# Virtually forgotten Christmas Cartoons **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** cartoons-animation\ **Created:** [December 11, 2020, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtually-forgotten-christmas-cartoons/927853 "2020-12-11T19:37:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtually-forgotten-christmas-cartoons/927853/1 "2020-12-11T19:37:26Z")
We watch the same cartoons year after year – the Rankin-Bass **Rudolph** and all the other ones they made. **A Charlie Brown Christmas** (which you can see this year on PBS, even if you don’t have Apple+), and so on. But there are other, older, more obscure ones that don’t get aired as much. I don’t mean **Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol** , the first network TV Christmas Cartoon (I don’t count the Disney “From All of Us to All of You” episodes of their weekly show, which weren’t specials, and basically shilled their latest release) – that is, I think, too well known. I mean these pre-TV cartoons **Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer** (1948). Before Rankin and Bass did their version, Max Fleischer produced his last cartoon, a version of Rudolph that was faithful to Robert Lewis May book, which he wrote for Montgomery Ward for their giveaway coloring book in 1939. A completely different story from the 1964 stop-motion story [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzlIqX8y2to) **Christmas Comes but Once a Year** Directed by Dave Fleischer, and this time from Fleischer Studios (which was defunct by the time Max made Rudolph, having been essentially seized by Paramount and turned into Famous Studios). It’s the only Fleischer cartoon to star Grampy, the inventor character who had appeared in Betty Boop cartoons. This one was made in color, and features an impressive 3D rotating Christmas Tree at the end, made using Fleischer’s patented process. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2p17kBv8F5I/maxresdefault.jpg "Christmas Comes But Once a Year (1936)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p17kBv8F5I) Any others? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtually-forgotten-christmas-cartoons/927853/2 "2020-12-11T19:44:34Z")
Here’s another, although it’s not as old, it’s still probably as forgotten. In 1971 they ran a cartoon made for TV, an adaptation of Charles Dickens’ **A Christmas Carol**. You’re not impressed – there are plenty of versions of a Christmas Carol, including several animated ones. Okay, but this one has some impressive contributors: Chuck Jones – Producer Richard Williams (who helmed the animation for **Who Framed Roger Rabbit** ) – Animation Direction Alistair Sim – reprising his role as Scrooge from the 1951 movie Michael Hordern - reprising his role from the 1951 film as Markey’s Ghost Michael Redgrave as the Narrator The film was drawn in the style of famous illustrated versions of the story – imitating John Leech’s illustrations for the original 1843 edition and Milo Winter’s illustrations from the 1930s. The film won the Academy Award in 1972 for Best Animated Short, before they changed the rules. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xUZfW1W_CMM/hqdefault.jpg "A Christmas Carol - Alastair Sim - Animated 1971/Chuck Jones (Full feature)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUZfW1W_CMM) ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtually-forgotten-christmas-cartoons/927853/3 "2020-12-11T20:52:18Z")
_Peace on Earth_ (1939) is set during the Xmas season and features lots of ill will and violence among men as well as some mighty cool rotoscoping. [https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2tycb5](https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2tycb5) ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtually-forgotten-christmas-cartoons/927853/4 "2020-12-11T20:57:39Z")
I don’t think “A Cosmic Christmas” is shown much nowadays. I could be wrong, though. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/5wxKQR9kTmo/maxresdefault.jpg "A Cosmic Christmas - Nelvana - 1977") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wxKQR9kTmo) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtually-forgotten-christmas-cartoons/927853/5 "2020-12-11T21:02:10Z")
> [@Dropo](#): > > _Peace on Earth_ (1939) is set during the Xmas season and features lots of ill will and violence among men as well as some mighty cool rotoscoping. I’d heard of this before, but never seen it. Director Hugh Harman and Rudolph Ising were legends of the golden age of cartoons. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtually-forgotten-christmas-cartoons/927853/6 "2020-12-11T21:03:59Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > I don’t think “A Cosmic Christmas” is shown much nowadays. I could be wrong, though. Never heard of this one! Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtually-forgotten-christmas-cartoons/927853/7 "2020-12-11T21:17:20Z")
Well, since somebody else has already broken the premise of “pre-TV”, the Wacky Wall Walker special, written by Mark Evanier! And it is bad. It is very bad. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xrpxNcu3mes/hqdefault.jpg "Deck The Halls with Wacky Walls") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrpxNcu3mes) ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtually-forgotten-christmas-cartoons/927853/8 "2020-12-11T21:35:23Z")
How about the 1969 Australian version of _A Christmas Carol_. One of the scarier versions of Marley’s ghost. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/4otTa2lRJnk/hqdefault.jpg "A Christmas Carol (1969 - Animated)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4otTa2lRJnk) ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtually-forgotten-christmas-cartoons/927853/9 "2020-12-11T21:48:32Z")
A Wish for Wings that Work, an Opus and Bill Christmas Special. It’s uneven, but has some memorable lines. “Albatross! Just be glad your wife didn’t leave you for an ALBATROSS!” voiced by an uncredited Robin Williams. And a wonderful return from commercial break into Lost Horizon seamlessly integrated into the animation. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/mLccxrDgi5U/hqdefault.jpg "A Wish For Wings That Work") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLccxrDgi5U) ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtually-forgotten-christmas-cartoons/927853/10 "2020-12-11T21:57:27Z")
A Wish For Wings That Work is Madame Pepperwinkle’s favorite Christmas show. We have it on DVD and watch it every year. My grandson (who is now 19) has always loved the Tom & Jerry’s Nutcracker Tale, but they show that every year, so it isn’t famous enough to be here. Here’s The Enchanted Square (1947) - a kindly cop gives a blind girl a Raggedy Ann doll, and the blind girl can “see” through R.A.'s eyes, so to speak. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/7hezi0ur8b4/maxresdefault.jpg "The Enchanted Square") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hezi0ur8b4) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtually-forgotten-christmas-cartoons/927853/11 "2020-12-11T22:05:39Z")
“A Wish For Wings That Work” has been a Christmas tradition at our place for many years. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtually-forgotten-christmas-cartoons/927853/12 "2020-12-11T22:31:05Z")
The season in general rather than specifically Christmas, Ub Iwerks’ _Jack Frost_: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/YqMKq3E3vPM/maxresdefault.jpg "CHRISTMAS CARTOON: Jack Frost ComiColor (1934) (HD 1080p)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqMKq3E3vPM) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2020, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtually-forgotten-christmas-cartoons/927853/13 "2020-12-12T00:23:19Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > A Wish for Wings that Work, an Opus and Bill Christmas Special. It’s uneven, but has some memorable lines. Oddly enough, although I;m a big Bloom County fan, I’ve never seen this one. Or the DVD. I’ve seen the book, though. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2020, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtually-forgotten-christmas-cartoons/927853/14 "2020-12-12T00:34:14Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > My grandson (who is now 19) has always loved the Tom & Jerry’s Nutcracker Tale, but they show that every year, so it isn’t famous enough to be here. I’ve never heard of this one. Is it online? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2020, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtually-forgotten-christmas-cartoons/927853/15 "2020-12-12T02:12:17Z")
This version of _A Christmas Carol_ takes a place among the best. It was produced by the great Chuck Jones, and directed by Richard Williams, who later was animation director for _Who Framed Roger Rabbit?_ Bonus – Alastair Sim, arguably the best Scrooge ever, reprised his role, as did Michael Hordern playing Marley. Excellent animation, too. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xUZfW1W_CMM/hqdefault.jpg "A Christmas Carol - Alastair Sim - Animated 1971/Chuck Jones (Full feature)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUZfW1W_CMM) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2020, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtually-forgotten-christmas-cartoons/927853/16 "2020-12-12T02:16:58Z")
I think there are clips (or maybe even the whole show) on You Tube. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2020, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtually-forgotten-christmas-cartoons/927853/17 "2020-12-12T04:56:05Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > his version of _A Christmas Carol_ takes a place among the best. It was produced by the great Chuck Jones, and directed by Richard Williams, who later was animation director for _Who Framed Roger Rabbit?_ Bonus – Alastair Sim, arguably the best Scrooge ever, reprised his role, as did Michael Hordern playing Marley. Excellent animation, too. Have a look at the second entry in this thread. Good to see others feel the same way. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2020, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtually-forgotten-christmas-cartoons/927853/18 "2020-12-12T05:02:58Z")
I saw this one on TV when I was three or four, and it scared the hell out of me. Especially the part where the soldier with the gas mask rose out of the trench. Yikes! 😲 ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2020, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtually-forgotten-christmas-cartoons/927853/19 "2020-12-12T20:23:27Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > > [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > > > My grandson (who is now 19) has always loved the Tom & Jerry’s Nutcracker Tale, but they show that every year, so it isn’t famous enough to be here. > > I’ve never heard of this one. Is it online? Dailymotion has it. [tom and jerry nutcracker - Search Videos](https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=tom+and+jerry+nutcracker&docid=608046766855687488&mid=5B6E57BE5930846E38E95B6E57BE5930846E38E9&view=detail&FORM=VIRE) ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2020, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtually-forgotten-christmas-cartoons/927853/20 "2020-12-12T23:58:44Z")
“Olive, the Other Reindeer”, about a dog who subs in for a reindeer, was fun. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtually-forgotten-christmas-cartoons/927853.md?page=2)