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Christmas TV special
Christmas in Washington
was an annual
Christmas
television special that originated on
NBC
and later aired on the
TNT
network. It ended in 2015 after a 33-year run.
Background
[
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]
One of two annual holiday specials produced by
George Stevens Jr.
(the other being the
Kennedy Center Honors
), the
variety show
first aired in 1982 on
NBC
before moving to its most recent home on TNT in 1998. Recorded in Washington, D.C. at the
National Building Museum
, on the second Sunday of each December before being re-edited for later broadcast,
Christmas in Washington
is a one-hour concert featuring artists from musical genres. Each guest performs at least one solo, but the prominent marquee performer usually has one or two more songs. The show sometimes had at least one guest from the world of opera. Each of the musical performances are backed by a full orchestra and chorus. The show's finale consisted of a medley performed by all the musical guests before the attendees-of-honor, the
President of the United States
and the
First Lady
, make a closing statement followed by the singing of "
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
".
Recent events have benefited
Children's National Medical Center
.
Host and performers
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From 2004 to 2008, the show was hosted by
Dr. Phil
and his wife, Robin. However, since 2009 and for the remainder of its most recent run, the show had a single host. The 2013 edition featured
Hugh Jackman
as host and The
Backstreet Boys
as marquee performers, marking the first time in six years that a group has been featured as marquee performers. The show aired live on pay-per-view internationally and in most major cities, after which a re-edited 42-minute version (with commercials in a one-hour slot) aired on network television.
Cancellation
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In 2015, shortly after the Stevens' production company sold the rights to their companion program, the
Kennedy Center Honors
, the special was cancelled after being unable to find a new network or presenting sponsor (TNT had declined to renew the show after the 2014 edition).
Editions
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]
The marquee performer is marked in
bold
.
References
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]
Source: for
Christmas in Washington
2000:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0271434/