Frosty the Snowman (1969) (TV)

Directors:

Jules Bass
Arthur Rankin Jr.

Writer:

Romeo Muller (writer)

Release Date:

7 December 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Short | Family | Fantasy | Musical

Plot:

A living snowman and a little girl struggle to elude a greedy magician who is after the snowman's magic hat.

Plot Keywords:

Snowman | Magician | Train | Christmas | Magic Hat

Cast

Jimmy Durante	...	Narrator (voice)
Billy De Wolfe	...	Professor Hinkle (voice)
Jackie Vernon	...	Frosty the Snowman (voice)
Paul Frees	...	Santa Claus / Traffic Cop / Additional Voices (voice)
June Foray	...	Teacher / Karen / Additional Voices (voice)

Runtime:

22 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

USA:TV-G | UK:U

Company:

Rankin/Bass Productions

Trivia:

Voice actress June Foray was cast for both Karen and the Teacher and had recorded vocals for both characters. However, only her recordings for the Teacher made it into the final special as another actress was called in to replace Foray's Karen, for reasons that even Foray herself to this day does not know. No changes were made to the credits, so the actual voice actress we hear as Karen remains unknown and uncredited. Foray's Karen can be heard on the Rhino Records soundtrack.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Frosty attempts to count to 10, he starts counting to 5 on his fingers, and he has 5 fingers on one hand and 4 on the other. Then after he finishes counting, both hands have 4.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator: I suppose it all started with the snow. You see, it was a very special kind of snow. A snow that made the happy happier, and the giddy even giddier. A snow that'd make a homecoming homier, and natural enemies, friends, natural. For it was the first snow of the season. And as any child can tell you, there's a certain magic that comes with the very first snow, especially when it falls on the day before Christmas. For when the first snow is also a Christmas snow...
[laughs]
Narrator: Well, something wonderful is bound to happen.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Unaccompanied Minors (2006)

Soundtrack:

Frosty the Snowman

Rankin/Bass' Frosty the Snowman still charming after all these years

I just saw Frosty the Snowman for the first time in several years since the late '80s and while I noticed some lapses on logic and continuity, it's still one of the most charming animated holiday specials ever from Rankin/Bass which for once used drawn, as opposed to doll, animation. In one of his last assignments, Jimmy Durante narrates and sings in his unique voice, charming us even in animated form. Billy DeWolfe is amusing as the villainous magician Professor Hinkle. And Jackie Vernon is perfect voicing Frosty who always says, "Happy Birthday!" when he comes to life. Also kudos to June Foray as the teacher and Paul Frees as both the traffic cop who swallows a whistle after talking to Frosty and as Santa Claus who makes Hinkle write "I am very sorry for what I did to Frosty" one zillion times before considering giving him presents again! How ironic that one year after Frosty, Frees would voice the villainous Burgermeister Meisterburger, Claus' enemy in Santa Claus is Comin' to Town. Both Claus here and Burgermeister even sound the same! Anyway, as the song goes, "Don't you cry, I'll be back again some day!" And we'll be waiting every time, Frosty!