Benji's Very Own Christmas Story
Benji's Very Own Christmas Story is a 1978 American Christmas television special featuring Benji the dog 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.
| Benji's Very Own Christmas Story | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Written by | Joe Camp Dan Witt |
| Directed by | Joe Camp |
| Starring | Benjean Ron Moody Patsy Garrett Cynthia Smith |
| Music by | Eul Box |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Producer | Joe Camp |
| Cinematography | Don Reddy |
| Editor | Leon Seith |
| Running time | 25 minutes |
| Production company | Mulberry Square Productions |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
| Original release | 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 and crew
Cast
- Benjean as Benji (daughter of original Benji dog, Higgins)
- Patsy Garrett as Mary
- Cynthia Smith as Cindy Chapman
- Ron Moody as Kris Kringle.
Crew
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]
References
- "Trivia About Benji's Amazing Career". Benji.com. Retrieved 2009-12-12.
- "Emmy Awards: 1979". IMDb. Retrieved 2009-12-12.
- "1st Annual Youth In Film Awards". YoungArtistAwards.org. Retrieved 2011-03-31.