Perry and crew visit Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia to bring us a colorful and tuneful look at an early American Christmas celebration. A fife and drum corps featuring a young drummer gives Perry an opportunity to sing "The Little Drummer Boy". Perry is our guide as we visit many of the local shops and crafts people. Guests include Diana Canova, the daughter of Judy Canova, a lovely young lady who does a fine job singing several solos and duets with Perry. The young violinist Eugene Fodor, who won the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, treats us to a solo. Of interest to John Wayne fans is the big man himself making one of his final appearances and even raises his voice in song! Perry doesn't disappoint us and sings a number of songs appropriate to the holiday season. This show was videotaped and the quality of the transfer to VHS is excellent.
Incidentally, Como's annual TV Christmas shows started in 1948 and ran through 1986! He did an additional one in Ireland in 1994. To date, "Early American Christmas" is one of only three of his complete color shows released to home video. The others are "Christmas in the Holy Land" and "Irish Christmas".
UPDATE: Perry's 1974 holiday special was released on DVD in 2013. It's titled "Perry Como's Christmas Show" and features The Carpenters, Rich Little, and Peggy Fleming.
