November 30, 1977 – Bing Crosby’s last Christmas TV special “Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas” aired on CBS-TV

NOVEMBER 30, 1977 – Bing Crosby’s last Christmas TV special “Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas” aired on CBS-TV. The show was recorded on September 11th, at Elstree Studios near London, with guest David Bowie. The pair exchanged scripted dialogue about what they each do for their family Christmases, before singing “Little Drummer Boy” with a new counterpoint with original lyrics written for the special, “Peace on Earth”. In the UK, the special first aired on December 24, 1977 on ITV.
According to co-writer Ian Fraser, Bowie balked at singing “Little Drummer Boy”: “I hate this song. Is there something else I could sing?”, Fraser recalled Bowie telling him. Fraser, along with songwriter Larry Grossman and the special’s scriptwriter, Buz Kohan, then wrote “Peace on Earth” as a counterpoint to “Little Drummer Boy”. Crosby performed “Little Drummer Boy”, while Bowie sang the new tune “Peace on Earth”, which they reportedly performed after less than an hour of rehearsal. A few days after the taping, Crosby said of Bowie, “clean-cut kid and a real fine asset to the show. He sings well, has a great voice and reads lines well.”

Bowie’s appearance has been described as a “surreal” event, undertaken at a time that he was “actively trying to normalize his career”. He has since recalled that he only appeared on the show because “I just knew my mother liked him”. Buz Kohan was not sure that Crosby knew who Bowie was, but Ian Fraser claimed, “I’m pretty sure he did. Bing was no idiot. If he didn’t, his kids sure did.” The track became a UK #3 hit five years later in 1982. Crosby died on October 14th, nearly five weeks after recording the special. In the United Kingdom, the special first aired on December 24, 1977 on ITV.