R.O. Blechman CBS Christmas bumper (1966)

Can you believe that there was a time when network television aired classy holiday interstitials like this ?  Designer/director R.O. Blechman's studio made this "Season's Greetings" short film which ran during the 1966 Christmas season on CBS . (animation is by Ed Smith Willis Pyle; music arranged by Arnie Black) To me nothing sounds like *Christmas* more so than God Rest Ye Merry, Gentleman played on a violin (or a saw, as the case may be); it has a lovely, haunting sound that feels like a cold snowy day in the bleak mid winter, but with the spirit of comfort and joy issuing forth from the underlying lyrics :

"God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Saviour
Was born on Christmas day
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy"

Merry Christmas to All and to All a Good Night !

Comments

[michael spornMichael Sporn]

Thanks, Dave, for posting this. I haven't seen it since work for Bob Blechman. His composer at the time was the brilliant Arnie Black, an excellent musician and composer. I have no doubt he had a lot to do with the entire track, though Bob also has always had impeccable taste.
Ed Smith animated it.

[David N]

Michael,

Thanks for the background on this interstitial . I've amended my post to credit Ed Smith and Arnie Black. Ed Smith must have worked for Blechman quite a bit because I recognize his name from the animation credits on Blechman's "Simple Gifts" and "The Soldier's Tale" .

[michael spornMichael Sporn]

Yes, Ed Smith is probably Bob's favorite animator. Tissa David is right up there, though. Ed jsut animated a spot for Bob and his work is as poetic as ever.

[Lisette]

You have some really cool designs here, looking forward for more

[arna]

This just knocks me out. I love the understated setting and you're right, the music adds so much. Deeply moving, beautiful stuff!

[hlcepeda]

Joy! I last saw this touching, whimsical classic 41 years ago as a 10 year old in Brooklyn, and I never thought I'd ever see it again until I began searching this morning, just out of boredom. I'm happy to see that it's exactly as I remembered it. One website misdates its production by 2 years, and states that the woodcutter has a "change of heart" and decides not to cut down the tree. Obviously wrong; the woodcutter was there to play. In searching this bumper out, all I had to do was turn around at my desk and read the artist's name (Blechman) off my 1980 WNET "Thirteen into the Eighties" poster, and search under that. Voila! That did it. Yep, I'm smilin'!

[DTN]

I've been told by Richard O"Connor (who asked Ed Smith about it) that Willis Pyle actually did the animation on this spot.

Ed Smith has had a very long association with R.O. Blechman , so it makes sense that he would have animated this spot, but in this case it was Willis Pyle who did the honors.