Eddie Fisher and Tennessee Ernie - 1954 Christmas Seals Shows, Plus Celeb Promos

These 15-minute programs were pressed on 16-inch transcription disks and sent to the stations with the request that they be returned. Not sure who would want to hear them after the holiday season - err, except for listeners like you and me who enjoy the music of 70 years ago.

Christmas Seals made few demands of the stars who participated in these programs, presumably gratis. The songs were generally from the artists' catalogues; some programs did and some didn't include seasonal material, apparently based on whether the artist involved had holidays songs in the can. The production procedure was to have the stars read the intros and a Christmas Seals spot or two, and for the existing music to be added in post-production.

Fortunately, both of today's programs include Christmas songs - and they are good ones, not often heard today. Also, both Ernie and Eddie were comfortable at the microphone, which helps make for a smooth show. 

More about each program below. As a bonus, I've included a set of 10 Christmas Seals celebrity spots.

The Eddie Fisher Show

Fisher was one of the most popular singers in America when this program was put together; his version of "I Need You Now" had topped the popularity lists in 1954; "I'm Walking Behind You" and "Oh! My Papa" the year before. He also had a weekly show on television.

Eddie had released a Christmas album in 1952; his Christmas Seals program included five of the eight songs on that record, including the not-often-heard "That's What Christmas Means to Me" and "Christmas Day," along with "You're All I Want for Christmas,""Here Comes Santa Claus" and "O Come, All Ye Faithful." His backing on the songs is by Hugo Winterhalter.

Billboard, December 13, 1952

Tennessee Ernie was another popular performer in the early 1950s. He had recorded well-regarded boogie-woogie records such as "Shotgun Boogie," and had a popular duet with Kay Starr on "I'll Never Be Free," both for Capitol.

In 1954 Ernie was on television as the host of The College of Musical Knowledge, formerly Kay Kyser's domain, and as a recurring guest star playing "Cousin Ernie" on the most popular program in the country, I Love Lucy. He was a likeable personality and an skillful singer with a resonant baritone.

Ernie's biggest hit was to come in 1955 - Merle Travis'"Sixteen Tons" - a favorite of mine when I was a six-year-old record collector.

For the Christmas Seals show, Ernie provided what sounds like live performances of his 1951 Capitol Christmas single - "Christmas Dinner," which he wrote, along with "A Rootin' Tootin' Santa Claus." The program also includes a few non-holiday selections.

My guess is that these were dubbed from the transcribed radio program that Ernie hosted in the early 1950s.

Bonus: Christmas Seal Celebrity Spots

The Christmas Seals people persuaded a variety of popular personalities to record spots for them in 1954. Here is a set of 10, the first of two I'll be posting.

You may have noticed in the image at top that there were two linked Christmas Seals for 1954. Some of the the spots urge listeners to use both on their cards and packages, a transparent ploy to sell more stamps. (It was for a good cause.)

Lionel Barrymore, Rocky Marciano

Here are the celebrities who participated. Perhaps only Rocky Marciano needs to be identified. He was boxing's heavyweight champ at the time.

• Julius La Rosa 
• Jack Benny
• Rocky Marciano
• Bob Hope
• Edward G. Robinson
• Guy Lombardo
• Tennessee Ernie
• Ray Anthony
• Anne Baxter
• Lionel Barrymore

Anne Baxter, Edward G. Robinson

I plan to have a second Christmas Seals post with more 1954 materials - one additional program, another set of celebrity spots, and the official Christmas Seals song from that year.

LINKto Christmas Seals Shows and Spots