Product Details

• Actors: Frankie Avalon, Cher, Eadie Del Rubio, Elena Del Rubio, Milly Del Rubio
• Directors: Wayne Orr
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Image Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: October 19, 2004
• Run Time: 49 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (69 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0002IQASG
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #35,286 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Pee Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Join the whole Playhouse gang for one of the wackiest Christmas specials ever with laughs for the whole family and all the imagination and charm of Saturday morning's most outrageous TV series, which became a cultural milestone when it aired from 1986 to 1991. In this unique triple Emmy« nominated Christmas special, Pee-wee gets into the spirit of the season with lots of singing, dancing and other holiday fun with his Playhouse pals and more than a dozen celebrity guest stars as you've never seen them before. Everything's going great, except Pee-wee's Christmas wish list is so long that there won't be enough presents for all the other kids in the world if he gets everything he wants! When Santa Claus pleads for help, Pee-wee reluctantly gets a lesson in the true meaning of Christmas. Cast includes: Cowboy Curtis (Laurence Fishburne), Reba the Mail Lady (S. Epatha Merkerson), and Miss Yvonne (Lynne Stewart). Guest stars include: Frankie Avalon, Whoopi Goldberg, Joan Rivers, Charo, Del Rubio Triplets, Annette Funicello, Magic Johnson, Dinah Shore, Grace Jones, Oprah Winfrey, k.d. lang, Little Richard, Zsa Zsa Gabor.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars So Many Stars! October 24, 2004

By Bruce Aguilar

Format:DVD

This best thing about this Christmas DVD is that it makes me feel happy and like a kid again. How can you not enjoy seeing Little Richard continually falling while trying to ice skate? Annete Funicello with green teeth? Whoopie Goldberg begging for work? Dinah Shore giddily singing without realizing she is annoying everyone? Pee-Wee and a group of Marines in a dance number? The answer is you can't help but enjoy every minute of it. This special just oozes fun and camp. But the real incredible thing is that it's all about something positive - selfnessness. And this moral is never beaten over your head or made overly sappy. It's simply part of the whole.

Pop this DVD in and kids as well as adults will eventually stop what they are doing to watch the amazing antics. Afterwards everyone will be full of Christmas cheer be it December or the middle of July. This is truly a SPECIAL Christmas Special.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A holiday tradition in our household makes its DVD premiere November 30, 2004

By hey_steve

Format:DVD

From 1988 and broadcast just once, comes this gem from the mind of Paul Reubens. Released in 2004 along with the rest of the "Pee Wee's Playhouse" output, this stand alone special has been a yearly tradition in our household. Now we can retire our videotape for the DVD format.

The special features are limited, only two, and they are both commentaries. The first one features Paul Reubens, co-writer John Paragon (who also plays Jambi) and Lynne Marie Stewart who plays Miss Yvonne, the most beautiful lady in all of Playland. The second commentary features four of the puppeteers who certainly had a lot to do in the special. The insights and tidbits on both of these commentaries are a great bonus.

The show itself is fast paced and gives you a chance to visit with some old friends. Pee Wee's humor may not be for all, but if you enjoyed the series, you will certainly enjoy this special where holiday traditions are examined and lessons of the spirit of giving are learned.

The supporting cast includes members who have gone on to bigger things including Laurence Fishburne as Cowboy Curtis and S. Epatha Merkerson as Reba The Mail Lady (who is now a regular on NBC's "Law and Order" minus the dreadlocks). The guests include Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, Charo, The Del Rubio Triplets, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Whoopi Goldberg, Magic Johnson, Grace Jones, k.d. lang, Little Richard, Joan Rivers, Dinah Shore and Oprah Winfrey. Stars, music, fun, a great package.

The transfer is fresh from the masters with Dolby Digital sound and is close-captioned. Highly recommended if you want to catch the Christmas spirit.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Magically ridiculous December 30, 2002

By John Sloan

Format:VHS Tape

It's not typical TV jokes that make this video so funny. It's just how ridiculous the whole thing is. You don't have time to stop and think as Pee-Wee welcomes a bizarre array of guests from Magic Johnson to k.d. lang, as well as all the Playhouse regulars. Who knew Little Richard could skate? Why was someone mailing Grace Jones to the White House? (Ronald Reagan was celebrating his final Christmas in office when this came out.) Why is Frankie Avalon making Christmas cards with a potato?

When Pee-Wee stops to point out the real meaning of Christmas, I was expecting a watered-down "time for giving and sharing" message, but he actually acknowledges the religious meaning. Talk about unexpected! So just forget about Pee-Wee's offscreen trouble, and enjoy the show.