Once upon a time (and by “time,” I mean the late 1960’s), there were televised Christmas specials that populated the big three television channels in our area – WRGB 6, WTEN 10 and WAST 13. We received the classics at that time – Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, A Charlie Brown Christmas – but there was one special, one holiday treat from the Hallmark Hall of Fame – that I would never miss.
It was a movie called The Littlest Angel. It starred Johnnie Whittaker as Michael, a young shepherd boy who travels to Heaven, interacts with angels, and discovers that the treasures that he has collected on Earth will hold a new meaning in the afterlife.
Now if you watch this special, you will see several television stars from the 1960’s in this movie. I’m sure you’ll recognize Fred Gwynne from The Munsters, maybe Tony Randall from The Odd Couple, and Connie Stevens from Hawaiian Eye. Hey look, that’s John McIver. And look, there’s Cab Calloway. Cab freakin’ Calloway!! And E.G. Marshall from The Defenders (or the CBS Radio Mystery Theater, if you prefer) as the Lord.
And you know what? Nobody plays this special on television any more. Is it part of the 25 days of Christmas on ABC Family? No. Is it part of one of those 24-hour marathons on TBS? Nope.
Well, guess what. Thanks to the magic of YouTube and my little blog post… I am happy to bring this Hallmark Hall of Fame classic to you today, in all its chroma-key 1960’s videotape glory.
Enjoy. I know I have. And I’m sure you will as well.
Chuck The Writer 
Thank you, this is one of my favorites too! I also love House Without a Christmas Tree…real classics!
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For me, It was The Night The Animals Talked. Was rarely aired on TV, so not many people remember it. I was lucky enough to get a 16mm copy earlier this year.
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