The Akron Beacon Journal from Akron, Ohio • Page 16

TELEVISION WKSU's Christmas Carol joy to ear, goes national Mark Dawidziak "We didn't want to modernize the speech or the music," director James Thornton said, "but we didn't want it to be stilted, either. I think what we ended up with is very theatrical but also very warm. If you really like Dickens and A Christmas Carol, I think you'll like listening to it." THORNTON DIRECTED the original KATC productions that were staged at Hanna Hills in Ravenna. "We adapted the staging to Hanna Hills, which was the summer home of (political boss) Mark Hanna," he said. "Even on tape, you can sense a lot of the ambiance and charm of that elegant house." When Scrooge went to shoo the carolers, for instance, Thornton had real singers outside the window.

"It was really a total environment experience," he said. "We had music behind doors, in other rooms, outside windows. It was very much a sound experience. Lots of sound. And I think that's why it adapted so well to radio." one critic, "the most widely known and best beloved of all Dickens fictions." One friend wrote to Dickens that he had done more good with that one single book than "the whole of the Christian church could do in a year." His message, indeed, his philosophy of life, was quite simple that the Christmas spirit should live in our hearts all year around.

If there be any small amount of disillusionment, cynicism or skepticism marring your Christmas spirit, a dose of A Christmas Carol (airing 7-9 Christmas night on is strongly recommended. Dickens' story is not only an uplifting and entertaining tale, it is a renewing experience. As G.K. Chesterton wrote in 1906, the beauty and blessing of the story lie in "the great furnace of real happiness that glows through Scrooge and everything around him; that great furnace, the heart of Dickens. Whether the Christmas visions would or would not convert Scrooge, they convert us." Radio, Christmas and Charles Dickens are old friends.

Throughout the 1930s and '40s, it was a Yuletide tradition in millions of households to tune in Lionel Barrymore reading A Christmas Carol. The sounds stirred the pictures on the wide-screen of your brain. Carolers singing God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen on the windswept streets of London. A creaky door. The rattling of Jacob Mar-ley's ghostly chains.

WHO NEEDED VIDEO? You were lost in Dickens' world of Christmases past, present and future, traveling with Ebenezer Scrooge on his road to repentance. Now, thanks to WKSU radio and the Kent Acting and Touring Company (KATC), families across the nation again can huddle around their radios and thrill to the heartwarming drama of A Christmas Carol. The public radio station's dramatization of Dickens' beloved novel, a favorite with WKSU listeners since it was KATC's A Christmas Carol was a huge success for two years, and in 1978 Thornton took his crew into the WKSU studios. Using a script by Alex Gildzen, an associate professor of library administration at Kent State University, Thornton moved from stage director to radio director. "I PRODUCED IT, directed it and played Bob Cratchit," he said, "but the real technical talent behind it was David Prittie, who played Scrooge.

He edited it and mixed it. We also wouldn't have gotten it done without Peter Petto (recording engineer and general editor)." What wasn't Thornton pleased with? "Well, there are a few mixes that are just off," he admitted. "And some sound effects just don't work. And the whole Marley scene goes on far too long." Still, the faults are minor, and, again, it works so splendidly because it doesn't monkey around with the book's inherent magic. Penned in 1843, A Christmas Carol was destined to become, in the words of first broadcast in 1979, has been selected for national distribution by the American Public Radio Network.

More than 30 stations will be airing the production that, according to APR, was chosen over several others because of its "warm, authentic sound." It will be the first opportunity listeners outside of Northeast Ohio will have to hear WKSU's A Christmas Carol. Although there are some slow moments, this version of Dickens' classic story is a generally impressive, moving production. And the reason it works so well is that it remains reasonably faithful to the original book. TONIGHT 6:00 6:30 7:30 8:00 "8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 "TO 1:00 1:30 News NBC News Tac Dough Feud Movie: "The Invisible Woman" Mac Davis Special News BestOfCarson Friday Night Videos News ABC News Fortune Joker Benson Webster Lottery Matt Houston News Movie: "You Were Never Lovelier" "Susan" News CBS News Entertain. PM Mag.

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Alice M'A'S'H The Rockford Files Holiday Bowl Football: Brigham Young vs. Missouri At San Diego Thicke Of The Night Solid Gold CD Woodwr't Woodcarvg MacNeilLehrer WashWk. Wall Movie: "Anastasia" Python Bus. Rpt. Latenight America CD BJLobo Movie: "Holiday Inn" INN News Show Newlyweds Movie: "The Awakening Of Candra" (3 Gd.

Times B. Miller Family Movie: "Holiday Inn" News Scorebrd. Show Movie: "The Death Policy" One Day WKRP B. Miller Jeffersons Movie: "Going My Way" News INN News TwilightZone Movie: "Bells Of St. Mary's" WQR Buck Rogers News NBA Basketball: New Jersey Nets at Boston Celtics Newark N.J.

People Soap Hawaii Five-0 Bonanza News WTBS Little House On The Prairie Hogan's NBA Basketball: New York At Atlanta News TheCatlins Night Tracks C8H Hunt Rifleman Santa 43 Bears Superbook For Granny 700 Club Carol Life DobieGillis BumsAllen Jack Benny Joan That Bob CIE Movie: "Crisis At Central High" Movie: "The Next Man" "If You Could See Wtiat I Hear" SCTV Movie: "Rio Conchos" CNX Newswatch Ctd. Moneyline Crossfire Primenews Freeman Reports Sports Crossfire NewsNight DSHlf EpcotMag. Zorro A Disney Channel Christmas Theater "House Without Christmas Tree" Claus ESPH Top Rank Boxing Ctd. SpoCtr. Football NFL Game Moments Holiday Bowl Football: Brigham Young vs.

Missouri At San Diego Boxing: M.Roybal vs. H.Rios 180 Skaters: Sarajevo Inside The NFL Movie: "Yes, Giorgio" Movie: "Endangered Species" The Year In Review Movie: "The Challenge" HLTH Dentistry It Figures Nature Of Things Report NewYou RegisPhilbin Sexuality Counselor Nature Self Help Athlete Dynamics Report Sexuality BIH "GiveUsBarabbas!" England: On HTN Movie: "Man From Snowy River" California Movie: "Jesus" Movie: "Table For Five" KOV Movie: "My Fair Lady" Ctd. Movie: "Hit And Run" Movie: "Liar's Moon" Movie: "Creepshow" NASI Opryland On Stage Dancin' Be A Star Paradise Fandango Nashville Now Yesteryear After Hours Offstage Nashville Now Opryland KICK Livewire Mr. Wizard Do That Beauty Third Eye People ARTS- Greeks Edition Sotheby's Jazz Nightcap P80Y January Playboy Movie: "For Richer, For Poorer" Movie: "The Story Of Joanna" January Playboy Movie: "For Richer" PIl Heritage Good News Larry Allen Camerons Camp Meeting, U.S.A. Jim Bakker LSumrall Ben Haden Earl Paulk Llfegulde Jim Bakker Zola Levitt Heritage SHO Movie: "I Ought To Be In Pictures" "Adventures Of Wilderness Family II" Movie: "Rollover" US Festival '83: Day 2 Johnson JPH Telephone Auction Books Investor Diary Golf Looking East Scandinavian Weekly World Outdoors Riley Movieweek N.Haskell "Juan" UU Cartoons Radio 1990 Dragnet Kean Movie: "Loophole" Night Flight Burghoffs Radar may get series From wire reports If Gary Burghoffs guest appearance as Radar O'Reilly on CBS's AfterMASH, air date not set, generates impressive ratings, Burghoff may get a Radar spinoff series on CBS next season.

AUTOMANvas 48th and Masquerade, another ABC new-series premiere, 52nd in last week's Nielsen ratings. Dabney Coleman's Buffalo Bill, which follows Cheers on NBC, lost so much audience that it was No. 54 despite Cheers' about-usual No. 34. SMURFS will use sign language for the deaf at 9 a.m.

Saturday (WKYC-Ch. 3, WFMJ-Ch. 21, Steubenville's WTOV-Ch. 9). In the series' most expensive episode because of the extra drawings required, Poet Smurf loses his voice and Papa Smurf brings in a mute elf to teach Poet how to recite Ode to Spring by signing.

Patsy Cameron, 24, story editor for Hanna-Barbera Productions, learned to sign as a teenager so she could communicate with deaf neighbors and, at 16, signed Jimmy Carter's presidential inaugural address. BETTY FORD'S memoirs, The Times of My Life, will be brought to TV by David Wolper, who wants Jill Clayburgh to play former President Gerald R. Ford's wife. SYMBOLS GUIDE AWIDZI AK'S BEST BETS Network) Home Box Office I Cable Health Network Home Theater IhTthI IHTN Network EES Learning Channel 13 Movie Channel fiTVl Mnsir; Television 6:00 p.m. CD CD Woodwrlght's Shop "Whimsy Diddling" A simple jackknife is the only tool necessary for Roy to whittle whimsy diddles and willow whistles.

America's Figure Skaters: Sights on Sarajevo Barry Tompkins and Jo Jo Starbuck host this pre-Olympic exhibition of America's finest figure skaters from the site of the 1984 Winter Olympics, Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. 7:00 p.m. Entertainment Tonight A look at Love Boat actor Ted Lange as a director; Muppet creator Jim Henson talks about his cable program Fraggle Rock; holiday music. 7:30 p.m. PM Magazine Songwriter Johnny Marks (Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer) 8:00 p.m.

Q) EU Movie "The Invisible Woman" (1983) Bob Denver, Alexa Hamilton. A newspaper reporter acquires the ability to become invisible after visiting her uncle's lab and uses her new talent to catch criminals. Repeat. CD CD Benson While Benson is re-, ceiving an honorary degree at Pete's alma mater, Pete, worried about his imminent fatherhood, transforms himself into a coffeehouse philosopher. 9 CD ESQ The Dukes of Hazzard Boss Hogg's hired thugs foil a Duke plan to deliver Christmas trees to the people of Hazzard.

CD The Rockford Files Rockford attempts to clear a fight manager accused of bribery and homicide. G) CD Movie "Holiday Inn" (1942) Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire. After losing his fiancee, a man retreats to his Connecticut farm, which he turns Into a seasonal inn. IJSD Movie "Going My Way" (1944) Bing Crosby, Barry Fitzgerald. A priest assigned to a downtrodden parish works a miracle with the parish and the people.

EH Movie "The Next Man" (1976) Sean Connery, Cornelia Sharpe. A female assassin is hired to kill a Middle Eastern diplomat whose ideas and recommendations are jeopardizing the current business transactions of a major oil company. (R) '80s Woman Sexual harrasment on the job. HQ Movie "Yes, Giorgio" (1982) Luciano Pavarotti, Kathryn Harrold. A renowned operatic tenor becomes romantically involved with a pretty voice specialist.

(PG) WR Movie "Hit and Run" (1981) Paul Perri, Claudia Cron. A New York cab driver becomes involved in a mysterious goings-on at a Connecticut mansion. fffil The Third Eye Adam Brake, scientist, and his son, Matthew, arrive in Milbury and their research project concerns the village's Neolithic stone circle. (Part 1) EH Movie "Adventures of the Wilderness Family II" (1978) Robert Logan, Susan Damante Shaw. The further adventures of a family who gave up life in the city to become modern-day pioneers are chronicled.

(G) ESlKean The career of one of the greatest theatrical legends of all time, Edmund Kean, is dramatized by Ben Kingsley in this intimate one-man performance. Repeat. 8:15 p.m. Fish Facts Broiling fish. 8:30 p.m.

CD CD Webster While investigating a TV game show, a cynical Kather-Ine soon finds herself caught up in the excitement as a contestant, much to the dismay of George and Webster. CD CD CD Wall Street Week "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" Amy L. New-mark, telecommunications analyst, Cyrus J. Lawrence Inc. Ill A Gift for Granny A small boy finds that the best gift he can give is love.

0X3 Plantllne Underwater ballet show. iM Fandango Porter Wagoner. US The Tomorrow People When two aliens visit the Earth, all the Su-perbeings in the galaxy are threatened with the loss of their special powers. 1) I 9:00 P.M. (8) "MUsic Vision" Tanite On Warner Amex Ch 8 Ad.

9:00 p.m. CD CD Lottery! Flaherty and Rush winnings to the owners of a small grocery store, a religious choir leader and a two-bit poker player. CD EH Dallas The despicable J. R. plots against his own mother in an attempt to sidetrack her new marriage plans.

CD Masterpiece Theatre "The Citadel" Andrew takes action against "fee-splitting" and is sorely tested at the site of a mine accident, CD EED Holiday Bowl Brigham Young vs. Missouri at San Diego. CD CD Movie "Anastasia" pRsifl Nashville Network 8 p.m. CD Holiday Inn Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire star in this 1942 seasonal favorite packed full of great Irving Berlin tunes. Bing plays a fellow who loses his fiancee and retreats to the solitude of his Connecticut farm, which he turns into an inn open for holidays.

This is also the film that introduced White Christmas. 8:30 p.m. CD CD Webster A cynical Katherine (Susan Clark) goes undercover to investigate a complaint against a television game show and becomes a contestant. To the dismay of both George (Alex Karras) and Webster (Emmanuel Lewis) she soon gets caught in the feverish excitement of going for the grand prize. ABC.

9 p.m. CD CD Anastasia Ingrid Bergman won one of her three Oscars for her portrayal of an amnesiac refugee who claims to be the only surviving daughter of Russia's murdered Czar. Directed by Anatole Litvak, this excellent 1956 film also features Yul Brynner, Helen Hayes and Akim Tamiroff. USD Chicago WGN EB New York WOR HH Atlanta WTBS EHsteubenville WTOV EH Wheeling WTRF BED ARTS (Alpha Repertory Television Service) ED Black Entertainment Television EED Christian Broadcasting Network EU Cinemax Cable News Network Hi Daytime BSD Disney Channel (Stfl ESPN (Entertainment and Sports Programming us Nickelodeon I Playboy Channel People That Love Satellite Programming Network fjEfl HI Showtime USA Network 9 Closed captioned for the hearing-impaired Ingrid Bergman (1956) Ingrid Bergman, Yul Brynner. An amnesiac girl in Germany claims to be the only heir to the Czar of Russia.

I The Greeks A documentary on Greek history demonstrating the debt Western Civilization owes to this ancient culture. (Part 4) Ell 700 Club Recording artist Amy Grant. DID Movie "The House Without a Christmas Tree" (1977) Jason Robards, Lisa Lucas. A girl yearns for her first Christmas tree, but her father refuses to let her have one. mas video by Hall and Oates.

IJg Movie "The Bells of St. Mary's" (1945) Bing Crosby, Ingrid Bergman. A priest and a mother superior save an old parochial school by persuading a skinflint to donate land and a building to their cause. ED Bonanza Ben gets less of a bargain than he hoped for when he trades several head of cattle with an Indian chief. ESQ Jack Benny Jack gets a rancid chicken fat massage before a big date.

12:40 a.m. Movie "The Challenge" (1981) Scott Glenn, Toshiro Mifune. A corrupt Japanese businessman and his tradition-minded brother fight over a pair of ancient family swords. (R) 12:45 a.m. EU Movie "Rio Conchos" (1964) Richard Boone, Stuart Whitman.

Four men set out across the Texas desert after the Civil War to recover stolen Army rifles earmarked for sale to the Apaches. 1:00 a.m. CD Movie "At Gunpoint" (1955) Fred MacMurray, Dorothy Malone. After killing an outlaw during a holdup, a store owner Is hunted by the dead man's brother, who seeks revenge. EB0 I Married Joan Circumstantial evidence.

1:30 a.m. Movie "Susan Slept Here" (1954) Dick Powell, Debbie Reynolds. A Hollywood scriptwriter Is given custody of a vagrant during Christmas. CD Solid Gold Marilyn McCoo; Jo Boxers, Culture Club, Bette Midler, Spandau Ballet, Earl Thomas Conley, John Cougar Mellencamp, Melba Moore. EH Denny Johnston Sellout Comedian Johnston, with Vic Dunlap and Bruce Baum, present a variety of comedy at the Hollywood Palace.

BED Movie "The Private Life of Don Juan" (1934) Douglas Fairbanks Merle Oberon. Don Juan, the famous romantic, cavorts his way from one adventure to another. 2:00 a.m. Movie "Die, Darling, (1973) James Stewart, Murray Hamilton. When a woman is charged with murder in the alleged mercy killing of her paralytic husband, her attorney must prove that someone else could have plotted the man's death.

Movie "Having a Wild Weekend" (1965) Dave Clark Five, Barbara Ferris. A lovely model, out on a weekend jaunt to the country, is reported as missing. 2:25 a.m. CD Movie "Desert Trail" (1935) John Wayne, Mary Kornman. A rodeo star sets out to trap a gang of bank robbers.

I Regis Phllbln's Health Styles Williams. A New Yock City detective helps a Wyoming sheriff investigate a spate of local cattle mutilations. (R) Human Sexuality A discussion on how the birth of an infant can change a relationship. GIOMovIe "Liar's Moon" (1982) Matt Dillon, Cindy Fisher. Despite parental opposition, two teenagers from differing backgrounds fall in love in a small Texas town.

(PG) El Movie "Rollover" (1981) Jane Fonda, Kris Kristofferson. A former movie star who took over the chairmanship of her late husband's corporation and a high-powered financial expert become involved in a disastrous deal with Arab investors. (R) 10:30 p.m. Arts at Sotheby's: Sliver The woiks of some of the world's finest silversmiths are washed, cataloged, evaluated and auctioned. EH A Christmas Carol A dramatic one-man reading of Charles Dickens' holiday classic of Scrooge, Cratchet and Tiny Tim is presented.

Ml The Search for Santa Claus Peter Ustinov travels to many countries in search of unusual and interesting stories about the history of St. Nicholas. EH Crisis Counselor In-laws must come to grips with their daughter's bisexual marriage. HO Yesteryear In Nashville David Houston. 10:45 p.m.

EES Women In Jazz: The Instrumentalists The contrasting styles of five women performing Jazz. 11:00 p.m. tWoal Soap The Major leads a raid to rescue Billy; Jodie must choose between his child and Alice; Benson leaves. fRASHl Nashville After Hours Bob Boy-kin and Firepower. OH Night Flight A video opera by Robert Ashley.

Howard. High school misfits form a rock band to challenge their school's overbearing musical group. Repeat. Ml Offstage Bobby Sykes and Don Winters. 11:40 p.m.

Not Necessarily the Year In Review The resident repertory company, including Rich Hall, Anne Bloom, Au-drie Neenan, Stuart Pankin, Mitchell Laurance and Danny Breen, focus on the news of 1983, with all-new come-, dy material and highlights from past shows. 11:45 p.m. CD CD Latenight America See 11:30 p.m. CD 11:55 p.m. EH SCTV Comedy sketches.

Midnight Movie "Night Slaves" (1970) James Franciscus, Lee Grant. A man is puzzled when the rest of the people in his town become zombielike robots after dark. CD Thicke of the Night Sergio Mendes, Lani Hall, comedian Arsenio Hall; also, Alan visits his adopted hometown of Boone, Iowa. liUTHl Weekend Athlete USC baseball coach Rod Dedeaux talks about his career; Olympic Gold Medalist Greta Andersen explains teaching methods at her infant swimming school. IJlMovIe "Creepshow" (1982) Hal Holbrook, Adrienne Barbeau.

A quintet of horror stories from a child's comic book include tales about reanimated corpses, alien vegetation, a voracious ape-like creature and millions of vengeful cockroaches. (R) US Festival '83: Day 2 Highlights of the second day of a four-day music festival held on Memorial Day Weekend include performances by Van Hal-en, Scorpions, Triumph, Judas Priest, Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot. 12:30 a.m. CD EI Friday Night Videos Network premiere of Michael Jackson's Thriller, a Private Reel visit with Paul McCartney and a special Christ- 11:25 p.m. EH Nightcap Science fiction and fantasy with writers Issac Asimov, Harlan Ellison and Gene Wolfe.

11:30 p.m. CDIS1 Best of Carson Johnny Carson; Robert Blake, B. B. King, Donna Dixon. Movie "You Were Never Lovelier" (1942) Fred Astaire, Rita Hayworth.

A man tries to cheer up his daughter by sending her anonymous presents. Maude Arthur makes Walter a generous offer in hopes of brightening the Findlays' Christmas. CD 700 Club Recording artist Amy Grant. CD Latenight America David E. Davis, editor and publisher of Car and Driver magazine, discusses whether U.

S. cars are getting any better; Spencer Johnson, author of The One Minute Mother and The One Minute Father, tells the quickest way you can help your kids like themselves and want to behave. CD Movie "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939) Jean Arthur, James Stewart. An innocent, naive man unwittingly becomes a senator and gets involved with a controversial politician.

CD Movie "The Awakening of Candra" (1981) Blanche Baker, Cliff De-Young. A widow begins to suffer from nightmares about her husband's death in a hunting accident. CD Movie "The Death Policy" (1973) Robert Powell," Barbara Fel-don. A whirlwind romance turns into a nightmare when a woman discovers that her husband Is already married and plotting to do away with her. ED Twilight Zone A gentle-natured sidewalk pitchman fast-talks Mr.

Death into agreeing to give him a reprieve. la Hawaii Flve-0 An Army officer plans to kidnap a top scientist and hold him for a million-dollar ransom. ESQ Movie "Cotton Candy" (1978) Charles Martin Smith, Clint Sean Harrington with Nautilus equipment; Margaret Nesbitt on cleaning your dog's teeth; Don Sullivan, cosmetics expert; Ted Knight. ESI Movie "Loophole" (1981) Albert Finney, Martin Sheen. A criminal mastermind and a respectable architect plan to execute an elaborate bank robbery from the sewers below the streets of London.

10:00 p.m. CD E2D Mac Davis Special: The Music of Christmas Barbara Man-drell, Ronnie Milsap, and Gladys Knight the Pips join Davis for a concert of traditional holiday music at the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, Calif. QCDCBMatt Houston Matt races against time to thwart a madman bent on killing the contestants in a beauty pageant, CD Falcon Crest Chase opposes Richard Channing's proposal to build a race track. CD Jane Eyre Jane and Rochester are reunited. (Part 4) IM) First Edition Joe McGinniss, author of Fatal Vision.

EH Movie "If You Could See What I Hear" (1982) Marc Singer, R. H. Thomson. The misadventures of blind singer-composer Tom Sullivan's college days are recounted. (PG) OH Movie "Endangered Species" (1982) Robert Urich, Jobeth.