Benji's Very Own Christmas Story

Benji's Very Own Christmas Story
DVD cover
Written byJoe Camp
Dan Witt
Directed byJoe Camp
StarringBenjean
Ron Moody
Patsy Garrett
Cynthia Smith
Music byEuel Box
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerJoe Camp
CinematographyDon Reddy
EditorLeon Seith
Running time25 minutes
Production companyMulberry Square Productions
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseDecember 7, 1978 (1978-12-07)

Benji's Very Own Christmas Story is a 1978 American Christmas television special featuring Benji and is one of two such Benji specials to have been nominated for an Emmy Award.[1] Patsy Garrett and Cynthia Smith reprise their respective roles as Mary and Cindy. The special was broadcast on ABC on December 7, 1978.

Plot

Mary and Cindy from the Benji films are on a promotional tour in Switzerland and are asked to be grand marshalls of a Christmas parade in Zermatt. Due to a broken leg, Kris Kringle is sending his elves out to deliver presents, and, as this will force them to miss the parade, he wants them to meet Benji first. With help from Mary and Cindy, Kringle realizes the true meaning of Christmas and performs a musical number showing how Saint Nicholas appears all over the world.

Cast

Crew

The show was directed by Joe Camp.

Nominations and awards

Benji's Very Own Christmas Story was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1979 for Outstanding Children's Program along with A Special Sesame Street Christmas and Once Upon A Classic with Christmas Eve on Sesame Street being the eventual winner.[2]

Actress Cynthia Smith was nominated for a Youth in Film Award (now known as the Young Artist Award) in 1979 for her performance. The other nominations in her category were Patsy Kensit for Hanover Street, Brooke Shields for Just You and Me, Kid, Mariel Hemingway for Manhattan and Trini Alvarado for Rich Kids. The winner was Diane Lane for A Little Romance. The film was also nominated in the category of Best TV Series or Special Featuring Youth. Also nominated in the same category were The Waltons, Little House on the Prairie, Diff'rent Strokes with the eventual winner being Eight is Enough.[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Trivia About Benji's Amazing Career". Benji.com. Retrieved 2009-12-12.
  2. ^ "Emmy Awards: 1979". IMDb. Retrieved 2009-12-12.
  3. ^ "1st Annual Youth In Film Awards". YoungArtistAwards.org. Retrieved 2011-03-31.