Santa Claus is Comin' to Town, just one of many holiday classics from Rankin-Bass, will air on ABC December 5 at 8 pm. The special takes a look at young Kris Kringle as he opens a gift factory to provide toys for children. Unfortunately, Burgermeister Meisterburger, the lands tyrannical ruler, won't allow toys, so Kringle gets help from Mother Nature, not to mention some elves and reindeer. This same story was also made into a movie. The name of that movie? That's right, 1978's The Deer Hunter. Though I think some artistic license was taken with the theatrical adaptation.
Santa Claus is Comin' to Town features the voices of Fred Astaire, Mickey Rooney and Paul Frees. Rooney plays the role of Kris Kringle/Santa Claus, because as we all know, Santa himself was banned from Hollywood during the House Un-American Activities Committee hearings in the late '40s and early '50s. Apparently that wasn't a good time to be wearing so much red.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-22-2006 @ 7:25AM
Dee said...
I never really "got" Mickey Rooney until this show. I just love his Santa and this little gem fills me with joy and tears from "Put One Foot In Front Of The Other" (which I still sing when I'm stressed and need encouragement) to Winter asking for just a little magic when Santa and Jessica get married and the trees light up, to Santa deciding to go out only once a year, on the holiest night of the year. I'm in my 40's and can still belt out "It's a difficult responsiblity..." This rant makes me want to go get my tape of it and watch it now!
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11-22-2006 @ 10:47AM
Sir Loin said...
I agree with ya, Dee (almost 40 myself, too) and can still quote & sing those old Rankin-Bass shows. Remember when everyone would be talking about them at school the day after they aired? It just wasn't Christmas without the holiday shows and Sears Wishbook...Burgermeister Meisterburger was quite the baddie, too.
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