1960s Thanksgiving Movies and TV Specials

Screenshot from Calvin and the Colonel

If you’re looking for something vintage among the parades and football on Thanksgiving, here’s a list of 1960s Thanksgiving Movies and TV Specials to bring a bit of vintage life to your holiday:

1959 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (This is the only full parade I could find.  There are many snippets, but it’s a tradition at our home and I wanted to include one.  If anyone finds more, please post them in the comments and i will update the list.)

The Voice of the Turkey (1950)

Pilgrim Popeye (1951) available on Apple TV

Plymouth Adventure (1952) available to rent or purchase on YouTube, Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, snd Vudu

Casper the Friendly Ghost: Do or Diet (1953)

The Huckleberry Hound Show: Grim Pilgrim (1959) available on Apple TV

My Three Sons: Chip's Harvest (1960)

Calvin and the Colonel: Thanksgiving Dinner (1961)

Davey and Goliath: The Pilgrim Boy (1962)

Mister Ed: Ed the Pilgrim (1962)

Loopy De Loop: Drum-Sticked (1963)

Daniel Boone: The Thanksgiving Story (1965)

The Perry Como Thanksgiving Show (1965)

Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales: The Romance of Plymouth Rock (1965)

Underdog: Simon Says No Thanksgiving (1965)

Accidental Family: What Is This – Thanksgiving or a Nightmare? (1967)

Bewitched: Samantha's Thanksgiving to Remember (1967) available on Tubi, Apple TV

The Thanksgiving Visitor (1967) please note that this is in five parts and you’ll have to click the next videos in series to see the whole movie

That Girl: Thanksgiving Comes But Once a Year, Hopefully (1967)

Mouse on the Mayflower (1968)

The Beverly Hillbillies: available on Freevee, Tubi, Pluto, and several Filmrise channels

Elly's First Date (1962)

Turkey Day (1963)

The Thanksgiving Spirit (1968)

The Lawrence Welk Show: Thanksgiving Special (1955–81)  There is a lot of Lawrence Welk on YouTube.  Tracking down particular shows before VCRs became widely available in the 1980s is hit or miss.  I did find some 1960s content but not Thanksgiving Specials.  If Lawrence Welk is your thing, you can start here.

For more details, check out the Wikipedia list of Thanksgiving television specials, their list of films set around Thanksgiving, and, of course, IMDB.

I saved most of the YouTube videos to this playlist for convenience.  I’ll update it with period specials and movies as they become available.

Stay groovy!

Sincerely,

Kate

ⓒ 2023, Katherine Osburn-Day

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