessee Ernie Ford (1958). The set is full of poinsettias.
Skit (Video, 26:46)
Redd Foxx plays Elmer the Elf a worker in Santa’s Workshop who describes gifts for Santa’s celebrity VIPs (a jackhammer waterpick for Howard Cosell, a tablet of marriage licenses for Cher made out “to who it may concern,” an Ebony Magazine subscription for Archie Bunker, for the CBS censor a pencil and a note telling him what to do with it, binoculars for Raquel Welch’s neighbor).
The Complaint Department
(Video, 30:52)
Thankfully, one of the last of these surly sketches. Cher plays the complaint lady again overwhelmed by unwanted gifts. She refuses them all.
Finale (Video, 33:15)
The guests do a medley of Big-Band-era Christmas songs:
- “I Love the Winter Weather” (Benny Goodman, 1941) – The Hudson Brothers
- “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” (from the film On the Avenue, 1937) – Redd Foxx and The Hudson Brothers
- “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” (Vaughn Monroe, 1945) – Redd Foxx and The Hudson Brothers
- “Santa Baby” (Eartha Kitt with Henri René and His Orchestra, 1953) – Cher and The Lennon Sisters and then Chastity taping as Shirley Temple
- “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” (Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra, 1935) – Cher and The Lennon Sisters
- “Mele Kalikimaka” – (Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters, 1950) – The Hudson Brothers
- “Christmas Island” (The Andrews Sisters, 1950) – The Lennon Sisters
- “Christmas in Trinidad” (?) – Cher, The Lennon Sisters, The Hudson Brothers
Close: Cher closes the show with Chastity, Redd Foxx, The Lennon Sisters and The Hudson Brothers and they all sing “Silent Night” (Traditional German, 1818)
GetTV is missing Redd Foxx giving directions to Santa, the Travelers’ Checks skit and The Lennon Sisters singing “Jingle Bells.”
Highlights: In these last two episodes Cher has had less to do as the guests have taken up a lot of time with their guest spots. But this is a very nice Christmas Special, one of the top two Cher Christmas shows, up there with the first Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour special. We get to see Laverne’s bedroom and Redd Foxx is always funny.
