Christmas Movie Questions and Quips

• WHEN did My Favorite Things from "The Sound of Music" become a song for the holidays?

DID YOU KNOW:

• that the song White Christmas was written for the musical "Holiday Inn," which was released for wide distribution on August 4, 1942? Also, that it is the only Christmas song to have won an Academy Award for best song and was written by Irving Berlin? And did you know that the songs Happy Holidays and Easter Parade were also written for this movie? And did you also know that White Christmas is still, to this day, the number one selling holiday song of all time?
• that the film "White Christmas," released 12 years later in 1954, has no other memorable holiday songs that are currently sung today, other than the title song, which was originally written for "Holiday Inn?"
• that the film "It's a Wonderful Life" wasn't released in movie theatres until January 7, 1947 - two weeks after the holidays? AND that this movie was shot on the RKO studio lot in the middle of a heat wave in the Los Angeles summer, where temperatures reached into the upper 90's, even though the majority of the film is depicted in the days just before Christmas? AND that this film was overlooked at the Academy Awards in 1948, but is considered to be the #1 most powerful film of all time by the American Film Institute and also ranks as the #2o greatest film of all time?
• that the film "Miracle on 34th Street" was released in theatres on May 2, 1947, at the insistance of Darryl Zanuck, the head of 20th Century Fox. He thought the film was too corny to actually get made first, and then demanded a May release because he said more people went to the movies during warmer months and he felt this was the only way he could make back his initial filming investment on the picture. AND that Maureen O'Hara was adamantly opposed to starring in the picture and was forced by the studio through her contract with 20th Century Fox. She was later quoted that "Miracle" was one her most beloved roles. AND that Macy's closed all of its stores on the day the film debuted so that all of its employees could go to see the movie?
• that the song We Need A Little Christmas was written for the broadway musical "Mame," played by Angela Landsbury on the stage, and Lucille Ball on the screen?
• that the voice of Rudolf, the Red-Nosed Reindeer was that of Billie Mae Richards, a female actor, AND that she currently lives in Ontario, Canada, just a few houses down with one of her castmates, Paul Soles, who voiced the part of 'Hermey' the dentist elf.
• that in the original "Rudolf, the Red-Nosed Reindeer," the toys on the Island for Misfit Toys were not actually rescued by Santa. But because of the huge number negative letters that General Electric (the original sponsor of the television classic) received because of their being overlooked again, GE required that the ending be rewritten to show them being rescued by Santa.
• that the movie "A Christmas Story" was written by Jean Shepherd (who also narrated the film) and was based on his short story collection "In God We Trust--All Others Pay Cash" which were published for Playboy Magazine during the 1960's.
• that the woman who played the role of Aunt Bethany in "National Lapoon's Christmas Vacation" (remember she recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag as the blessing on the food?) is none other than Mae Questel, who was best known as the original voice of both Olive Oyl and Betty Boop.