Christmas Cards With the Stars

You’re an entertainment reporter. What do you do around the Christmas holidays when there generally isn’t a lot of show biz news or gossip? You fall on old, annual stand-bys.

Columnists filled space every year with stories about what the stars were buying for Christmas, what the stars bought for Christmas, where the stars were going for Christmas, where the stars weren’t going for Christmas, that sort of thing. Publicists were prepared as it seems columnists somehow all discovered the same information.

Here are two columns from 55 years ago dealing with another of the December perennial subjects—what cards are the stars sending this Yuletide season? The first is from the Associated Press, published on Christmas Day 1963, the other next is from United Press International, which appeared in papers two days before.

TV Handles Christmas Reverently
By CYNTHIA LOWRY
AP Television-Radio Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — A few years ago Christmas was considered by many an occasion for funny cards. Now it once again is being handled reverently.
Typical of cards sent this year by television performers are those from the David Janssens, the Robert Goulets (Carol Lawrence) and the Merv Griffins: color reproductions of art classics by Rembrandt, Filippino Lippi and Botticelli.
Loretta Young’s card shows the Wise Men and the star with a tree, like one of the twisted pines of the Pacific Coast, in the foreground. The Perry Comos’ is a reproduction of a modern painting of Madonna and Child. Alice and George Gobel’s handsome card depicts the Wise Men bearing gifts for the Mother and Child.
Some, like Bea Benaderet and Robert Merrill, suggest their occupations in light-hearted cards. Bea’s is the shape of a little red locomotive—a piece of machinery which is a real character in her “Petticoat Junction” comedy series. Singer Merrill’s announces a Christmas concert by ‘‘one of the leading singing groups in the country today” — himself, his wife, their two children and dog—all shown in silhouette.
Joan Crawford, as usual, took time to write a personal letter of greetings.

Finnigan's Hollywood
By JOSEPH FINNIGAN
HOLLYWOOD (UPI) — Movie and television stars sent out Christmas cards this year just like the rest of you folks, spelling out the holiday spirit in a religious or festive vein.
Pianist Liberace is winner again in the color derby. His card this year shows him posing in a gold jacket backed up with a lace shirt, black tie, gold buttons and two sparkling rings. He's standing next to a pair of Christmas trees.
Rock Hudson's card was red and gold with raised letters that spell out "Merry Christmas."
Edie Adams Kovacs sent a photograph of herself and her three children.
Ronnie Reagan's red and gold card shows a Christmas tree on the front.
Small Cutouts
Bea Benaderet mailed small cutouts of a red and white railroad engine, the background of her "Petticoat Junction" series.
The Carol and Dwane Hickman greeting showed a drawing of three kings playing homage to the Christ child in a crib under a palm tree, a star shining overhead.

Lawrence Welk's card shows the maestro standing with Santa Claus in front of a stage. The card converts to a calendar which perpetuates the greeting all during 1964.
Robert Taylor, an avid out-doorsman, sent out a winter scene showing two deer beside a pond.
Donna Reed mailed her season's greetings in several languages. The card's face features a modernistic painting of a shepherd. It's dedicated to the United Nations Children's Fund.
Paul Burke mailed a gold and blue card which simply says: "Season's Greetings."
Santa Plays Fiddle
Musician Roger Williams sent his best wishes on a card which shows Santa Claus playing a fiddle. Santa's beard provides the fiddle strings.
Steve McQueen's greeting depicted the Christ Child and Mary His mother. It's a modern painting printed in Spain.
Loretta Young's card shows Joseph leading a donkey carrying Mary and the infant Jesus.
Steve Forrest featured a bird sitting on a limb. "A partridge in a pear tree," the card says.
Elvis Presley, and his manager, Col. Tom Paker, sent out one of the most beautiful cards. It shows Mary, the Christ Child and a host of angels. Inger Stevens sent a drawing by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo of the Holy Family.
London City Scene
Alice and George Gobel's shows the three kings riding camels and carrying gifts of homage.
Eve Arden's greeting came from London where she is currently living. It shows a London city scene, double-decker bus and colorfully garbed English guardsmen. David Janssen sent a beautiful gold card on the face of which is detail painting of two children. It's entitled "Heads of Angels" and was done by Filippino Lippi.
Dan Duryea's greeting is in a comical vein. It shows a beardless Santa Claus bouncing off the edge of a chimney. He missed the entrance.
Raymond Burr notified his friends that a contribution in their name has been sent to CARE to help needy people overseas.