Cause of death Natural Causes Children Stephen Christmas Role Actor | Name Eric Christmas Years active 1938-1998 | |
 | ||
Full Name Eric Cuthbert Christmas Born 19 March 1916 ( 1916-03-19 ) London, England Died July 22, 2000, Camarillo, California, United States Spouse Donelda (Donna) Marion Neufeld (m. 1958–1982), Marcy Christmas (m. ?–2000) TV shows The Sandy Duncan Show, Code Name: Diamond Head Movies The Philadelphia Experiment, MouseHunt, Air Bud, Harold and Maude, Porky's Revenge! Similar People Stewart Raffill, Jonathan Wacks, James Komack, Hal Ashby, Charles Martin Smith | ||
Eric Cuthbert Christmas (19 March 1916 – 22 July 2000) was a British stage and screen actor, with over 40 films and numerous television roles to his credit. He was well known for his role as Mr. Carter, the principal of Angel Beach High School, in the 1982 hit comedy Porky's, the 1983 sequel Porky's II: The Next Day and the 1985 sequel Porky's Revenge!. He was also well known for his sporadic role as Reverend Diddymoe in the NBC sitcom, Amen.
Contents
Life and career
Christmas was born in London, England, and later emigrated to Canada. His role as a priest in the 1971 film Harold and Maude includes a memorable monologue to an off-camera Harold, in which he discusses, with increasing nausea and disgust, how the thought of Harold's sexual affair with a much older woman "makes [him] want...to vomit." His other film roles include Monte Walsh (1970), The Andromeda Strain (1971), Johnny Got His Gun (1971), The Last Tycoon (1976), An Enemy of the People (1978), Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (1978), The Changeling (1980), Middle Age Crazy (1980), The Philadelphia Experiment (1984), All of Me (1984), Bugsy (1991), Almost Dead (1994), Air Bud (1997) and his final feature film MouseHunt (1997).
Christmas also made guest appearances in many television shows, including Adventures in Rainbow Country, Due South, ER, Night Court, Wiseguy (as Harry "The Hunch" Shanstra), Seinfeld (as Jeffery Harharwood in "The Gum"—Episode 120, first airing on 14 December 1995), Cheers, Home Improvement (as Sir Larry the Magician), Coach (as Brian Currie), The Golden Palace, The X-Files, Booker, Matlock, Walker Texas Ranger, Roseanne, L.A. Law (as Buzz Carr), Major Dad and Ally McBeal. From 1995-96 he played Father Francis on Days of Our Lives, a key role in the infamous possession of Marlena Evans. He went to San Diego to teach and to revive the La Jolla Playhouse, for which he directed "The Man Who Came to Dinner" in temporary space at La Jolla High School, with equity actor Larry Seaman in the lead role, and also starring Robert Zimmerman (BHP-San Francisco Faculty) as the reporter and James Pearson as Banjo (Harpo Marx role) [La Jolla Light, 12 November 1981]. Christmas also acted in and directed productions of San Diego, California's Old Globe Theatre's Shakespeare Festivals for many years.
During the 1970s and 1980s, Christmas was a drama professor at the University of California, San Diego, and made theatrical presentations at local high schools, including La Jolla Country Day School.
Death
He died on 22 July 2000, from natural causes at the age of 84.
Filmography
Actor
1998
Ally McBeal (TV Series) as
Hon. Justice Edward Morrison / Judge Maynard Snipp
- Pursuit of Loneliness (2000) - Hon. Justice Edward Morrison (uncredited)
- Story of Love (1998) - Judge Maynard Snipp
1999
Payne (TV Series) as
Leo
- Uncle Royal and Aunt Connie (1999) - Leo
1998
Style & Substance (TV Series) as
Hadley
- Chelsea's Ex (1998) - Hadley
1997
In the House (TV Series) as
Father Sullivan
- Working Overtime: Part 1 (1998) - Father Sullivan
- Marion Rules (1998) - Father Sullivan
- Saint Marion (1997) - Father Sullivan
1997
Mousehunt as
Ernie and Lars' Lawyer
1997
Due South (TV Series) as
Albert 'H' Hanrahan
- Spy vs. Spy (1997) - Albert 'H' Hanrahan
1997
Living Single (TV Series) as
Mr. McLay
- High Anxiety (1997) - Mr. McLay
1997
Air Bud as
Judge Cranfield
1997
Something So Right (TV Series) as
Judge
- Something About a Silver Anniversary (1997) - Judge
1997
Ink (TV Series) as
J. Pierpoint Walsh
- Funny, You Don't Look One Hundred (1997) - J. Pierpoint Walsh
1996
ER (TV Series) as
Mr. Heath
- Let the Games Begin (1996) - Mr. Heath
1995
Coach (TV Series) as
Mr. Currey / Captain Whizbang
- Van Dam vs. Fox (1996) - Mr. Currey
- Ten Percent of Nothing (1995) - Captain Whizbang
1995
Days of Our Lives (TV Series) as
Father Francis Baker
1995
Seinfeld (TV Series) as
Haarwood
- The Gum (1995) - Haarwood
1995
Mad About You (TV Series) as
Bernard
- I Don't See It (1995) - Bernard
1995
Walker, Texas Ranger (TV Series) as
Dr. Parker
- Case Closed (1995) - Dr. Parker
1995
American Masters (TV Series documentary) as
Old Man
- Edgar Allan Poe: Terror of the Soul (1995) - Old Man
1995
Roseanne (TV Series) as
Psychiatrist
- All About Rosey (1995) - Psychiatrist
1994
The X-Files (TV Series) as
Stan Phillips
- Excelsis Dei (1994) - Stan Phillips
1994
Blue Skies (TV Series) as
Levi Johnson
- The Girl, Bull and the Amenite Hat (1994) - Levi Johnson
1994
Almost Dead as
Father Ambrose
1994
Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult as
Prison Chaplain (scenes deleted)
1994
L.A. Law (TV Series) as
Buzz Carr
- Three on a Patch (1994) - Buzz Carr
1993
The John Larroquette Show (TV Series) as
Felix / Man in Phone Booth
- Don't Drink and Drive Nuclear Waste (1994) - Felix
- Pilot (1993) - Man in Phone Booth
1993
Empty Nest (TV Series) as
Mr. Garrison
- Read All About It (1993) - Mr. Garrison
- The All-American Boy - Not! (1993) - Mr. Garrison
1993
Staying Afloat (TV Movie) as
Ryder
1993
Ed and His Dead Mother as
Mr. Abner
1993
A League of Their Own (TV Series) as
Ethan
- Marathon (1993) - Ethan
1993
Delta (TV Series) as
The Preacher
- Roadtrip (1993) - The Preacher
1993
Bodies of Evidence (TV Series) as
Harvey Glasser
- Blindside (1993) - Harvey Glasser
1993
The Golden Palace (TV Series) as
Gerald Davenport
- You've Lost That Livin' Feeling (1993) - Gerald Davenport
1992
Nurses (TV Series) as
Mr. Kenneth J. Moss
- Annie's Choice (1992) - Mr. Kenneth J. Moss
1992
Room for Two (TV Series) as
Ed
- Little White Lies (1992) - Ed
1992
Julie (TV Series) as
Uncle Smiley
- A Delicate Balance (1992) - Uncle Smiley
1992
Jake and the Fatman (TV Series) as
Hubble Kidd
- Pennies from Heaven (1992) - Hubble Kidd
1992
Wings (TV Series) as
Liam MacDougal
- Take My Life, Please (1992) - Liam MacDougal
1992
Matlock (TV Series) as
Old Witness
- The Picture: Part 2 (1992) - Old Witness
- The Picture: Part 1 (1992) - Old Witness
1991
Bugsy as
Ronald the Butler
1991
Dead in the Water (TV Movie) as
Judge Griffin
1991
Eerie, Indiana (TV Series) as
Milkman
- The Lost Hour (1991) - Milkman
1991
Flesh 'n' Blood (TV Series) as
Judge Fletcher
- King's Strings (1991) - Judge Fletcher
1991
Good & Evil (TV Series) as
Mr. Thompson
- Episode #1.2 (1991) - Mr. Thompson
1991
Home Improvement (TV Series) as
Sir Larry Houdini
- Off Sides (1991) - Sir Larry Houdini
1991
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (TV Series) as
Cecil
- PSAT Pstory (1991) - Cecil
1991
Child of Darkness, Child of Light (TV Movie) as
Father Francesca
1991
Major Dad (TV Series) as
Peavey
- Sins of the Father (1991) - Peavey
1991
The Challengers (TV Movie) as
Zack
1990
Night Court (TV Series) as
Mr. Olmeyer / Pops Durkin
- Presumed Insolvent (1991) - Mr. Olmeyer
- Razing Bull (1990) - Pops Durkin
1988
Cheers (TV Series) as
Father Barry
- Achilles Hill (1991) - Father Barry
- Love Is a Really, Really Perfectly Okay Thing (1990) - Father Barry
- Death Takes a Holiday on Ice (1989) - Father Barry
- Swear to God (1988) - Father Barry
1990
Whispers as
Joshua Rinehart
1990
Grand (TV Series) as
Maggie
- Desmond's Mother (1990) - Maggie
1989
Generations (TV Series) as
Lionel the chauffeur
- Episode #1.410 (1990) - Lionel the chauffeur (credit only)
- Episode #1.409 (1990) - Lionel the chauffeur
- Episode #1.256 (1990) - Lionel the chauffeur
- Episode #1.252 (1990) - Lionel the chauffeur (credit only)
- Episode #1.234 (1990) - Lionel the chauffeur
- Episode #1.232 (1990) - Lionel the chauffeur (credit only)
- Episode #1.197 (1989) - Lionel the chauffeur
- Episode #1.194 (1989) - Lionel the chauffeur (credit only)
- Episode #1.191 (1989) - Lionel the chauffeur
- Episode #1.189 (1989) - Lionel the chauffeur (credit only)
1990
Booker (TV Series) as
Walter Larson
- Mobile Home (1990) - Walter Larson
1990
Father Dowling Mysteries (TV Series) as
Mr. Hemmings
- The Solid Gold Headache Mystery (1990) - Mr. Hemmings
1990
ALF (TV Series) as
Bernie
- When I'm 64 (1990) - Bernie
1989
Amen (TV Series) as
Rev. Diddimore
- The Wedding (1990) - Rev. Diddimore
- The Last Supper (1989) - Rev. Diddimore
1989
My Two Dads (TV Series) as
Ed Steinbauer
- Say Goodnight, Gracie (1989) - Ed Steinbauer
1989
Murphy Brown (TV Series) as
Mr. Bob Bickner
- The Bickners (1989) - Mr. Bob Bickner
1989
Have Faith (TV Series) as
Phil Martin
- Holy Smoke (1989) - Phil Martin
1989
Gideon Oliver (TV Series) as
Dr. Bellamy
- By the Waters of Babylon (1989) - Dr. Bellamy
1989
TV 101 (TV Series) as
Minister
- First Love: Part 1 (1989) - Minister (uncredited)
1988
War and Remembrance (TV Mini Series) as
Adm. Sir Dudley Pound
- Part III (1988) - Adm. Sir Dudley Pound
- Part I (1988) - Adm. Sir Dudley Pound
1988
Probe (TV Series) as
Dr. Roman Drakovich
- Black Cats Don't Walk Under Ladders (Do They?) (1988) - Dr. Roman Drakovich
1987
Home Is Where the Hart Is as
Martin Hart
1987
Wiseguy (TV Series) as
Harry Shanstra / Harry 'The Hunchback' Schanstra
- No One Gets Out of Here Alive (1987) - Harry Shanstra
- The Marriage of Heaven & Hell (1987) - Harry Shanstra
- One on One (1987) - Harry Shanstra
- The Birthday Surprise (1987) - Harry Shanstra
- New Blood (1987) - Harry 'The Hunchback' Schanstra
1987
J.J. Starbuck (TV Series) as
Albert Giotto
- Murder in E Minor (1987) - Albert Giotto
1987
CBS Summer Playhouse (TV Series) as
Edgar
- Changing Patterns (1987) - Edgar
1987
The Tortellis (TV Series) as
Harry S. Malloney
- Man of the Year (1987) - Harry S. Malloney
1986
Happy Hour as
Harry The Guard
1986
St. Elsewhere (TV Series) as
Jersey Piker
- Cheek to Cheek (1986) - Jersey Piker
1985
Misfits of Science (TV Series) as
Dr. Momquist
- Deep Freeze (Pilot) (1985) - Dr. Momquist
1985
Porky's Revenge as
Mr. Carter
1984
Trapper John, M.D. (TV Series) as
Dean
- My Son the Doctor (1984) - Dean
1984
All of Me as
Fred Hoskins
1984
The Philadelphia Experiment as
Dr. James Longstreet
1983
Porky's II: The Next Day as
Carter
1983
Little House on the Prairie (TV Series) as
Dewey
- The Last Summer (1983) - Dewey
1981
Porky's as
Mr. Carter
1980
Middle Age Crazy as
Tommy
1980
The Hollywood Knights as
Mr. Katzenberg (uncredited)
1980
The Changeling as
Albert Harmon
1978
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! as
Senator Polk
1978
Switch (TV Series) as
Shaun Farrell
- The Cage (1978) - Shaun Farrell
1978
An Enemy of the People as
Morten Kiil
1977
Code Name: Diamond Head (TV Movie) as
Father Murphy
1976
The Last Tycoon as
Norman
1976
McCoy (TV Series) as
Father Harrigan
- New Dollar Day (1976) - Father Harrigan
1975
Grady (TV Mini Series) as
Beardaley
- Be It Ever So Humble (1975) - Beardaley
1975
The Blue Knight (TV Series) as
Joel Stebbins
- Pilot (1975) - Joel Stebbins
1975
McMillan & Wife (TV Series) as
Harry Anders
- Love, Honor and Swindle (1975) - Harry Anders
1975
Kojak (TV Series) as
O'Malley
- Elegy in an Asphalt Graveyard (1975) - O'Malley
1975
Get Christie Love! (TV Series) as
Thomas
- Our Lady in London (1975) - Thomas
1975
The Streets of San Francisco (TV Series) as
Calvin
- Letters from the Grave (1975) - Calvin
1974
Harry O (TV Series) as
Congressman Sam Galbraith
- Forty Reasons to Kill: Part 2 (1974) - Congressman Sam Galbraith
- Forty Reasons to Kill: Part 1 (1974) - Congressman Sam Galbraith
1974
Columbo (TV Series) as
Bruno Wexler
- A Friend in Deed (1974) - Bruno Wexler
1973
The ABC Afternoon Playbreak (TV Series)
- The Things I Never Said (1973)
1972
The Sandy Duncan Show (TV Series) as
Ben Hampton
- From Rags to Riches to Rags (1972) - Ben Hampton
- Doctor New (1972) - Ben Hampton
- Knock on Any Door (1972) - Ben Hampton
- The Importance of Being Ernestine (1972) - Ben Hampton
- For the Man Who Has Almost Everything (1972) - Ben Hampton
- Richer Third (1972) - Ben Hampton
- Hooray for Harriet (1972) - Ben Hampton
1972
McCloud (TV Series) as
Smight
- Give My Regrets to Broadway (1972) - Smight
1971
Harold and Maude as
Priest
1971
Night Gallery (TV Series) as
Mr. Chichester (segment "House - With Ghost")
- House - With Ghost/A Midnight Visit to the Neighborhood Blood Bank/Dr. Stringfellow's Rejuvenator/Hell's Bells (1971) - Mr. Chichester (segment "House - With Ghost")
1971
Cannon (TV Series) as
Nealy Johnson
- A Lonely Place to Die (1971) - Nealy Johnson
1971
Cade's County (TV Series) as
Aaron Rosgard
- The Armageddon Contract (1971) - Aaron Rosgard
1970
The F.B.I. (TV Series) as
Tad Shayon / Tanker
- The Watch Dog (1971) - Tad Shayon
- The Traitor (1970) - Tanker
1971
Love, American Style (TV Series) as
Cecil (segment "Love and the Reincarnation")
- Love and the Lovesick Sailor/Love and the Mistress/Love and the Reincarnation/Love and the Sex Survey (1971) - Cecil (segment "Love and the Reincarnation")
1971
Johnny Got His Gun as
Corporal Timlon
1971
Gideon (TV Movie) as
Shillem
1971
The Virginian (TV Series) as
Parker
- Jump-Up (1971) - Parker
- The Regimental Line (1971) - Parker
- Nan Allen (1971) - Parker
1971
The Andromeda Strain as
Senator from Vermont
1970
The Young Rebels (TV Series) as
John Coates
- The Hostages (1970) - John Coates
- The Ring of Freedom (1970) - John Coates
1970
Monte Walsh as
Col. Wilson
1969
Adventures in Rainbow Country (TV Series) as
Clown
- Girl on a Tightrope (1969) - Clown
1969
Bonanza (TV Series) as
Bobby Dan
- Dead Wrong (1969) - Bobby Dan
1969
The Name of the Game (TV Series) as
Alfred Crammidge
- An Agent of the Plaintiff (1969) - Alfred Crammidge
1966
Henry V (TV Movie) as
Bardolph
1964
Mr. Scrooge (TV Movie) as
Jacob Marley
1961
Festival (TV Series) as
Bates / Court fool / Sir Arthur Sullivan / ...
- Venus Observed (1963) - Bates
- Elizabeth the Queen (1962) - Court fool
- An Evening with Gilbert and Sullivan (1962) - Sir Arthur Sullivan
- The Lady's Not for Burning (1962) - Mayor Hebble Tyson
- A Cradle of Willow (1961) - Randall
- The Blue Hotel (1961) - Scully
1962
Cyrano De Bergerac (TV Movie) as
Montfleury
1962
The Wayne and Shuster Hour (TV Series)
- The Picture of Dorian Wayne (1962)
1962
Playdate (TV Series) as
Gilbert MacDonald
- The Big Wheel (1962) - Gilbert MacDonald
1961
Macbeth (TV Movie) as
Porter
1954
Encounter (TV Series) as
Mr. Tanner / Civilian Witness / Henry Bruce / ...
- Trelawney of the Wells (1959)
- Murder Story (1959) - Mr. Tanner
- Breakthrough (1958) - Civilian Witness
- Who Is Carapace? (1958) - Henry Bruce
- One of Our Men Is Guilty (1957)
- The Sacred Scales (1957) - Malgal
- The Return of Don Juan (1957) - Catalion
- Witch Magic Is White? (1955)
- Murder Story (1954) - Mr. Tanner
1955
The Wayne & Shuster Show (TV Series)
- Cinder Elvis (1958)
- British Baseball (1957)
- Murder on the Eiffel Tower (1957)
- There You Are (1957)
- The Adventures of Robin Hood (1957)
- Women Taking Over the World (1957)
- The Conquest of Everest (1956)
- Hansel and Gretel (1955)
- Wayne & Shuster Sign Hollywood Contract (1955)
- Episode #1.1 (1955)
1957
Crossroads (Short)(uncredited)
1957
Folio (TV Series)
- Peer Gynt (1957)
- John A. And the Double Wedding (1957)
1957
On Camera (TV Series) as
Richards
- Trial Balance (1957) - Richards
- The Customer Is Always Right (1957)
1957
First Performance (TV Series)
- Janey Canuck (1957)
- Ice on Fire (1957)
1957
Who Destroyed the Earth (TV Movie)
1955
CBC Summer Theatre (TV Series) as
Catalion
- The Return of Don Juan (1955) - Catalion
1955
Scope (TV Series) as
Gravedigger
- Hamlet (1955) - Gravedigger
1939
Look Here! (TV Movie)
1939
Percy Ponsonby (TV Series)
- Percy Ponsonby Goes to the Test Match (1939)
1939
Moonlight 'n' Everything (TV Movie)
1939
The Torchbearers (TV Movie) as
Mr. Spindler
1939
More Fun and Games! (TV Movie)
Soundtrack
1991
Home Improvement (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode)
- Off Sides (1991) - (performer: "Happy Birthday to You", "Always" - uncredited)
Self
1970
Burlesque is Alive and Living in Beautiful Downtown Burbank (TV Special) as
Self
1957
Explorations (TV Series documentary)
- Yesterday's Footlights: The Canadian Mirror (1957)
1938
Fun and Games! (TV Movie) as
Self - Performer
Archive Footage
2020
A Conspiracy Classic - The Making of the Philadelphia Experiment (Video documentary) as
Dr. James Longstreet (uncredited)
1995
Days of Our Lives (TV Series) as
Father Francis Baker
- Episode #1.7645 (1995) - Father Francis Baker
1990
Cheers (TV Series) as
Father Barry
- 200th Episode Special (1990) - Father Barry
References
Eric Christmas Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA