Lionel Barrymore - A Christmas Carol / Beloved Hymns & Carols (1953) Vinyl LP •

Catalog Number: CH-112

Record Grading: Excellent (EX), Sleeve Grading: Very Good Plus (VG+)

Condition Details:

Still in ORIGINAL SHRINK-WRAP (opened), with HYPE-STICKER. Vinyl plays with occasional light-crackles (play-graded). Cover has a few creases near edges; light-scuffing, discoloration (front/back); darker discoloration spots on back, section of shrink missing from top right of front, larger section of shrink missing from left of back . Inner-sleeve is original (generic white); seams partially split. Spine is easy-to-read with mild-wear. Minor shelf-wear along bottom-edge, heavier across top-edge with splits. Opening is crisp with signs of light use and divots. Release date is approximately 1953. (Not a cut-out.)

Tracks:

• A Christmas Carol
• Deck The Halls-I Saw Three Ships
• God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
• While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks By Night
• Angels We Have Heard On High
• Away In A Manger
• O Holy Night
• In The Bleak Mid-Winter
• What Child Is This?
• Coventry Carol

About The Record:

A Christmas Carol / Beloved Hymns & Carols, by Lionel Barrymore, released by MGM Records, features a narrated adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol on Side A, with Barrymore delivering a memorable performance as Ebenezer Scrooge, a role he played on radio for nearly two decades starting in 1934. Side B includes a selection of cherished Christmas carols performed by the Canterbury Choir under Macklin Marrow’s direction, such as Deck the Halls, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, and O Holy Night. The album, initially released in 1947 on shellac and later on vinyl in 1950, became a holiday tradition, re-released multiple times due to its popularity and Barrymore’s iconic portrayal. Its historical significance lies in cementing Barrymore’s association with Scrooge, a role he cherished, and its contribution to the mid-20th-century revival of Christmas traditions. No specific tracks from the album are noted as hit singles, as its prominence stems from the narrated story and collective carols rather than individual chart success.