How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (TV special) animation divisions of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, where Jones was under contract at the time. CBS, coming off the surprise success of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" a year before, allotted Jones and MGM a $315,000 budget, more than four times what Bill Melendez was offered to produce "A Charlie Brown Christmas". The original broadcast was sponsored by the Foundation for Full Service Banks whose sponsor plugs within the original airing were later edited out for subsequent broadcasts. The entirety of the book's text, with some slight embellishment, was adapted into the special; to pad the special to a full 30-minute time slot,
The Carpenters: A Christmas Portrait The Carpenters: A Christmas Portrait The Carpenters: A Christmas Portrait is a Christmas television special featuring The Carpenters that aired on ABC on December 19, 1978. It was the second Christmas TV special that the pop duo made and was taped in October 1978. The special stars Richard and Karen Carpenter, with special guests Gene Kelly, Kristy and Jimmy McNichol, Georgia Engel, and Peter Pit. The special is named after the Carpenters recently released Christmas album "Christmas Portrait" in October 1978. The synopsis of the special revolves around Karen and Richard throwing their annual Christmas party (just like the previous