Episode no. Season 1
Episode 11 Written by David Adler Original air date December 19, 1960 | Directed by Bob Sweeney Production code 11 | |
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"The Christmas Story" is an episode from the American television program The Andy Griffith Show broadcast Monday December 19, 1960 on CBS. A family spends Christmas Eve in jail. "Christmas Story" is the eleventh episode in season one, and the eleventh episode in the complete series. The show is noted for being the only Christmas episode in The Andy Griffith Show complete series, and for featuring actress Margaret Kerry, the model for Tinkerbell in Walt Disney's 1953 animated feature film, Peter Pan. On December 25th, 2015, CBS aired this episode in color, as part of "The Andy Griffith Show Christmas Special", which also included "The Pickle Story".
Contents
Plot summary
On Christmas Eve, department store owner Ben Weaver insists Andy jail moonshiner Sam Muggins. Weaver has brought along a jug of moonshine as evidence of Sam's wrongdoing. Andy complies with Weaver's request but feels it's only fair that Sam's wife Bess and his two young children be incarcerated as well, since they all had knowledge of Sam's moonshining. With the Muggins family in jail, Andy, Barney, Aunt Bee, Ellie, and Opie prepare a feast with all the trimmings for the family and decorate a Christmas tree. Peeping at the window, Ben Weaver is touched with the Christmas spirit and tries to get himself arrested in order to join the fun. Andy only arrests Weaver, however, after he dumps a garbage can in the alley. Together, the men appear at the door of the jail with a suitcase full of gaily wrapped gifts from Ben's store. Ben is welcomed and regaled with food and drink. Weaver falls asleep in one of the jail cells after finishing the jug of Sam's moonshine.
DVD releases
"The Christmas Story" was released on DVD Paramount Pictures The Andy Griffith Show: Complete Series Collection, 2007. (ISBN 1415731594).