>> the christmas season has become the retail super bowl. >> reporter: the big story this year was not so much what we bought but how we bought it. >> you're going to be walking into a store with your phone. you see a good. you scan it with your phone, check the price. if you like it, boom, you'll pay for it with your phone. >> reporter: santa, in the digital age ahead from sunday morning. >> reporter: this is seth doane. in the season for shopping, the shopping bag plays a supporting role. where do you find all of these bags? >> we found a lot of them on e- bay. these we bought through our dealers. >> reporter: art dealers sell shopping bags? >> well, they sell it as art. >> reporter: unwrapping the story of this practical and pretty invention. later on sunday morning. >> osgood: albert brooks is known far and wide as a very funny actor and director. so what's behind his latest movie role as a very menacing bad guy? this morning mo rocca grills him on that subject and more. >> kid, i want you to meet mr. bernie rose. >> reporter: albert brooks is drawing raves as cold-blooded killer in "drive." >> my hands are a little dirty. >> so are mine. >> reporter: not what you expect from the man who usually makes comedies about the human condition. you said, "i like movies about failing." >> well, i like characters that fail because people fail. >> reporter: albert brooks on his characters and his success later on sunday morning. >> osgood: the return of christmas is the talk of the town. in the community our bill geist has just been to visit. >> reporter: on christmas morning what better place to be than seneca falls, new york. the town proudly and loudly proclaims that it was the inspiration for the christmas film classic "it's a wonderful life." >> merry christmas. >> reporter: so this is the real bedford falls. >> this is the real bedford falls. >> reporter: that's their story and they're sticking to it later on sunday morning. >> osgood: on this last sunday morning of the year we say hail and farewell to the people who left us in the 12 months past and remember the gifts they've left behind. anthony mason shares a christmas gift of music from singer darlene love. david edal teen offers us holiday movie picks but first the headlines from this sunday morning the 25th of december, christmas day, 2011. pope benedict xvi marked christmas at the vatican by decrying the commercialization of the holiday. the pope urged the faithful to look behind christmas' superficial glitter to find its true meaning. in nigeria the peace and promise of this day were shattered by a series of christmas day church bombings. at least 25 people were killed. president obama is spending christmas weekend starting off a 10-day stay at a hawaiian vacation home near honolulu. tonight the president will be joined by close family and friends. newt gingrich may not be able to compete in the virginia republican primary in march. the state of officials there say his campaign failed to submit the 10,000 approved signatures needed for his name to appear on the ballot. gingrich lives in virginia. here's a holiday treat for you. at cincinatti's jerome simpson jumping clear over a would-be tackler during a bengals' win over the arizona cardinals yesterday. he even landed on two feet. here's today's weather. snow around the great lakes and the pacific northwest. no white christmas for the rest of us. just a seasonably cool december day. the last days of 2011 will be chilly. rain or snow is more likely as the week goes on. happy hanukkah from sunday morning. from the bedroom you could see the fire and that work me right up. and it was absolutely terrifying. we got out of there as quickly as we could. i'm watching the house burn up and i'm sitting there saying, there goes everything. these days you don't have to lose your house in a fire to know what it's like to be left on the edge in the cold. the shelter gave us a place to stay. and citizens energy helped the shelter with heat. i'm excited to finally have a place of my own. citizens energy is helping us with the oil. citizens energy was created to help the forgotten ones keep warm. we asked the big oil companies and oil producing nations to help. only citgo and the people of venezuela said yes. and this year, in spite of soaring fuel prices, congress cut home heating assistance nearly in half. while people need help more than ever. for the last seven years, citgo has helped families and homeless shelters in good times and in bad. thanks joe and thanks citgo. so if you need help staying warm this winter give me a call because no one should be left out in the cold. that shoppers in at least a dozen cities scuffled with each other and with police on friday in a frenzy over the latest model of $180 a pair air jordan basketball shoes. the shopping season is ending not a moment too soon. time for retailers and marketers to begin taking stock. our cover story is reported now by rebecca jarvis. ♪ >> reporter: it was so simple and peaceful back then. three wise men bringing gifts to the manger. how could they have known it would lead to this? the frenzy of the holiday shopping season. the epic battles in the marketplace this year. between customer and retailer, between the on-line and the in- line world. we asked two experts to play santa's helpers and sort out the naughty and the nice this christmas day. adam camp is in branding and advertising. >> the christmas season has become the retail super bowl. >> reporter: and collin gillis is an analyst. how have sales been this holiday season? >> rebecca, the good news is americans love to spend. the bad news is they all want discounts. >> reporter: to entice shopper, retailers unwrapped their versions of the 12 days of christmas. there was black friday. >> this is really a reflection of the fact that the economy is still struggling. >> reporter: small business saturday. >> and that marketers need to find ways to let consumers know that there's some real exciting pricing going on. >> reporter: cyber monday. >> because otherwise, they won't get the numbers they need. >> reporter: who can forget green monday? >> it's a level of marketing mania. >> reporter: and oh, yes, free shipping friday. >> i feel like everything else though, it reaches the point of saturation because consumers say, "i've had enough." >> reporter: just what were we buying? smart phones became one of the hottest gives of the year but they also became a major shopping tool. >> the smart phone which about a third americans have now is changing the way people buy and look for goods. >> it used to be the price was the price. maybe if you called a manager over or you were willing to wait a hoff hour, you could get $10 off. now the power is in the hands of the person who holds the smart phone, a huge economic shift. >> reporter: that's because now you can compare any store's prices with other retailers on your smart phone. let's say you're after a video game. >> the sony play station is $249 from 12 sellers. nobody wants to be beaten by anybody else. here's wal-mart, best buy, they all have it at the same price. and then you can see office max has it $50 more. that's a big difference. >> reporter: amazon even offered special discounts if customers went into a store, compared prices, and then bought from amazon. >> ultimately you're going to be walking into a store with your phone. you'll see a good. you'll scan it with your phone, check the price. if you like it, many boo, you'll pay for it with your phone. >> reporter: in the store. >> in the store. >> reporter: or maybe you'll find it for a better price somewhere else. >> down the block or from an e- commerce provider. that's a tough environment for a merchant to compete against. >> reporter: that's a lot more comparison shopping in the forecast. >> this tells you what the price might be in the future. >> reporter: yes. some sites analyze prices and predict whether they'll go up or down. >> let's say you want to buy now. it will tell you, buy now because it's not likey that the price will go down in the future. this one is safe to buy. this one, it says, wait, it looks at the price history, what price it was before and makes projections on what the price is going to be. that is another level of data sophistication. it's not just what is the cheapest price now? it's what you can expect. >> reporter: if consumers are collecting more data, so are retailers. they're figuring out what you want before you even tell santa. when we think about the 2011 holiday season, what are we going to go back in time and say this is what changed that year? >> there is no more mass market. we're all being targeted on an individual basis. there's enough data that's available that retailers have a good understanding of who you are. >> reporter: in other words, every time you browse or buy on-line, or use a price comparison app, you're telling the retailer as much about you as you're learning about them. >> they could market to you based on that data. it all goes into the huge amount of on-line information, digital break room, that thing gets aggregated and is used to market you more effectively. these apps are free but they have a privacy cost. >> reporter: finally, if you think christmas shopping is over for this year, think again. in fact, today christmas day, is expected to be the biggest day of the year for selling apps, as everyone unwraps their tablets and smart phones and loads 'em up. and the best holiday deals may be still to come. >> the christmas season has extended into an extra january inning. >> reporter: prepare yourself, shoppers, retailers may still have a few presents for you to unwrap. >> the sense now is that 20 to 30%. that's not going to get it done. >> reporter: that's not a deal. >> that's not a deal. exactly. give me at least 50% off. maybe even 70%. get ready to see some mega sales. >> osgood: still to come, it's in the bag. >> this bag had a cheese burger in it. it was autographed by elvis presley. but to be honest, i find the omega choices overwhelming. which one is right for me? then i found new pronutrients omega-3. it's from centrum, a name i trust. it goes beyond my heart to support my brain and eyes too. and these ultra-concentrated minigels are much smaller than many others. it's part of a whole new line of supplements. there's probiotic and fruit & veggie too. new pronutrients from centrum helps make nutrition possible. that's what people could say if you're still using a liquid foundation that can settle into your lines and wrinkles and make you look older. covergirl and olay floats above lines and makes you look younger. can your anti-aging makeup do that? simply ageless from olay and easy, breezy beautiful, covergirl. >> osgood: now a look at the 12 days of christmas by the numbers. according to pnc wealth management, the true cost of the gifts mention in the song including all those repeats is up by 4.4% over last year. the patridge in a pair tree went from $12 to $15 times 12, remember. the two turtle doves went from $100 to $125 times 11, of course, and on and on. only the four calling birds and five gold rings got cheaper. all told, the 364 gifts mentioned in the song will set you back a record 101,119.84. the true cost of true love. ahead.... >> look, daddy. teacher says.... >> every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings. >> osgood: just like in the movies. make the best vehicles in america... and once a year offer them with special savings. today, it's a phenomenon. toyotathon is back. see the reinvented camry, named a 2012 "best resale value" by kelley blue book's kbb.com. and with amazing deals, now's the time to get the toyota you've been waiting for. others have tried to copy it. but in the end, there's only one...toyotathon. the biggest and best sales event of the year is going on now! i took some steep risks in my teens. i'd never ride without one now. and since my 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[ female announcer ] exercise your right to breathe right... get two free strips at breatheright.com. hey, it's your right to breathe right! >> osgood: it turns out that the modern shopping bag is more than a mere practical convenience. our seth doane has the proof. >> reporter: they fill the streets this time of year, offering glimpses of gifts to come and maybe some bragging rights too. so much thought is focused on what is inside them that we might neglect the humble shopping bag itself. that's hardly the case on new york city's lexington avenue, home to bloomingdale's. >> if you looked at these old bags, you created kind of a new story. >> reporter: where larger-than- life bags are celebrated in holiday windows. >> as you rank all the different things you think about in this store, where do bags rank? >> they're high. >> reporter: bloomingdale's executive says shopping bags are part of the company's dna. >> it's a history. it's a history we've had for 50 years of creating shopping bags for all kinds of different occasions. at one time it was just a convenience for a customer and then in the '80s we started to make it much more of a collectible art theme. >> reporter: you don't have to tell that to howard foreman. >> they had these iconic bags that everybody was collecting. >> reporter: including foreman who has over 100 of them from bloomingdale's alone. this looks like a holiday one. bags decorate his entire sub urban washington home. >> holiday bags are over.... >> reporter: and just look at the garage. fine arts. plain bags. unique bags. vintage bags. converted into a sort of storeroom, it houses most of the 7,000 bags he's collected. >> this bag had a cheese burger in it, was autographed by elvis presley. this bag contained a 45 rpm record. it was autographed by all four beatles. >> reporter: there are even books about cooking with bags. and do the initials a.w.mean anything? how about now? andy warhol. you wouldn't bring that bag to the grocery store? >> no. >> reporter: there's a roy lichtenstein too. >> this one was $3,000-$4,000. >> reporter: how much money do you think you've spent in bags? >> a few hundred thousand dollars total. >> reporter: wow. yeah, wow. when foreman sold his wholesale liquor business for more than $100 million.... >> girl scouts, aquarium bags. >> reporter:... he had both resources and time. collecting bags had always been his wife's passion. but when she passed away from cancer, he continued collecting in her memory. they even started a museum of bags. after all, there's a rich history. >> this bag was patented by walter dupner in 1919 at first grocery bag with handles. he had a grocery store in the midwest. he found that his customers were struggling so he developed one with the handles. >> reporter: for decades, many shoppers were still burdened by boxes, like this woman on christmas eve back in 1946. but by the mid 1950s, bags with handles had hit the main streets. as large department stores started handing them out. >> is this fireproof? >> a fireproof door. >> reporter: to someone who say this teams crazy, what would you say? >> it's not really that crazy. there is history to be preserved. there is a story that can be told. >> reporter: and let's face it. today the bag has become more of a moving billboard. take bloomingdale's. for years its name never appeared on the bag. but jack said they'd never dream of that today. still he insists it is more than just marketing. >> they're portable art. they're a moment of art but they are definitely art. for free, you get a piece of art. >> reporter: a piece of art with a purpose. christmas with darlene love. ♪ in the winter ♪ when the snow covers the ground ♪ >> osgood: that marshmallow world from darlene love. her christmas gift to us is a simple lesson. if you love doing something, never give it up. she talks with anthony mason "for the record." >> reporter: in her bright red coat, she's hard to miss. but for much of her music career, darlene love has struggled to get noticed. she sang lead on a string of hits for producer phil specter, and even had a number-one record. but her name wasn't on it. >> for years people didn't know that darlene love existed. >> reporter: well, they do now. >> and about time, too. one of the greatest voices in the history of rock'n'roll, miss darlene love. >> reporter: you were inducted this year into the rock'n'roll hall of fame. >> i'm still giddy about it. >> reporter: this year also marked the 25th anniversary of love's first appearance on david letterman's show, to sing "christmas baby, please come home" the song off specter's landmark 1963 album has become a christmas classic. her appearance on letterman, an annual holiday event. the eldest of five kids, darlene love grew up darlene wright in los angeles. you started singing in the church. >> my father was a pentecostal pastor. >> reporter: in 1957 she joined a girl group called the blossoms. our first big gig was with james darren. >> james darren "baby, when we're scared." >> reporter: but the blossoms had an ability to blend in. >> we didn't sound white. we didn't sound black. >> reporter: and quickly became the hottest back-up singers in l.a. ♪ working on the chain > working behind sam cook. ♪ the beach boys ♪ move over darling ♪ > even doris day. then in 1962, darlene was hired by a young producer named phil specter. what was he like to work with in the studio? >> great. the first couple of years before he became, you know, this monster that made all these hit records. >> reporter: specter wanted darlene to sing lead on a song he was sure was going to be a hit. a rival version was about to be released and specter's regular group the krystals was stuck on the east coast. still he put the krystals' name on the label. you knew your name wouldn't be on that record. >> right, i did. >> reporter: but that didn't bother you. >> no because, see, people don't know that we did that all the time. who knows whether it's going to be a hit. let me take that money and run. >> reporter: when it went to number one, how did you feel? >> that bothered me. >> reporter: specter promised darlene she would get her turn. he changed her name from wright to love. and they went back into the studio. >> going to the sessions and doing "he's sure the boy i love." i'm writing that is going to come out under my name. i'm riding down the street in my car and the latest record by the krystals. i said when did the krystals come in town. >> reporter: darlene stormed into specter's office and confronted him. >> why do you keep doing this to me? you say you like me. you like my voice. what are you doing? "well, i just figured the song would have a better chance if i used the name the krystals." i said, "when do i get my chance to make my name?" >> reporter: finally he gave it to her. but darlene's solo releases didn't have the same success. in part because audiences didn't realize the earlier hits were hers. but the blossoms were still in demand, becoming regulars on a new rock show called shin dig. and backing elvis on his 1968 tv special. darlene's solo career just couldn't get off the ground though. by the early 1980s with two children and her marriage collapsing, she needed to take another job as a maid. >> and i said, well, there's only one other thing that i can do and i can do well: i can clean. one year cleaning this lady's bathroom "christmas baby please come home" came on the radio. i said, "okay. i hear you, lord. this is not what i'm supposed to be doing so i guess you're going to help me to get where i'm trying to go." and i never turned back. >> reporter: when you finally got your own show, how did that feel? >> unbelievable. >> reporter: bill medley of the righteous brothers helped her put together a concert tour. >> i was like, what am i going to do? what am i going to sing? he said you're going to sing your hits. it didn't dawn on me that they were mine. ♪. >> reporter: darlene has also made a name for herself in the movies. >> each day of the week.... >> reporter: she played danny glover's wife in the lethal weapon films. but her greatest recurring role has been on the late show with david letterman. singing "christmas, baby, please come home." for this year's performance, band leader paul shaffer brought in extra back-up singers and extra horns and strings to recreate phil specter's towering wall of sound that only a voice like darlene love's could soar above. >> put her on top of that song and it's just magic. >> reporter: what do you want people to know you for most? >> i so enjoy what i do. that's what i want my audience to see. it's such a god-given gift for me. at 70 years of age to be doing what i'm doing. i get up every morning and thank the lord that i'm still here, and people still want to see me. ( cheers and applause ) >> this christmas morning, are you counting your blessings? >> osgood: next, the gift of gratitude. and it's very physically demanding. if i'm sore i'm not at my best. advil is my go-to. it's my number one pain reliever. [ male announcer ] make the switch. take action. take advil. [ male announcer ] make the switch. a polar bear cub is born with no sense of sight. help ensure they're born with a sense of home. to donate, look for limited edition coke cans and caps, and join coca-cola and world wildlife fund in helping to create a safe refuge for the polar bear. [ growling ] captain, one step at a time.keep going! come on, snowy. look! did you ever see a more beautiful sight? captain! it's just a mirage. - snowy? what is it, boy? - [ barks ] what do you see? [ yipping ] [ woman announcing ] just like snowy, your dog's one of a kind. overactive imagination and all. [ barking ] long live your buddy. long live your dog. [ tintin ] snowy! purina dog chow. see the adventures of tintin, only in theaters. attitude starts with gratitude. attitude starts with here's faith salie. >> 'tis the season to be thankful. so this christmas morning, are you counting your blessings? or are you counting how many memosas grandma is putting away. we do have meaningful moment of acute gratitude like when we see a child's eyes light up at the wonder of a sparkley tree or when you manage to avoid handsy dan from accounting at this year's office party but during the holidays it's easy to forget to be grateful. we've been dealing with in-laws and christmas sweaters, secret santa extortion funds, hanukkah lists and the exhaust battle of trying to resist sugar battle. man, there's nothing like biting the head off an angel. when the dark cold gloom of january descends and street corner santas put away their bells and the stores aren't pumping out holiday songs, it's really easy to forget to be grateful. somehow gratitude becomes a platitude. but here's a fantastic reason to make gratitude an attitude. science is proving that being thankful has profound physiological and emotional benefits. one study askd people to keep a journal for ten weeks. one group described five things they were grateful for each week. one group wrote down their hassles and a third group was told to list five things that affected them but not to dwell on the positive or negative. the gratitude group emerged from the study 25% happier than the others. they were in better health and averaged an hour-and-a-half more exercise than the griping group. and appreciation is contagious. their spouses noticed their happiness too. or maybe their spouses just noticed how cute their grateful behinds were getting from all those workouts. thankfulness is also an anti-depressant. according to another psychological study, clinically depressed people demonstrate about 50% less gratitude than folks who are feeling okay. thank you a day may keep the proceed zach away. this isn't rainbows and unicorns. i am super thankful for rainbows and unicorns. this is neuro science. perhaps it is a scientist who captures the spirit of gratitude the best. einstein said there are only two ways to live your life: one is as though nothing is a miracle. the other is as though everything is a miracle. in this holiday season, and beyond, let's recognize the miracles and, yes, the fact that your husband installed the christmas lights without electro cuting himself qualified as a miracle. i wish you a merry christmas and a grateful new year. >> good evening, everybody. >> yes, hello, everybody. >> osgood: next, albert brooks happy holidays. it's sunday morning on cbs. and here again is charles osgood. >> osgood: albert brooks has a long record of playing movie roles for laughs. not in his newest role, however, and thereby hangs a tale. mo rocca has our subject profile. >> i want you to meet mister bernie rose. >> nice to meet you. >> my hands are all dirty. >> so are mine. >> reporter: albert brooks kills in his latest film, and not in the knock 'em dead funny kind of way. had you wanted to kill somebody in a movie for a while? >> well, i wanted to play a part that was different than something i've played before for a while. i didn't, you know, i didn't put out on the casting call "want to kill." you know? >> reporter: it turns out albert brooks, who has made us laugh for 40 years, can be a really good bad guy too. (gun flifer) film "drive" is a crime drama with ryan gosling as a solitary wheel man and brooks as small-time mobster bernie rose. >> any dreams you have or plans or hopes for your future? i think you're going to have to put that on hold. for the rest of your life, you're going to be looking over your shoulder. i'm just telling you this because i want you to know the truth. >> reporter: film critics from new york to san francisco named him best supporting actor. he's been nominated for a golden globe. it's not like the signs weren't there all along. >> where did you get that number? >> reporter: brooks has specialized in playing guys thwarted, frustrated and pushed to the limit. >> how much is left in the nest egg? >> nothing. give or take a thousand. >> give or take a thousand? >> yeah. >> reporter:. >> if people were sitting in the dark for 30 years hoping i would pick a knife up and kill one of the people in my own comedies, then maybe this is very pleasing. i mean, listen, a lot of my behave behavior, a made a movie modern romance where a guy drove around someone's house for 20 hours. that gets a restraining order. >> reporter: it's borderline. >> it's not borderline. it's a restraining order. >> reporter: it's one of several films that brooks has written, directed and starred in. >> i love you very much. >> i know you do. >> i know you do. i guess that's the same as "i love you too." >> these are cameras. >> reporter: a spoof of what would become reality television. >> i'm just filming her and right now you're in their life. >> they're in my life. >> reporter: the movie is kind of prophetic. do you feel gratified, surprised, what? >> i'm always gratified but, as i say to my friends, there's no line at the bank that said ahead of your time. but it's a nice feeling. >> reporter: brooks was born into a successful show business family. his mother was a dancer. his father, the famous radio comedian harry einstein, who went by the stage name "park your carcass." your name when you were born was? >> i have my password somewhere. my name when i was born was albert lawrence einstein. >> reporter: did you ever get teased for it? >> no. no. me and my buddy moses, we used to just have lunch together and then jesus would come in and sometimes the three of us would play monopoly. >> reporter: he changed his name to brooks to pursue acting, but he was funny and got work at a comedian instead. he wasn't telling jokes but doing invented bits like the world's worst ventriloquist. >> good evening, everybody. yes, hello, everybody. i'm dave. and i'm danny. >> reporter: audiences didn't always know what to make of him. where did you find the stomach to get through it when they didn't understand what was going on? >> you know, i never wanted to make it badly enough on someone else's terms. show business wasn't that important to me to be successful with what you wanted me to do. i sort of wanted to do it. if it didn't work, you know, i'd sell shoes. i would do something else. >> here's this week's film written and directed by albert brooks. >> reporter: he passed on an offer to be the permanent host of saturday night live. >> this is my physician. would you tell them now.... >> reporter: and instead made short films for the first season, honing his skills as a film maker. >> ...overworked. i don't know much about the motion picture business but it seems to me you're doing the work of about 30 people. >> reporter: his acting career took a back seat to film making. big dead poet's society and harry met sally. these are all movies that you turned down, yes? >> yes. >> reporter: do any of them hurt when you think about it? >> no, because i didn't turn them down for any silly reason. i was making my own movies. our own state department was rocked.... >> reporter: one role he didn't turn down was the neurotic news man. you know the type. in "broadcast news." >> this is more than nixon ever sweated. >> reporter: the part earned him an academy award nomination. >> just how noticeable is this? >> reporter: and he was most animated as the clown fish looking for his lost son in "finding people owe." >> hey, you're a clown fish. you're funny, right? tell us a joke. >> there was a mol usc and a sea cucumber. >> reporter: will you ever do stand-up again? >> i think about it. you know, tweeting is almost stand-up. i mean, you know, it's the basis of it. i mean, if all i have to do now is i could read my tweets, i just have to show up somewhere and read them. but i think about it. i think i would enjoy it more now. i have less to lose. >> reporter: he's 64, married with two young children. >> i reached a point in my life where i just couldn't be the most important person anymore. so i have a family. that becomes the most important. >> reporter: and he's on a career high. he's a frontrunner for an oscar nomination for his role in "drive" and his novel 2030 is a best seller. it's a futuristic look at what might go wrong in america in the next 20 years. but it's not a pessimistic book. >> it's not a pessimistic book because we're here. we're still here in 2030. the mess pis mystic books are the armageddon story where it's just denzil and a dog on a beach. that's the story i didn't want to right. >> reporter: i feel like i've seen that movie a few times. >> you have. >> reporter: it seems like everything that albert brooks ended doing was exactly what he wanted to do. i think you've had a pretty terrific life. >> is it over? >> reporter: no, no. >> what do you know? >> osgood: next, what's at the movies? movie-going and our david edal steep has been making a list. >> reporter: no time for cute introductions. let's get to the movies. >> i'm sure you want to play this game. >> reporter: you can skip the overblown sherlock holmes, a game of shadows though jared harris makes an agreeably chilly homicidal run to the professor moriarty. >> we were meant to be together. i'm here to get him back. >> i'm pretty sure he's married with a kid on the way. >> reporter: and approach young adult with caution given it's the sourest coming-home comedy ever. >> prom queen. >> reporter: those char lease they are onis a drunken slew from hell. you will, no matter what i say, line up for the girl with the dragon tattoo. >> i need a research assistant. >> reporter: the american version of the inexplicably popular swede revenge thriller. >> may i come in? >> reporter: really, who doesn't like watching rapist neo nazi serial killers get royally reamed which a hacker chick with piercings. the movie brings the hate. >> i found something from every decade. >> reporter: bringing the love is extremely loud and incredibly close. loosely based on jonathan's tricky novel about boys and their dad's tragic legacies. this boy lost his dad, played by tom hanks, on 9/11. >> after he died, i found this key in my dad's closet. >> reporter: the film boils down to a scavenger hunt for his final inspirational message. it's very powerful and very manipulative but very powerful. but very manipulative. i'm still sorting out my feelings. >> where did you get this? >> i didn't. >> reporter: tinker taylor soldier spy stars garyalityman as george smiley looking for a mole in the circus though it has nothing to do with rodents or clowns. smiley never smiles. >> i need you to do something. >> reporter: it's hard to follow even if you've read the book. >> the mother of our all secrets. >> reporter: but if you can, the reimmersion in that cold war paranoid universe of agents and double agents and double double agents will thrill you to bits. >> so what happens now? >> your mission, should you choose it.... >> reporter: and a heavy espionage picture, mission impossible ghosts protocol. the fourth and most fun in the tom cruise series. possibly because cruise lets actors like jeremy renner in on the action. >> who are you really? >> we all have our secrets. >> reporter: more likely because it's pixar genius brad bird's first none and i mated movie. and the heroes qafer on ledges or above whirling blades like they know they're in the hands of someone used to indestruct i believe cartoon characters. >> i don't think you realize this, but you're about to walk into a whole mess of danger. >> reporter: the adventures of tin-tin on the other hand is steven spielberg's first animated movie. and freed from earthly restrictions with 3-d, the slap stick action wizard of his and our wildest dreams which arenas it's indiana jones squared. i was grinning so hard my jaw hurt. spielberg has another superb film: war horse. based on a kid's book told through the eyes of a horse swept up in the first world war. >> i promise you that i will look after him. and if i can i'll return him to your care. >> he's my horse, sir. >> reporter: i've heard complaints it's corney. if corney means showing flickers of generosity amid scenes of incomprehensible slaughter, i say bring it on. we need something in these fractured times to remind us of our common humanity. and this season it's a horse. >> osgood: ahead, hail and farewell. the same whitening ingredient as strips. but that mostly dilutes away within seconds of brushing. hmmm. having the same ingredient doesn't mean you get even close to the same whitening. trust the whitening brand most awarded by beauty editors. crest 3d white. >> osgood: the time has come to say hail and farewell to some of those who left us this past year. in the spirit of christmas, we remember the gifts so many of their lives were to our own lives. ( applause ) >> so you like everything so far? ( cheers and applause ) good. well, i'll try not to blow it. >> osgood: far from blowing it, steve jobs had a knack for blowing us away. his vision changed how we see, how we listen, how we think. because he thought differently. >> no one wants to die. even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. >> reporter: even about life and death. >> death is very likely the single best invention of life. it's life's change agent. it clears out the old to make way for the knew. >> good-bye, george. >> reporter: of course, with life's changes come good-byes. >> seem like we always spend the best part of our time saying good-bye. >> reporter: we said good-bye this year to screen legend elizabeth taylor. she appeared in some 50 movies and even more headlines thanks to her stormy personal life. >> i've had a lot of tragedy in my life. i've had addictions. i've had weight problems. i almost died a couple of times. i've been pronounced dead. i've read my own obituary. the best reviews i ever had. >> reporter: but even better than the best reviews are academy awards. taylor won twice. who is afraid of virginia woolf? and for butterfield 8. >> face it. i was the slut of all time. >> osgood: call it a slap in the face but sidney lament never got an oscar for his directing although his movies drew more than 40 nominations. and seemed to offer just as many unforgettable moments. >> i want you to get up right now and go to the window. open it and stick your head out and yell, "i'm as mad as hell, and i'm not going to take this anymore." >> osgood: if he was mad, he could take solace six years before his death in a 2005 honorary academy award. for those keeping score the musical scores of john barry won five academy awards. he left us this year. >> i am indebted to no man. and only to one woman. my dear wife. >> reporter: betty ford, she had a starring role in her husband's white house thanks in part to her outspokenness. >> when the supreme court voted to legalize abortion and, in my words, bring it out of the back woods and put it in the hospitals where it belonged, i thought it was a great, great decision. >> reporter: politics aside, no one could argue with ford's courage in conquering addiction. >> i still get notes from women. they thank me from the standpoint of making it okay to go for treatment. >> reporter: there's also geraldine ferraro to thank. >> my fellow citizens, i proudly accept your nomination for vice president of the united states. ( cheers and applause ) >> reporter: in 1984, ferraro became the first woman ever nominated for national office by a major party. giving her a major role in history. >> america is the land where dreams can come true for all of us. ( cheers and applause ) >> osgood: and big dreams are often built on even bigger sacrifices. we say thank you to those who were brave enough to fight. >> that was god speaking through the 1954 u.s. supreme court. and i thank god, don't you? >> we only have one war. we have a war for the freedom of people and for opportunity for all people regardless of race, color or creed. >> and if after i'm gone, i am remembered for absolutely nothing else, i want to be remembereded for having coined that slogan: gay is good. >> the united states honors this remarkable leader for his many personal sacrifices and contributions to the cause of freedom and justice. >> osgood: we give thanks to our troops for giving their lives. we lost more than 460 in iraq and afghanistan this year. and there were heroes from wars past. >> if you're a leader, you lead the way. not just on the easy ones. you take the tough ones too. >> reporter: major richard winters less e-z company during world war ii. >> let's go, let's go. follow me. >> reporter: the tv program "band of brothers" immortalized his story. >> when i went overseas in december, 1917, i was 16 years old. >> reporter: frank buckles only seemed immortal. he lived to 110, the last surviving american veteran of world war i. and buckles is not the only noteworthy centenarian we lost this year. ♪ time is on my side ♪ yes, it is by the way, that rolling stones hit you're hearing was written by jerry ragaboy. he left us something timeless. if anyone figured to have time on his side.... >> you know, my name is jack lee lane. >> reporter: who else but the guy who almost invented modern fitness? >> i can't afford the die. it would wreck my image. >> reporter: his image will remain intact long after his death, this year at 96. >> is it all right if i make myself an ice cream soda? >> reporter: actor peter faulk didn't seem to care much about exercise, as the cigar-smoking disheveled tv detective, he made sure it was a bad guys who were the ones who did the running. ♪ come on and do the jail house rock with me ♪ > the bad guys were the ones who did the dancing in this classic hit, jail house rock. written by jerry lieber. there's no dancing around with the fact that james arness knew how to fight crime. he did it with a bang. >> begun smoke. starring james arness as matt dillon. >> reporter: he had a quick draw on a show with a huge draw. >> mr. dillon. >> reporter: during the '50s and '60s, 40 million americans tuned in to gunsmoke every week. as measured by arthur c nielsen jr., his legacy the nielsen ratings is is now the gold standard for gauging television success. >> hello. >> jerry, hello. >> leo. >> osgood: tv shows don't get more successful than seinfeld thanks in part to some memorable characters who left us this year. >> look at this. i told them medium rare. it's medium. >> it happens. >> i bet that cook is an anti-semite. >> someone help. >> shut up, you old hag. >> osgood: let's not forget other big losses from the small screen. a tv legend you may not recognize, but odds are you've sung along with him ♪ here's a story of a lovely lady ♪ snet. >> reporter: he created the brady bunch and gilligan's island. not just the shows but those catchy theme songs too. ♪ just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip ♪ >> most people know the lyrics to gilligan's island than know the lyrics to "the star-spangled banner" ♪ the skipper brave and sure ♪ ♪ five passengers set sail that day for a three-hour tour ♪ ♪ a three-hour tour >> osgood: he made sure that everybody knew their lines. he helped to create the teleprompter, which premiered on the cbs soap opera "the first hundred years" in 1950 and is now a main stay in tv entertainment and news. we say good-bye now to some of our friends in news who left us this year. and on the subject of news, there's one death we cannot ignore. >> tonight, i can report to the american people and to the world the united states has conducted an operation that killed osama bin laden, the leader of al qaeda. >> osgood: his life caused many deaths. racetrack this year, taking the life of two-time indy 500 winner dan withheld on. he was just 33. ♪ he left no time for regrets ♪ > singer amy wine haas was even younger, just 27. but her music plays on thanks to that unmistakable soulful delivery. nick ashford certainly delivered some big gifts. his wife wrote the music. he wrote the lyrics. some might even call it poetry. but it was phoebe snow who knew all about the poetry man. ♪ you're the poetry man ♪ you make things all right >> reporter: what is poetry man about or who is it about? >> obviously i was having an affair with a married man. don't you think? >> osgood: a revealing comment but not nearly as revealing as this. itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini that she wore on the first time of day. we have songwriter lee pockrest to thank for that little number. and this man knew a thing or two about keeping rhythm. he invented the first implantable pacemaker. quite the opposite hollywood sex symbol jane russell was a heart stopper. >> thank you, gentlemen, that was a charming introduction, but it doesn't move me. and i want to go. boys? >> osgood: now speaking of knock-outs, boxer joe frazier had 27 of them in his legendary career. >> i get a kick out of seeing a man crumble to his knees more than anything, you know. >> osgood: we'll miss you, smokin' joe and these other sports greats too. >> osgood: they all had their share of glory days. so did saxophonist clarence clemons for more than three decades he and bruce springsteen stuck together. now here's something that really sticks. >> the only thing between my 150 pounds and that wire will be one drop of glue. >> osgood: not just any glue, super glue. think of inventor harry cooler the next time you're fixing the chip in your favorite bowl, the next time you're reaching for a bowl of chips, think of this man, arch west, a frito-lay executive who helped create doritos. >> there's a snack chip that bites back. come on. >> osgood: you want big flavor to a small critter, the ant. he was at a picnic when he invented the ant farm in 1956. since then they've sold more than 20 million of them. you might just call it an idea with legs. and on the subject of the animal kingdom, how about a couple of great big bear hugs for a couple of great big bears? that's no bear. it's a cow. wait. actually it is 600 pounds of butter. >> very few sculptors work in butter. >> very few. you have to be in a cold place to do it. >> osgood: we'll miss butter sculptor, norm a duffy lion. and on a more serious note from the world of visual arts, we lost three 20th century masters this year. ♪ have yourself a merry little christmas ♪ >> osgood: composer hugh martin made an indelible mark on the 20th century. that's judy gar len singing one of his many classics, now a holiday tradition. ♪ troubles will be miles away ♪ >> osgood: there was nothing traditional about christopher hitchens. he was a provocative and to some provoking thinker. probably best known for his outspoken atheeism, even in the face of cancer. >> is there anything that could change your mind? in your weakened state? >> no evidence has yet been presented. but i like surprises. >> reporter: are you in any way religious? >> i might be but my religion centers in different area than what's considered conventional religion. >> osgood: dr. jack kevorkian will be remembered for uniting a national debate over physician-assisted suicide. >> he's dying now. >> osgood: he spoke with andy rooney in 1996. >> i think the american public is puzzled about you. they don't know whether you're a medical philosopher or a nut. which are you? >> probably both. you might say i'm a philosophic nut or a nutty philosopher. >> reporter: what do you do for fun? >> irritate people. >> osgood: andy rooney. he was never shy about expressing his irritation. >> why is it we all look forward to the mail coming every day? something has got to be done about phone calls. you know something i don't like. chocolate chip cookies. >> osgood: throughout his long career, andy was used to having the last word. we nif him that honor now. >> i've done a lot of complaining here, but of all the things i've complained about, i can't complain about my life. and all this time i've been paid to say what is on my mind on television. you don't get any luckier in life than that. >> osgood: we have all been lucky to have had all of you in our lives. for this, we say thank you. we'll miss you, hail and farewell. with less chronic low back pain. imagine living your life with less chronic osteoarthritis pain. imagine you, with less pain. cymbalta can help. cymbalta is a non-narcotic treatment that's fda-approved to manage chronic musculoskeletal pain. one pill a day, every day, can help reduce this pain. tell your doctor right away if your mood worsens, you have unusual changes in mood or behavior or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not approved for children under 18. people taking maois or thioridazine or with uncontrolled glaucoma should not take cymbalta. taking it with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. severe liver problems, some fatal, were reported. signs include abdominal pain and yellowing of the skin or eyes. talk with your doctor about your medicines, including those for migraine, or if you have high fever, confusion and stiff muscles, to address a possible life-threatening condition. tell your doctor about alcohol use, liver disease, and before you reduce or stop taking cymbalta. dizziness or fainting may occur upon standing. side effects include nausea, dry mouth, and constipation. [ male announcer ] ask your doctor about cymbalta. imagine you, with less pain. cymbalta can help. go to cymbalta.com to learn about a free trial offer. on my journey across america, i've learned that when you ask someone in texas if they want "big" savings on car insurance, it's a bit like asking if they want a big hat... ...'scuse me... ...or a big steak... ...or big hair... i think we have our answer. geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. >> osgood: a 65-year-old movie is the talk of the town. here's bill geist to explain why. >> reporter: on christmas morning, what better place to be than seneca falls, new york? where they proudly proclaim their little town to be the inspiration for betford falls, the setting for the christmas classic "it's a wonderful life." >> merry christmas! >> reporter: and the signs are everywhere. even the postmark says it's so. they took the idea and ran with it. the old hotel has been named clarence after the film's angel who earns his wings by saving george bailey. >> that's what i was sent down for. i'm your guardian angel. >> reporter: and the zuzu cafe is named after one of george's daughters. they hold the "it's the wonderful life" festival each december where fans gather to celebrate their favorite film. >> it's like a mecca for wonderful life fans. >> this is the original bedford falls. that's what brings us here. >> close down for a week and then.... >> reporter: look-alikes perform the show "merry christmas, george bailey." and this year fans lined up to meet two real actors from the 1946 film, stars once more. caroline crimes who played zuzu. >> daddy! >> my little ginger snap. how do you feel? >> fine. not a bit of temperature. >> reporter: and carol coombs mueller who played her sister janey. >> i had six minutes of film footage if that movie. >> i had six minutes of film footage if that movie. >> reporter: but zuzu had one of the most memorable lines in film history. >> look, daddy. teacher says.... >> every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings. >> reporter: fans come from near. >> we're from elmira new york. it is mentioned in it's a wonderful life. >> reporter: and far. >> i'm sure i have the largest it's a wonderful life collection in western canada. i have a friend who made this shirt for me which is signed. so now it's complete. >> reporter: they view rare artifacts at it's the rare wonderful life museum, all wonderful as they say around here. how do they really know for sure that this is bedford falls. curator ann law. >> i say the proof is in the movie. i think it's perret pretty convincing. >> this is the one ma you can imagine george.... >> reporter: that's the one they threw rocks at. >> that's the one they threw rocks at. >> grant attempts to offer further proof on his walking tour. >> reporter: in the movie the address was.... >> 320 sack more. >> that's it. coincidence? >> reporter: he had been making note of the parallels when out of the blew.... >> the barber shop would have been right about over here. the barber approached me and he shyly, very shyly said, you know, i cut frank capra's hair. >> the smoking gun. barber's story proves to fran that director frank capra had actually been toson... to seneca falls. >> we think he drove to seneca falls, parked his car and walked around and he got a haircut, saw the bridge and the plaque on the bridge. >> reporter: the plaque on the bridge tells the true story of a hero who jumped in and gave his life saving that of another. >> the original story the greatest gift, george bailey character never jumped. he's on the bridge looking into the water. he never actually takes the leap. >> reporter: fran believes that after capra's visit here, he wrote in the famous scene where george takes the plunge to save clarence. >> help! help! help! >> coincidence? i don't know. i don't think so. >> reporter: fran says the bedford falls look-alike initiative has spurred tourism here in seneca falls. >> once upon a time people would show up in december, maybe into january asking about "it's a wonderful life." now it's all year round. >> reporter: this is the real bedford falls. >> this is the real bedford falls. >> reporter: now you should know that there are some nay sayers. indeed a film historian a friend of capra's who oversees his archives and says in all his years of talking and writing about the film he never mentioned seneca falls even once. i didn't interview her. i like this christmas story the way it is. i like this christmas story the way it is. ♪ offer them with special savings. today, it's an american tradition. toyotathon is back with great deals on the toyotas you've been waiting for. right now, get a low 0% apr financing on select new tundras and drive with peace of mind, thanks to toyota care, a complimentary maintenance plan with roadside assistance. others have tried to copy it. but in the end, there's only one...toyotathon. the biggest and best sales event of the year is going on now! the biggest and best sales event of the year there are over twelve thousand diseases in the world. some take years to diagnose and treat. how can doctors find insights in a body of medical knowledge that doubles every five years? new solutions based on ibm watson are being developed to help doctors analyze a patient's history, symptoms and the latest medical literature to make faster, more accurate diagnoses. hello. my name is watson. let's build a smarter planet. this is the arctic join coca-cola and world wildlife fund to help protect it. so the polar bear always has a place to call home. to donate, and help create a safe refuge for the polar bear, look for limited edition coke cans and caps. >> osgood: now a page from our sunday morning almanac. december 25, 1941, 70 years ago today. day one for a christmas classic. listen closely. time has taken its toll. ♪ i'm dreaming of a white christmas ♪ >> osgood: what you're hearing is bing cross by's radio show. he's singing a new song from the pen of irving berlin, a song called "white christmas." ♪ just like the ones i used to know ♪ >> osgood: koss by sang it on camera the very next year for the movie "holiday inn." the comforts of home and hearth, white christmas was a world war ii hit among soldiers and folks on the home front as well. cosby sang it again in the 1964 movie called what else but white christmas. ♪ and children listen >> osgood: the song has gone on to sell an estimated 50 million copies worldwide. combined sales of all the many different versions of the song reputedly top 100 million. ♪ i'm dreaming of a white christmas ♪ >> osgood: onthis christmas day exactly 70 years after its debut, irving berlin's simple tune is being played again and again on the radio, on recording, and by folks from every walk of life just sitting down at the piano. ♪ the sun is shining ♪ the grass the green the orange and palm trees sway ♪ ♪ there's never been such a day ♪ ♪ in beverly hills, l.a. ♪ but on december 24 ♪ i'm longing to be up north ♪ i need a little help here, folks and who better than darlene love? merry christmas. ♪ i'm dreaming of a white christmas ♪ ♪ just like the ones i used to know ♪ ♪ where the tree tops glisten ♪ ♪ and children listen ♪ to hear sleigh bells in the snow ♪ ♪ i'm dreaming of a white christmas ♪ ♪ with every christmas card i write ♪ ♪ may your days be merry ♪ and bright ♪ and may all your christmases be white ♪ merry christmas. >> merry christmas to you, darlene. thank you so. send a kleenex brand share package for free today at kleenex.com and start your own chain of sharing. in return, you'll receive a sample of new kleenex cool touch tissues... the only tissue that actively releases a cool sensation to soothe a sore nose on contact. kleenex. softness worth sharing. to soothe a sore nose on contact. nature is sponsored by... >> osgood: we leave you this christmas morning at the marietta burro reserve where the residents look like candidates for a nativity pageant. we wish you and yours the best christmas ever. we hope you will join us in the new year next sunday morning. until then, i'll see you on morning. until then, i'll see you on the radio. copd includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. spiriva helps control my copd symptoms... ...by keeping my airways open... ...a full 24 hours. plus, it reduces copd flare-ups. spiriva is the only once-daily inhaled copd maintenance treatment that does both. and it's steroid-free. spiriva does not replace fast-acting inhalers for sudden symptoms. tell your doctor if you have kidney problems, glaucoma, trouble urinating, or an enlarged prostate. these may worsen with spiriva. discuss all medicines you take, even eye drops. stop taking spiriva and call your doctor right away if your breathing suddenly worsens,... ...your throat or tongue swells, you get hives, vision changes or eye pain,... ...or problems passing urine. other side effects include dry mouth and constipation. nothing can reverse copd. spiriva helps me breathe better. breathing with copd is no small thing. ask your doctor about spiriva. by johnson & johnson, where quality products for the american family have been a tradition for generations captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org