As part of its third annual "Most Wonderful Month of the Year" celebration, getTV will air the classic TV special "Christmas with The King Family" in honor of the 50th anniversary of its original broadcast. The show will debut on Wednesday, November 29 at 10PM ET/9 C.
One of the most popular and beloved TV, recording and concert acts of the 1960s and '70s, The King Family, "America's First Family of Song," was comprised of big band era vocalists The King Sisters (Yvonne, Alyce, Luise, and Marilyn), guitar virtuoso Alvino Rey and the 32 sisters, brothers, husbands, wives, aunts, uncles and children that made up their extended musical family. Following their own
ABC series that ran for two seasons in 1965-1966, The King Family name became synonymous with holidays as they starred in 17 holiday-themed
Syndicated TV specials. The first was "Thanksgiving with the King Family," but the most popular and best loved of these specials was "Christmas with the King Family," which first aired in 1967 and re-aired annually for a decade.
Jeff Meier, senior VP of programming and general manager of get TV said, "The King Family holds a special place in the television memories of baby boomers, especially when it comes to holidays, so it seems entirely fitting that getTV should celebrate the 50th anniversary of one of their most popular specials, 'Christmas with the King Family,' by including it as part of our third annual 'Most Wonderful Month of the Year' programming."
Along with The King Sisters, The King Family's most well-known members included Luise's husband guitarist/bandleader Rey, who helped invent the electric guitar and is the grandfather of Win & Will Butler, founders of the Grammy-winning group Arcade Fire; King Cousin Tina Cole, who starred as Katie on the popular sitcom "My Three Sons"; Alyce's husband, character actor Robert "Bob" Clarke ("The Man from Planet X," "The Hideous Sun Demon") and Cam Clarke who became a popular voiceover artist (Leonardo from the original "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles").
Among the musical highlights of "Christmas with the King Family" include the opening mix "Caroling, Caroling/ We'll Dress the House/ Come Dear Children," "Holiday of Love," the King Sisters/King Cousins mother-daughter medley "The Christmas Song/ The Christmas Waltz," such seasonal favorites as "White Christmas" and "The First Noel," and Alyce's solo "I'll Be Home for Christmas," in which her son Ric, who was then serving in the military, memorably surprised his mother and almost everyone else in the family.
Other highlights of getTV's third annual "Most Wonderful Month of the Year" celebration include getTV's first original special, "A
NASHVILLE Christmas," featuring Wynonna, Emmylou Harris, Lorrie Morgan and Pam Tillis, premiering Thursday, December 7 at 8PM ET/7 C; the variety specials "Johnny Cash Christmas 1983," featuring guest stars Merle Haggard and Ricky Skaggs, premiering Thursday, December 7 at 9PM ET/8 C (following "A
NASHVILLE Christmas"); and "Vanessa Williams and Friends: Christmas in New York," with guest stars Shania Twain, Phil Collins,
LUTHER Vandross and Babyface, premiering Tuesday, November 28 at 8PM ET/7C; and the TV movies "The Secret of Giving," starring Reba McEntire, premiering Thanksgiving evening, Thursday, November 23rd at 8PM ET/7 C; "Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus," starring Richard Thomas, Charles Bronson and Ed Asner, premiering Sunday, November 26 at 8PM ET/7C; and "Christmas on Division Street," starring Fred Savage and Hume Cronyn, premiering Monday, December 4 at 8PM ET/7 C.
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