tonight -- what you never knew about your favorite holiday movies. >> ahh. >> set secrets from all the christmas classics. >> son of a nutcracker. >> from "elf" to "home alone." >> everyone in this family hates me. >> cut. >> "christmas vacation" to "a christmas story." >> you'll shoot your eye out. >> behind the scenes with the stars. >> we're going to have fun. >> ha! >> plus, the casts then and now. >> it's the gift that keeps on giving. then, the behind the new "grinch." pretty. >> "e.t.'s" kid correspondents ask the hacolor? >> blue. not ass white icing. [ laughter ] >> this is "entertainment

tonight." >> thanks for joining us, everyone, and we hope you're having a merry christmas eve. have you been watching a lot of holiday movies because there's a lot you don't know about your favorites, trust me. >> yeah. merry christmas, everybody. we're going to take care of that tonight starting with a classic that just turned 35, "a christmas story." >> i want an official red rider carbon action 200 air rifle. ooh. >> it's about a little boy growing up in 1939 or '40. it takes place about three weeks before christmas. it's about a boy who wants a b.b. gun for christmas. >> ralphy was the role of a lifetime for pete billingsley, and that b.b. gun was super special. >> it's a red rider 200-shot range model air rifle. and so i go to my mother for it. i go to my teacher for it. and i go to santa claus for >> i don't want anybody shooting his eye eye out! >> you'll shoot your

kid. >> bad boy scott was played by san joaquin ward.h ward. >> it's the gift that keeps on giving. every year i'm the long-lostveb seeing. they laugh and smile and give me a hug, and i've never met these people. they've spent their lives watching and watching me get beat up and bleeding on the ground. >> that's peter in "iron man." he had a role in "elf" and a part in "the breakup" where he also executive produced. >> i had the good fortune of working with vince quite a few times. we met original oh an after-school special many, many years ago. and he's a lot of fun. >> it continues as an iconic holiday classic and will probably always be peter's legacy. ♪ >> oh, my god. i shot my eye out! >> and "a christmas story" continues to be a pop culture

phenomenon because you can buy your owneglamp, not to mention the real-life point in ha ohio is a museum. we showed you peter billingsley's role in "elf." that classic turned 15 this year. i caught up with will for told discuss h favorite moment include -- will to discuss his favorite moments including this one -- the best part of making "elf"? >> getting to wear yellow tights for 75 days of shooting. >> go away! >> son of a nutcracker. >> those tights are a timeless look. and papa elf, bob newhart, predicted the film will become a holiday tradition. >> i think it's just going to show like -- like every christmas. buddy, i think there's something pr good. >> action! >> very first day of filming was in the lincoln tunnel, in the elf suit. people really -- didn't really look at me twice. >> people really didn't actually

react that much because we were in new york. and you know -- nobody really cared. >> "elf" marked the first leading film roles for will ferrell and zoe deschannel who dyed her hair for the role. >> i'm sorry, blondes, i don't like being blonde. >> their most iconic scene is the duet in the shower -- ♪ the neighbors might say >> both of them really sing in the film, but zoe says their chemistry together was pure movie magic. ♪ i wish i knew how he wasn't there -- he was singing separately from me. so like a lot of it, the water's not running. i'm ju lng,u know. that's movies. >> another on-set secret -- >> yeah, i did all my own stunt food eating you see in the movie. oh -- spaghetti with maple syrup, chocolate syrup, pop tarts, and

m&ms. >> the scene actually had to be shot twice because apparently will couldn't keep it down the first time. >> it's nasty at first, but then it -- it's an acquired taste. >> look, we love this movie, but in this age of reboots and sequels, you have to be wondering will there ever be an "elf 2." will said absolutely not. he is done with those yellow elf tights. and here's another question for you -- so "elf" did well at the box office, but what's the highest grossing christmas movie of all time? what's our next holiday classic -- "home alone." the behind-the-scenes secrets you never knew. >> welcome to "home alone." >> it's been more than 28 years since "e.t." was on the chicago set of "home alone." >> everyone in this family hates me. >> cut. [ laughter ] >> he was laughing. >> between takes, macaulay played games like a typical

9-year-old kid would. but here's the behind-the-scenes secret -- that wasn't him sledding down the stairs or ziplining from the roof. those scenes were performed by a 30-year-old stunt double. >> whoa! >> that's what i do -- double children in motion pictures. they can't have a minor doing anything just in case. >> daniel stern who played one of the criminals explained the movie magic behind many of his seemingly painful scenes. >> walking across the bulbs, those were made of sugar. they were supposed to be a mechanical tarantula. the day of shooting, they said, yeah, that didn't look real. that's why i let out a scream that i think i copied from "psycho." [ scream ] >> as for the film's most iconic scream -- [ scream ] "home was totally unscripted. >> i nevertthed to his cheeks a

the scream to help like that. and when we say that we had to stop ourselves from to -- to be the "home alone." >> you never know when the greatest moments can happen. >> movie magic. >> keep rolling. here's another interesting fact about chris -- he was stopped direct another christmas classic, "national lampoons christmas vacation," but he quit after taking two meetings with chevy chase saying i can't do it with this guy. >> wow. no holiday love left there, right? the griswalds did manage to bring in good box office tidings. and "e.t." was on set for the festive reunion. >> whenever i want to get into the clark griswald character, his essence is this guy -- ♪ >> everybody, come on -- >> we're going to have fun! a little bit phased in the eyes here. could go any minute.

how could they get any worse? take a look around you, ellen. we're at the threshold of hell! you know they've got a warm heart. >> and as to be expected in "national lampoon's christmas vacation," everything that can go wrong does. >> oh, god. >> action. >> action! >> "e.t." was on the 1989 set of the holiday classic. >> boy. smell that? >> oh, dear, i'm sorry. >> he's smelling the turkey. >> randy quaid returned to the franchise to reprise his role of cousin eddie. >> have you got a kiss for me? >> you better take a raincheck on that. he's got a lip fungus they ain't identified yet. >> there's a fine line between bumpkin and hick. this one, he shows up hell. and says he's going to stay wit griswald family christmas. drum roll, please. [ drum roll ]

>> and than stallman knew grith kids were cast. that's julia luis and a 14-year-old johnny galecki. >> mom? >> and grew up to be such superstar actors. all right. did you ever notice what was playing on the tv? yep, that is "it's a wonderful life." and listen to the sweet connection behind that. the assistant director on "christmas vacation" just so happens to be the grandson of frank cappra, the director of "it's a wonderful life." now it makes wonderful sense. we've got much more holiday cheer coming up. >> it's nt infamous santas tell the on-set st. nick stories you never heard. >> we can't start disney movies with you murdering santa. plus, the iconic "love actually" theme hugh granted like to forget. >> this terrible black cloud hanging over the whole thing. and "e.t." kid reporters grill the new "grinch," their

adorable date with benedict grill the new "grinch," their adorable date with benedict cumber heyi'm craving somethingkin! we're missing. the ceramides in cerave. they help restore my natural barrier, so i can lock in moisture... and keep us protected. we've got to have each other's backs... and fronts. cerave. what your skin craves.

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$5 a kid, $5 a kid. >> there will never be another st. nick quite like the one we saw in "a madea christmas." tyler perry always says he's done. >> no. never done. there's always another tyler perry project. >> another madea. >> goodness. tyler perry's not the only star whose belly has shook like a bowl full of jelly. topping our "christmas know and tell" celebrity santas. >> merry christmas to all. to all a good night. >> in 1994, "e.t." was on set when tim allen first put on that jolly suit for the first of three installments of "the santa claus." in the film he transforms into santa after a christmas eve rooftop accident. >> you killed him. >> tim told jimmy fallon the original script was much darker. >> i actually shot and killed santa. but the head of disney, katzenberg, said, we can't start a movie like that. i said, why not? you can't start a disney movie with you murdering santa. >> in 2004, tim's "toy ent his e

to "the polar express." what would you like for christmas? >> me -- >> that was one of five characters he played in the film. >> i'm the father, the boy himself. then i'm the conductor, as well as the hobo and santa himself. >> and who can forget the time in 2003 when santa made the naughty list in billy bob thornt thornton's "bad santa"? >> i play an alcoholic jewel thief who poses as a department store santa claus. it was real, but i got sick and all my hair fell out. so i have to wear >> why did you get sonic. >> i loved a -- sick? >> i loved a woman who wasn't clean. >> mrs. santa? >> her sister. not a good santa. >> the kind of santa that likesr interview is full of heart. >> listen. it's beating away. and -- >> yippee -- >> why "die hard" is most definitely a holiday movie.

our time with bruce willis on set. >> had them show me the stunt before i did it, i probably wouldn't have done it. i'd of been too scared. >> closed captioning provided by --

♪ face your fear -- >> jim carrey took on the mean one and nin "how the grinch stoe christmas" becoming the second highest grosses holiday movie in the u.s. and there's a new grinch voiced by benedict cumberbatch whose heart may explode after this special "e.t." interview. >> hi. what's your name? >> cindy. >> lovely to meet you. i'm benedict. i play him, the grinch. what's your name? >> daphne. >> our kid reporter, sidney, 6, daphne is 4. with them. >> wow, you've got a lot of questions, a list of questions. >> why was your heart --

>> last week -- >> really, you must be tired. that's a long time to be practicing. >> why was your heart little? >> because he was being protective of his heart. >> how's your heart? >> pretty good. do you want to listen? have a listen. you have to get closer to listen -- it's than loud. >> i can't hear at all. >> trust me, it's beating away. >> i'm going to send you there, christmas -- >> benedict is so the opposite of his character, playing dr. seuss' the grinch. >> it's go time. >> the film mirrors the classic 1957 book about a cynical grump who goes on a mission to steal christmas only to have his heart changed by a young girl's generous holiday spirit. when our interview went off the rails because the girls got distracted by making a gingerbread house, he proved his heart is actually three sizes too big. >> what's your favorite color? >> blue. not as tasty as white icing.

[ laughter ] wow. open your mouth. just open your mouth. [ laughter ] ah! you're going to have a great christmas. >> okay, girls. trying to take my job? you have a bright future ahead and looking adorable. the little dress. something else i love, i'll give you a hint, it has "love" in the title. i'm talking about the movie "love actually." it just turned 15 years old. for one of its stars, hugh grant, it's a painful reminder of his now-iconic dance moves. >> i remember this terrible black cloud hanging over the whole film. ♪ jump the scene where i had to dance by myself on downing street. ♪ jump in ♪ do it cold by yourself at 7:00 in the morning is not a prospect -- but i got there. >> cut. >> "e.t." taking you back to the 2003 set of the ensemble rom-com starring emma thompson, liam

neeson and then-18-year-old keira knightley. >> husband and wife. >> love triangle. they look like they have the perfect romance really. and then it turns out that mark, peter's best friend, is completely madly in love with her. ♪ it's written in the wind everywhere i go ♪ >> bill nye says he never was the same after playing this washed out rocker. ♪ >> it was a very big day when i stood in front of a fake mountain with fake snow and was surrounded by beautiful women. >> and playing the love interest, she talked about filming the kissing scene. [ applause ] >> had an actual audience that their that didn't know that when the curtain falls that we would be kissing. everybody was like, ah. they filmed everybody's genuine reaction when it happened. oh, my god, that's kissing, what's going on?

>> right. not quite as secret as we hoped. >> kev, it is not the holidays until you put on a footed pajama, have some cocoa, snuggle up, and watch "love actually." i love that movie so much. >> great movie. never done that, though. >> you're a grinch. as for the sequel, i know you're wondering -- cast reunited for last year's red nose day charity special. that is apparently as far as they're going to go. can we go with a holiday movie that i think is perfect to sit down and watch and snuggle up to? "die hard." it is a holiday movie. nothing says holiday like a christmas party taken over by terrorists. you know what i'm saying? filmed. >> fire in the hole. >> i play a cop named john mclean. a new york cop who comes to los angeles on christmas eve to try and patch things up with his wife. yippee -- >> what more could you ask for in a holiday movie? there's a family trying to be reunited.

>> get together, have a few laughs. >> a scrooge set on ruining christmas. >> a machine gun -- ho, ho, ho. >> "e.t." was behind the scenes of the 1988 iconic action film. >> three, two, one, go -- >> biggest stunt that i've ever done in my life is in that film. i jumped off a building into a -- a 25-foot fall into an airbag. and they blew the roof of the building up. there's this 40-foot ball of flame behind me. and actually had i had them show me the stunt before i did it, i probably wouldn't have done it. i'd of been too scared. i did the stunt, and when i saw the film, it was spectacular. >> despite the yuletide cheer happy ending -- >> merry christmas, john -- >> merry christmas. ♪ >> can you believe bruce made this declaration at his comedy central roast earlier in year -- >> "die hard" is not a christmas

movie! yippee -- >> bruce let me put this piece in the christmas show and then tells me at the end that it wasn't a christmas movie? >> that worked. >> by the way, remember, they made four more "die hard" movies after this one. but of course, nothing beats an original. >> no. >> ever. coming up, what you never knew about tim burton's "a nightmare before christmas." hey! it's me! your dry skin! they help restore my natural barrier,

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♪ that's the mastermind behind "rudolph the red-nosed reindeer" probably never dreamed we would be singing it this much later. it was technically a tv special when it debuted in 1964. it has aired every year since. >> and did you know it also inspired tim burton's "the nightmare before christmas"? i know, i know, i know. in turn the inspiration behinds gwen stefani's costume this year. and here's some mngores you may not know about "nightmare." sweet dreams, right? >> bye, everybody. >> what's this? what's this. >> it took three years to complete this stunning 74 minutes of stop-motion

animation. it was filmed on 19 sound stages with 230 sets and 227 individual puppet characters. jack cancelington had 400 heads to show his emotion. >> like making a live-action movie in slow motion really. >> i get nervous every time i go around it. i feel like i'm going to knock everything over in the i feel like i'm going to knock everything over in the situation. ok i'll admit. i didn't keep my place as clean as i would like around down dirt, dust and hair? reach places, duster makes it easy to clean. it captures dust in one swipe. duster maha! gotcha! to clean. lock away a twice as much dirt and dust. it gets stuff deep in the grooves other tools can miss.

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