Today's Entertainment

BY MICHELLE WILSON If you're looking to stay in the spirit of holiday tradition and watch the annual "A Charlie Brown Christmas" special this year, you're going to have to shell out some "Peanuts" to do so. The 1965 animated tale, which is turning 55 years old, originally was broadcast on CBS and ran each holiday season on that network until 2000. ABC picked up the baton in 2001 and carried it until 2019. In Oct. 2020, Apple TV+ took over the rights, which also included the Halloween and Thanksgiving "Peanuts" editions. The Christmas version will be available to enjoy for free from Friday, Dec.11 until Sunday, Dec. 13 on the streaming service ... but after that, be prepared to pay for a subscription to see Linus talk about the true meaning of the holiday. Since that program is familiar to so many, here's a gift of trivia to unwrap about one of the favorite yuletide offerings. Its original airing preempted "The Munsters." It had a big-time sponsor (Coca-Cola) but a small-time budget – about $76,000. to be exact – which would convert to about $580,000 in today's dollars. Another famous special that premiered the following year, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!," was given a budget of $300,000. Talk about a great Grinchy trick. Good grief! 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' has a new holiday home "Movie: Happiest Season" Kristen Stewart (the "Twilight" movies) stars as a young woman who plans to propose to her girlfriend (Mackenzie Davis, "Halt and Catch Fire") at the latter's family Christmas dinner, then has doubts when she learns they don't know she's gay in this romantic comedy from director Clea Duvall ("The Intervention"). Alison Brie, Aubrey Plaza, Daniel Levy and Mary Steenburgen are also in the talented cast. (ORIGINAL) "Movie: I'm Your Woman" From writer/director Julia Hart ("Stargirl") comes this 1970s-set thriller that stars Rachel Brosnahan ("The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel") as a young mother who takes steps to defend herself and her baby from business partners her husband betrayed. Arinze Kene ("EastEnders"), Marsha Stephanie Blake ("Orange Is the New Black") and Frankie Faison ("Luke Cage") are also in the cast. (ORIGINAL) "Movie: Rose Island" From Italy comes this 1960s-set comedy movie about a down-on-his- luck engineer who decides to build his own island and declare it a nation, thus drawing the attention of the world and the ire of the Italian government. Elio Germano, Fabrizio Bentivoglio, Tom Wlaschiha and Luca Zingaretti head the cast for director Sydney Sibilia ("I Can Quit Whenever I Want"). (ORIGINAL) "High School Musical: The Musical: The Holiday Special" (Dec. 11, Disney+) Get ready for an overdose of holiday cheer as the cast of "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series" perform their favorite Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year's songs and share their favorite holiday memories in this 45-minute special. (ORIGINAL) How to watch: www.disneyplus.com ($6.99/mo.) The STREAM Scene Where all the top choices can be found in one place! Page 8 December 7 - 13, 2020

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