Episode 70 – A Year without Santa Claus

Hey flesh brothers! Happy Festivus! A Year without Santa Claus is 43 years old now, which puts it squarely before our time. But that won’t stop us from revisiting it! It’s a beloved holiday classic that generations are familiar with. Or at the very least, vaguely aware of. However rarely if ever does it get any coverage. We asked ourselves “why is that?” The answers may surprise you (then again, they may not). Produced in a time when children’s entertainment was sparse, and the bar set frightfully low, was this movie in-line with the media of it’s time? Or does it rise above to take its place amongst the other timeless holiday classics such as: It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, and Die Hard? Join us and find out!

When a weary and discouraged Santa Claus considers skipping his Christmas Eve run one year, Mrs. Claus and his Elves set out to change his mind.

From Wikipedia:

The Year Without a Santa Claus is a 1974 Christmas stop motion animated television special produced by Rankin/Bass Productions. The story is based on Phyllis McGinley‘s 1956 book of the same name, illustrated by Kurt Werth. It was originally broadcast on December 10, 1974 on ABC.

The film was Shirley Booth’s final acting credit as she retired from acting after its completion.

Highlights:

ABC, Phyllis McGinley, Kurt Werth, Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr., Akikazu Kono, Ichiro Komuro, Maury Laws, Frosty the Snowman, The Flight of Dragons, Rudolph the Red Nosed Raindeer, Shirley Booth, Mickey Rooney, Dick Shawn, George S. Irving, Bob McFadden, Bradley Bolke, Rhoda Mann, Ron Marshall, Colin Duffy, Snow Miser, Heat Miser

Links:

Wikipedia: The Year Without a Santa Claus Wikipedia

IMDB: The Year Without a Santa Claus IMDB

Live Action Remake: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGhT_ylXN8s

www.childhoodremastered.com

www.facebook.com/childhoodremastered

www.twitter.com/remasteredcast

www.instagram.com/childhoodremastered