One would not expect a sentimental Christmas special from Alfred Hitchcock Presents, yet that is exactly what this first season episode is. This episode may feel out of place among other Alfred Hitchcock episodes, but it is a personal favorite of mine and a must watch every Christmas season.
In this episode, a paroled convict (Barry Fitzgerald), gets a job as department store Santa Claus. When he meets a troubled young boy (Bobby Clark), he decides to help out.
This is simply a wonderful episode. What makes this episode work so well is the main character. As played by Barry Fitzgerald (who had previously starred in the Hitchcock movie, Juno and the Paycock (1930)), this character is completely believable. He is a hard and cold guy, who is out of his element working as a Santa. He is not good with kids and has a very cynical outlook on life. This episode is also very realistic in the way it presents the change of heart of the character. He is not a completely changed person at the end and there is no guarantee that he is going to reform. Yet he did a good deed and feels the Christmas spirit because of this. This is a very sweet and charming story that never fails to warm my heart. At the same time the rough-edged main character keeps it from ever feel overly sentimental or cutesy. This is especially true because of how great Barry Fitzgerald's performance is. The ending may not exactly be the type of big twist we expect from this show, but it is perfectly heartwarming and charming for this different type of story.
Hitch's appearances before and after the story are the typical Hitchcock dark and dry humor as he plans to surprise Santa Claus. He is funny as ever here bringing a typical Hitch charm to the Christmas season.
Hitch's opening lines are "Oh, good evening. I thought I might as well brick this up. I don't expect I'll be using this fireplace anymore. I expect the chimney to be closed very soon. I've, uh, loosened the bricks so they'll fall in if anyone should brush against them on the way down. Santa Claus is always bringing surprises to others. I thought it would be interesting if someone surprised him for a change. I'm rather tired of his tracking soot in here every year. There. Let him "Ho ho ho" himself out of that. At the risk of overburdening our program with the spirit of the season, we have arranged to dramatize a very appropriate story for tonight's divertissement. It is called Santa Claus and the Tenth Avenue Kid."
His closing lines are "You know, he ain't such a bad chap after all. Perhaps his taste in ties has improved. I think I'll give him one more chance. Rest ye merry, we'll have you out of there in a jiffy. And rest ye merry, too. Good night."
This is the first of five episodes directed by Don Weis and the second out of eleven written by Marian C. Cockrell. Don Weis was a very prolific television director. TV shows he worked on include I Married Joan, Wagon Train, The Jack Benny Program, The Patty Ducke Show, Batman, Ironside, M*A*S*H, Fantasy Island and Freddy's Nightmares. He also directed quite a few movies including The Affairs of Dobie Gillis (1953), The Gene Krupa Story (1959), Critic's Choice (1963), Pajama Party (1964) and The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini (1966).
A very memorable but small part in this episode is played by child actress Mimi Gibson (best known for Houseboat (1958) and being the voice of Lucky in Disney's One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)). She plays the first girl in line to see Santa Claus and gets a fun dialogue exchange with our main character. In her book, Working Kid: A Memoir of a Child Actor of the 1950's and 60's, Gibson wrote, "A Christmas show titled, 'Santa Claus and the Tenth Avenue Kid,' and, no, I do not remember him - Darn! He most likely didn't direct that episode. I do remember his daughter Pat from working with her on Playhouse 90. And of course, I worked with Bobby Clark again." She worked with Patricia Hitchcock on a Playhouse 90 episode entitled Rumors of Everything (1958). About Patricia Hitchcock Mimi would write, "Pat was a very funny, young woman who liked to break everyone up. I thought she was hilarious and especially a little scandalous when she talked about girdles. I wanted to be just like her." That episode also featured Barbara Del Geddes, who is best known by Hitchcock fans for her role as Midge in Hitch's movie, Vertigo (1958). About working with Bobby Clark on the western movie, Rebel in Town (1956) Gibson remembered one incident quite clearly writing, "Bobby knew I had a little-girl crush on Ben Cooper [one of the stars of the film] who was so nice to me and handsome. So, Bobby told Ben and I found out. I panicked. It was the first time I had those types of feelings for a guy and an older guy at that. I was so embarrassed I thought I'd die. I cried and cried. Ben Cooper was a true gentleman. He knew how embarrassed I was and just didn't make a big deal or have a little talk with me - that would have killed me. He was just nice and friendly as usual and the whole thing blew over. Darn that, Bobby Clark! (Crush No. 2, a handsome guy!)"
-Michael J. Ruhland
Resources Used
Working Kid: A Memoir of a Child Actor of the 1950's and 60's by Mimi Gibson
https://hitchcock.fandom.com/wiki/Santa_Claus_and_the_Tenth_Avenue_Kid
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0508241/
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