Charlie Brown, Grinch, or Rudolph?

I’ve never actually seen A Christmas Story in its entirety, but I like what I’ve seen. Can’t rank it safely, but I’d prolly insert it at 4th, with The Nightmare Before Christmas tying for second. Of the choices provided, however…
Charlie Brown
Grinch
Rudolf

Charlie Brown. For the MUSIC!

Grinch. For Boris

Can’t bear Rudy.

Agreed. Vince Guaraldi just can’t be beat, IMHO.

they all rule…but as to rank them here i go

1 - chuck brown
2 - rudy
3 - grinch

The older I got, the more I hated Rudolph. Mainly because of the rotten way Santa himself acts in that show.

So the ranking goes:

  1. Grinch
  2. Charlie Brown
  3. Santa Claus is Coming to Town
  4. The Year Without a Santa
  5. The original Frosty the Snowman
  6. Rudolph
  7. Frosty’s Winter Wonderland
  8. Rudolph’s Shiny New Year
  9. that crappy Frosty Returns show that came out a couple years ago
  10. Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July

While it was definitely a fad for its era, I still hold a soft spot for Will Vinton’s Claymation Christmas (with the California Raisins! I liked their rendition of ‘We Three Kings’) and his Easter and (especially) Halloween specials.

I’ll take those extra points. And, no offense, but that’s FAR too much in the way of hints, ma’am. It’s probably why nobody’s bothered up to now – too much pride. But I have NO pride. Thurl “Tony the Tiger” Ravenscroft.

And shelbo, the story of the origin of Santa Claus, as narrated by Rankin-Bass’s Claymation rendering of letter carrier Fred Astaire, and featuring the Burghermeister Meister Burger, is called Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.

Dang it. I KNEW “Claymation” didn’t sound right. Animagic.

I’ve been a big fan of animation, both drawn and stop-motion my entire life. But for some reason I can’t really put my finger on, I’ve always hated the Rankin-Bass specials. They just really get on my nerves.

I love Charlie Brown Christmas is touching and wonderful. It’s definitely a classic.

But…

How could the Grinch be anything but number one? Come on, it’s got Dr. Seuss and Chuck Jones and Boris Karloff and June Foray and Thurl Ravenscroft!

It makes me all giddy and goose-bumply just thinking about it! :slight_smile:

Eric

Charlie Brown and the Grinch are pretty tightly tied for first place – I love both of them. But I think the Grinch may be just a speck ahead because of the lyrics to “Welcome Christmas” – Christmas day will always be, just so long as we have we – snif.

And I’d put “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” in the number 3 spot. You know, the one with Mickey Rooney as a somewhat sexy Santa puppet?

A special aired last year about the making of A Charlie Brown Christmas. Apparently the network didn’t want to use Vince Guaraldi’s music because it wasn’t “Christmasy” enough. They particularly didn’t like the music used during the dance sequence.

Good thing Charles Schultz didn’t listen to them, as that piece of music must be one of the most identifiable instrumentals on the planet.

I love all three of these shows, especially the music.

If it’s the song I’m thinking of, that starts out with the left hand piano rhythm, it’s originally from the first TV show (You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (?) ) and it’s called Linus and Lucy.

Love the whole album, but obviously, that song is what most people think of when Charlie Brown specials music is mentioned.

For me the rankings are:

  1. The Grinch
  2. Charlie Brown
  3. Rudolph

The Grinch is number one for me because I love to listen to Boris Karloff, and the rhyming narration just seems very soothing somehow.

I like Charlie Brown, especially Linus’ telling of the true meaning of Christmas (and Baker, you’re right - you did pass up the perfect opportunity!). However, for me it loses points for the odd Snoopy dogfight scene. I never liked that part.

Rudolph is last on the list because, while I like it, I’m content to see it once per season and that’s it. Oh, and the noise Rudolph’s nose makes when it lights up is way too annoying.

1. The Grinch
2. Everything else
3. Rudolph & his ilk

Even as a kid, I DETESTED those stop-action Christmas stories. The Simpsons episodes where they show the kids watching the The Happy Little Elves is dead on.

Ah, but don’t forget – when he’s boxed into a corner, the Grinch can acquire the strength of ten Grinches, plus two!
When I read the title of the thread, I thought the full question was going to start with, “If you had a gun and only one bullet…”

Charlie Brown
[list=1]
[li]Charlie Brown[/li][li]Charlie Brown[/li][li]Charlie Brown[/li][li]Charlie Brown[/li][li]Charlie Brown[/li][li]Charlie Brown[/li][li]Charlie Brown[/li][li]Charlie Brown[/li][li]Charlie Brown[/li][li]Charlie Brown[/li][li]Charlie Brown[/li][li]Charlie Brown[/li][/list=1]
Neither of the others even get a blip on the radar by comparison.

Sorry, NoClueBoy, Linus and Lucy was, in fact, introduced in A Charlie Brown Christmas, the first “Peanuts” special.

You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown is a stage musical, and while it has been produced for television, it does not contain any music by Vince Guaraldi. It does have a song of Lucy teaching Linus some rather dubious information, but the title of this song is “Little Known Facts.”

I love the grinch, so…

  1. Grinch
  2. Charlie Brown (I love the Christmas tree. It’s too much)
  3. Rudolph (I think this one might have scared me a bit as a kid)

I think Charlie Brown comes on tonight! :slight_smile:

  1. Charlie Brown
  2. Grinch
  3. Rudolph

And if we open up the field to any Christmas-themed program. .

  1. Scrooge (the 1951 version with Alastair Sim)
  2. White Christmas
  3. Christmas in Connecticut
  4. Charlie Brown

Charlie Brown is on tonight, on ABC. (It was always CBS when I was a kid).

I have to agree with Santos L Halper. I love animation of any kind but the Rankin Bass shows always bugged me too. I have a soft spot for Rudolph but even it’s annoying.