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Show 6Mr. Krueger's Christmas to air Stewart plays a lonely old janitor, Willy Krueger, who lives in a basement apartment with his eat, George. Krueger daydreams about a happier life, about directing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, about being wealthy and respected. Hut always his daydreams fade back to the reality of his solitary Christmas Eve. The half-hour show also leatures the :i5(i-voice Salt Lake Mormon Tabernacle Choir, which Krueger directs during one . of the daydream sequences. Stewart says that directing the choir lor the filming was "one of the most wonderful experiences I've ever had." He had been a fan of the choir's weekly broadcasts for years. Honneville Productions of Salt Lake City which produced "Mr. Krueger's Christmas" had only barely hoped that Stewart would want the part. But when Stewart's agent gave him the script to read, he wanted it. Through its story and characters, it tells "the real, true reason that Christmas is celebrated, the birth of Jesus Christ," Stewart says. And those beliefs are deep in Stewart's life. Stewart liked the "Krueger" script Iwcause it's a departure from the usual Christmas TV lare, he said. Another departure is the performance of the Tabernacle Choir, which also provides background music for the show. This was the choir's lirst Christmas program in lour years. The program- was lilmed in Salt Lake City and in the Wasatch Mountains east of Salt Lake. Krueger and the choir are shown together in scenes in the Salt Lake Tabernacle on Temple Square, in the mountains, and outside on Temple Square. Although the Krueger character is lovable and generous, his solitary lifestyle gives him lew friends. So in his daydreams he has a choir of friends with whom he laughs and sings. But he always comes back to reality and finds himself in his apartment. Carolers stop in to sing a song to Willy Krueger, though they don't stay long enough lor the hot chocolate Krueger offers to lix lor them. Alter they-leave, they-leave, Krueger is left to the melancholy of decorating a tree by himself and giving tl corgi- Christmas Eve cat lood. The holiday is saved only when the carolers return to retrieve a little girl's mittens. SALT LAKE CITY -From the moment the first letter came, the producers knew they had a hit on their hands. The letter was addressed by a young child to "M.R. Koogr, Salt Lake City, L'tah." It read: ' I saw a show a bow t you and lict it a lote. I have a presint lor you. Mere Cresmes." The youngster enclosed nine cents as a Christmas present for the lonely old janitor he had just seen on television, Willy Krueger played by Jimmy Stewart. The show the child saw was "Mr. Krueger's Christmas," which aired lor the lirst time last year. It will be shown again this year throughout the United States, Canada, Central and South America, the South 1'acific, Asia' and Europe. In this area it will be shown Dec. 19 at 8 p.m., over Channel 5. From the l)eginning, "Krueger" wasn't just another special. Instead of the usual assortment of stars singing the usual songs, "Krueger" leatures Jimmy Stewart in a role that reflects his own leelings about Christmas and about Jesus Christ. The show was so well received that the Church is si ill hearing Irom last ear's viewers. MKHHMHiiwaMiiiaMjl Krueger's Christmas." The popular show will air again Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. on channel 5 5. in Jimmy Stewart, as the lonely Mr. Krueger, pauses to pray briefly during the television special "Mr. |
