Retro: New York City, Christmas Day (Wednesday, December 25), 1946

[Bob1370]

Source; New York Times

WCBS-TV Ch. 2 (CBS O&O)

Evening
8:00-A Christmas Dream
8:20-A Capella Choir with holiday music
8:30-Drama Sketch; The Desert Shall Rejoice (second straight year WCBS produced this play)
9:00-Hockey from Madison Square Garden; New York Rangers vs. Montreal Canadiens (Rangers win 2-0)

WNBT Ch. 4 (NBC O&O, now WNBC)
Evening
8:00-Santa Claus at Gimbel's
8:30-Feature Films (titles not listed)

WABD Ch. 5 (DuMont O&O; now WNYW, Fox O&O)
Afternoon
1:00-News and Music (until 4 PM)
Evening
8:00-Music for Christmas Night
8:30-Film Short
9:00-Goblin's Christmas

Christmas on TV 65 years ago was a subdued affair, although a light schedule for television in New York (the only city with multiple stations telecasting regular schedules at the end of 1946) during the first couple of years after World War II wasn't unusual.

 

[BMR]

Source; New York Times

WCBS-TV Ch. 2 (CBS O&O)

Evening

9:00-Hockey from Madison Square Garden; New York Rangers vs. Montreal Canadiens (Rangers win 2-0)

Was this live or a recording?

 

[bpatrick]

Despite the starting time I have to believe it was live;
I don't think there would have been time to process film
unless the game was played that afternoon, and kinescope
would probably have been a very last resort (no videotape
then, remember).

And, after all, boxing from Madison Square Garden aired on
NBC, then ABC, from the '40s to the '60s live at 10 PM on
Friday or Saturday nights.

 

[Tim L]

Despite the starting time I have to believe it was live;
I don't think there would have been time to process film
unless the game was played that afternoon, and kinescope
would probably have been a very last resort (no videotape
then, remember).

Another factor is, that early on in TV, as well as radio, If Hockey was aired at all, most times, it was the third period only that was aired..9:00 or close would have been when the third period started..

 

[visaman]

Source; New York Times

WCBS-TV Ch. 2 (CBS O&O)

Evening

9:00-Hockey from Madison Square Garden; New York Rangers vs. Montreal Canadiens (Rangers win 2-0)

Was this live or a recording?

Kinescopes weren't invented until 1947. The first game to be televised in Canada was in 1952. Up until the late 60's TV viewers were only allowed to watch the 2rd period. The games were on the radio at that time. Foster Hewitt invented the phrase " He shoots, he scores!" on a CBC broadcast.

 

[FreddyE1977]

Very interesting that the NHL played games on Christmas at that time.
The Players Association has declined to go along with this in recent years.

 

[BMR]

Very interesting that the NHL played games on Christmas at that time.

That was what I was thinking. However a quick Google told me that there was a full programme of soccer on Christmas Day in England until the late 1950s, and in Scotland until the early 1970s.

Perhaps the total Christmas shutdown we have on both sides of the pond isn't as 'traditional' as we might think??

 

[BMR]

Kinescopes weren't invented until 1947.

That was what I thought as well. However according to Wiki (which could be nonsense of course) WNBT came on air in 1941 with live Baseball which they then re-ran a few minutes afterwards. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WNBC-TV#First_commercial_TV_station

I wonder how they did that without Kines?

 

[FreddyE1977]

Kinescopes weren't invented until 1947.

That was what I thought as well. However according to Wiki (which could be nonsense of course) WNBT came on air in 1941 with live Baseball which they then re-ran a few minutes afterwards. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WNBC-TV#First_commercial_TV_station

I wonder how they did that without Kines?

Doubleheader??

 

[banthony]

Very interesting that the NHL played games on Christmas at that time.
The Players Association has declined to go along with this in recent years.

The NHL hasn't played on Christmas since 1971. They do not play on Christmas Day or Christmas Eve as part of the league's collective bargaining agreement.

I do remember seeing NHL games on Christmas Day in the 1960s.