| Freddie the Freeloader's Christmas Dinner | |
|---|---|
 1981 HBO Program Guide artwork forFreddie the Freeloader's Christmas Dinner | |
| Created by | Red Skelton |
| Written by | Red Skelton |
| Directed by | John Trent |
| Starring | Red Skelton Vincent Price Imogene Coca |
| Composers | Red Skelton Ian Bernard |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Production | |
| Producer | Riff Markowitz |
| Running time | 50 minutes |
| Production company | Home Box Office |
| Original release | |
| Network | HBO |
| Release | December 13, 1981 (1981-12-13) |
Freddie the Freeloader's Christmas Dinner (aka Red Skelton's Christmas Dinner) is a TV special that premiered on Home Box Office (HBO) on December 13, 1981. The program stars Red Skelton and was part of HBO's Standing Room Only series of specials. This was one of Skelton's final television performances.
Plot
Freddie the Freeloader prepares to scrape together money and enjoy a Christmas dinner with his equally poverty-stricken friend Professor Humperdo at one of New York's fancy restaurants. When a lost dog appears in his apartment, he is accused of thievery by his wealthy owner. After a meeting with the bag lady Molly, he visits a hospital and entertains some children for Christmas. Freddie busts the professor out of the drunk tank and the two eventually reach the restaurant - and treat themselves to a feast.
The special includes drama, miming, and music, for which Skelton was noted. Songs sung by Skelton in this special include "Christmas Comes But Once a Year" and "I Believe".
Main cast
- Red Skelton as Freddie the Freeloader
- Vincent Price as Professor Humperdo
- Imogene Coca as Molly, a bag lady
- Jack Duffy as Santa
- Tudi Wiggins as Mrs. Witherspoon
See also
References
- "8 forgotten Christmas specials of the 1980s". Decades. Retrieved 2022-02-14.
- December 1981 HBO Program Guide ("Kramer vs. Kramer" on cover), page 11
- TCM: Milestones for Red Skelton (Archive)
- "Red Skelton's Christmas Dinner TV Listings (1981)". tvguide.com. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
- "Make 'Em Laugh". Schenectady Gazette. December 12, 1981. p. 12. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
- "Red Skelton's Christmas Dinner (TV)". Paley Center for Media. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
- "Red Skelton's Christmas Dinner". tcm.com. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
External links
- Red Skelton's Christmas Dinner at the TCM Movie Database
- Freddie the Freeloader's Christmas Dinner at IMDb
- Freddie the Freeloader's Christmas Dinner at Rotten Tomatoes
- Red Skelton's Christmas Dinner at Red Skelton.info
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