FILMS ON TV AT CHRISTMAS, PART 3: 1977-1986

The decade from 1977 to 1986 saw the broadcast premieres of a large number of classics and blockbusters previously denied to television. In particular, the Walt Disney Company threw open its vaults in a big way, allowing the networks access to many live-action adventures and, finally, even its long-coveted animated features. There were Big Ones from other sources too, fetching the largest prices ever paid to televise cinema films. However, the status of films on television began to change, as the dwindling supply of major features made broadcasters increasingly look in-house for their seasonal attractions.

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