CBS Sunday Morning on December 7, 2014

Cover story: Jane Pauley sits down with some of the heroic teachers of Sandy Hook.

Almanac: Pearl Harbor

Norah O'Donnell does a piece on Verdura jewelry now celebrating 75 years. Duke Fulco di Verdura. In 1973, Verdura sold his business to Joseph Alfano. Picture of necklace with 550 carats of aquamarine.

Piece by Mark Phillips on James Corden, to replace Craig Ferguson on the Late, Late Show. And starring in movie "Into the Woods" with Johnny Depp and Meryl Streep. Corden's feelings: gobsmacked. Corden got start in British "The History Books."

December 6, 2014 marked the 50th anniversary of the first tv presentation of Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer, with Burl Ives voicing Sam the Snowman as narrator.

Close-up on Cecil B. DeMille done by Rita Braver began with the Gloria Swanson scene in Sunset Boulevard ["All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up" ]. Literally used "casts of thousands." Modern day Medici. Cecilia DeMille Presley is grand-daughter and has a book out, Cecil B. DeMille: The Art of the Hollywood Epic.
Anecdote: Gloria Swanson's father was on set when lion's paw placed on Gloria. Mark Viera is co-author of book.

Not mentioned by Sunday Morning was that deMille grew up in Wayne, New Jersey. Also not mentioned and of IP interest: As to The Return of Peter Grimm by David Belasco, DeMille claimed he wrote the play and that Belasco had plagiarized DeMille's work without compensation. Jesse Lasky and Sam Goldfish [Szmul Gelbfisz later Samuel Goldwyn ] gave DeMille a small part in 1914 The Squaw Man [?; directorship] [Sunday Morning did NOT note that it was the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company, not Paramount, that created Squaw Man] Hollywood Heritage Museum was a barn with horses. His film company morphed in Paramount. Image of powerful Hollywood director. In 1925, Paramount fired DeMille. But Paramount invited him back. 1932: Sign of the Cross. Will Hays: Hollywood censor. What are you going to do about that? 1949: Samson and Delilah. In 1953: Greatest Show on Earth (Charlton Heston). 1956: Ten Commandments. In 1959, deMille died. A man is no better than what he leaves behind.

Steve Hartman on Christmas tree in Reading, PA. A really ugly tree was chosen as the Christmas tree and then there was a debate. Pretzel of Bethlehem was removed from the tree. Then: "Help Save our Tree". Francis Acosta: tree is like tree in Charlie Brown story. The mayor gave the tree a pardon. Ugly tree remains.


Cat Stevens Morning is Broken in 1972. Anthony Mason interviews Stevens "for the record." Recently, Yusuf opened his first US tour since 1976 (2014: Philadelphia), Peace Train station. Portal to the 1970's. Moon Shadow. Ticking the little boxes.
Father Greek Mother Swedish. Last tour in 1976, was studying the Koran. Turned back on music career in 1979.
Did not pick up guitar again until 2003. Book: "Why I Still Carry a Guitar." Yusuf. Previously toured with Jimi Hendrix and Engelbert Humperdinck. Inducted in Rock N Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.

Piece on Christmas Wreath by Charles. Four candles to mark the four weeks leading to Christmas. A wreath is a show of welcome. Refers to piece by Rita Braver in 2008. Bill Geist on wreath of beer cans. Jeweled Wreath for 2.8 million pounds.

Week ahead. Monday: Prince William in NYC. Tuesday: Ferguson MO city council Wednesday: TIME magazine person of the year. Thursday: 5th anniversay of Angry Birds. Friday: 9th Annual Billboard Women. Saturday: Steve McQueen director.

David Edelstain on movies. The Babadook. Australian horror picture. Essie Davis plays lead. A mind in crisis.
Witherspoon in Wild. Christian Bale in Exodus.



Next week: artist Margaret Heath. [English marine painter]

Moment of Nature. Spiriva. Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park.