Variety of Holiday Shows to Fill Airwaves

Holiday fare continues to dominate TV programming this weekend.

Clint Black, Patty Loveless, Lorrie Morgan, LeAnne Rimes, Kenny Rogers and the Riverdance troupe headline CBS’ “Opryland’s Country Christmas,” tonight at 9 on Channel 2. The two-hour special features original and classic Christmas tunes.

Robert Urich plays a father who is falsely accused of a crime and separated from his family in the Family Channel’s yuletide movie “The Angel of Pennsylvania Avenue,” Sunday at 7 p.m.

Cynthia Gibb, Tom Irwin and David James Elliott star in the romantic Christmas comedy “Holiday Affair,” Sunday at 6 p.m. on USA. Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh starred in the 1949 original.

Kathleen Battle, Frederica von Stade and Wynton Marsalis perform Christmas standards under the baton of Andre Previn on PBS’ “A Carnegie Hall Christmas Concert,” Sunday at 8 p.m. on Channel 28.

Cable’s Nick at Nite presents Christmas episodes from such vintage series as “Bewitched,” “The Bob Newhart Show,” “Happy Days” and “The Odd Couple,” beginning Sunday at 9 p.m.

Elsewhere: For the first time, ABC’s popular daytime soap “General Hospital” will air an episode in prime time, tonight at 9 on Channel 7, with “General Hospital: Twist of Fate.”

Comedian-actor Richard Lewis returns to his stand-up roots in the new HBO special “Magical Misery Tour,” airing tonight at 9:30. The one-hour show was taped at New York’s Bottom Line.

Thirty-six teachers will be honored on “The Walt Disney Company and McDonald’s Present the American Teacher Awards,” tonight at 7 and Sunday at 9 p.m on the Disney Channel.

Vanessa Marcil stars as a wife and mother who discovers her husband faked his own death in ABC’s “To Love, Honor and Deceive,” Sunday at 9 p.m. on Channel 7.

MTV News presents “Year in Rock,” airing Sunday at 10:30 p.m., a one-hour review of the year’s bands, trends and styles.

Public Affairs: TODAY: Mary Ann Akers, Congress Daily; Virginia Hume, Republican National Committee; and Andy Solomon, Democratic National Committee, appear on “Saturday Journal,” 7 a.m. C-SPAN. . . .

Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin is a guest on “Evans & Novak,” 2:30 p.m., repeats Sunday at 7 a.m. CNN. . . .

Secretary of Labor Robert Reich is a guest on “Capital Gang Saturday,” 4 and 10:30 p.m. CNN. . . .

Johnny Cash guests on “Larry King Weekend,” 6 and 11 p.m. CNN.

The panel discusses whether President Clinton is a centrist on “The McLaughlin Group,” 6:30 p.m. (4).

SUNDAY: Leon Panetta, White House chief of staff, and Sens. Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.) and Bill Bradley (D-N.J.) guest on “Meet the Press,” 7 a.m. (4)(36). . . .

“CBS News Sunday Morning” discusses religious resurgence; Jimmy Carter; composer Hans Zimmer and Christmas gumbo, 7:30 a.m. (2). . . .

“Fox News Sunday” guests are Rep. John Kasich (R-Ohio), former judge Robert Bork and rap artist Chuck D, 8 a.m. (11). . . .

“Face the Nation” airs at 9 a.m. (2). . . .

“Bob Navarro’s Journal” discusses the living wage ordinance, 9:30 a.m. (2). . . .

Jack Valenti, head of the TV industry’s ratings implementation committee, guests on “This Week,” 10 a.m. (7); 11:30 a.m. (3) (42). . . .

President Clinton’s cabinet picks are discussed on “Capital Gang Sunday,” 4 p.m., repeats 1:30 a.m. CNN. . . .

“60 Minutes,” reports on tax-deductible donations from American Jews used to displace Arabs in Jerusalem, 7 p.m. (2).

Specials and Movies: Barbara Mandrell guests on “The Statler Bros. Christmas Show,” tonight at 6 and 9 on TNN.

Joan and Melissa Rivers host E! Entertainment Television’s “The 1996 Fashion Review,” Sunday at 6 p.m.

Sports: Pro Football: Patriots at Cowboys, Sunday, 10 a.m. (4)(36); 49ers at Steelers, Sunday, 10 a.m., (11); Raiders at Broncos, Sunday, 1 p.m. (4)(36).

For a complete list of sports events on TV, see Section C.