Mrs. Santa Claus (1996) (TV)

Director:

Terry Hughes

Writer:

Mark Saltzman (written by)

Release Date:

8 December 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Musical

Plot:

Neglected by her husband during the pre-Christmas rush, Mrs. Santa Claus takes the reindeer and sleigh out for a drive...

Plot Keywords:

Santa Claus | Manhattan New York City | Female Protagonist | Husband Wife Relationship | Female Empowerment

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 5 nominations

Cast

Angela Lansbury	...	Mrs. Santa Claus
Michael Jeter	...	Arvo
Terrence Mann	...	Augustus P. Tavish
Lynsey Bartilson	...	Nora Kilkenny
Bryan Murray	...	Officer Doyle
David Norona	...	Marcello Damaroco (as David Noroña)
Debra Wiseman	...	Sadie Lowenstein
Charles Durning	...	Santa Claus
Rosalind Harris	...	Mrs. Lowenstein
Grace Keagy	...	Mrs. Brandenheim
Linda Kerns	...	Mrs. Shaughnessy
Chachi Pittman	...	Izzy (as Chachi Pittmann)
Sabrina Bryan	...	Fritzie
Bret Easterling	...	Emilio
Mitchah Williams	...	Henry
Kristi Lynes	...	Elf #1
Jamie Torcellini	...	Elf #2
Mick Murray	...	Michael Kilkenny
Ken Kerman	...	Stage Doorman
John Wheeler	...	Man in Santa Suit
Tony Perrotta	...	Italian Neighbor
Jean Kaufman	...	Jewish Neighbor
Stacy Sullivan	...	Miss MacGonnigle
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jerry Herman	...	Piano Player (uncredited)
Courtney Pakiz	...	Elf (uncredited)
Marilyn Rising	...	Elf (uncredited)

Directed by
Terry Hughes

Writing credits
Mark Saltzman		(written by)

Produced by
Mark A. Burley	....	supervising producer
Eric Ellenbogen	....	co-producer
J. Boyce Harman Jr.	....	producer
Priscilla Morgan	....	associate producer
David Shaw	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Jerry Herman

Cinematography by
Stephen M. Katz		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Stan Cole

Casting by
Mike Fenton

Production Design by
Hub Braden

Art Direction by
Mary Dodson

Set Decoration by
Ellen Totleben

Costume Design by
Bob Mackie

Makeup Department
Robin Beauchesne	....	key makeup artist
Renate Leuschner	....	wigs: Ms. Lansbury's
Lola 'Skip' McNalley	....	hair stylist (as Lola 'Skip' McNalley)
Gloria Montemayor	....	key hair stylist
Ray Sebastian	....	makeup artist
Dorothy Andre	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Bridget Bergman	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Michael F. Blake	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Jeff Cox	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Iris V. Gillispie	....	key makeup artist (uncredited)
Timothy A. Miguel	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Cass Coty	....	production supervisor
Dee D'Orazio	....	post-production supervisor
J. Boyce Harman Jr.	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Algric Leo Chaplin	....	second second assistant director (as Algric Chaplin)
Kevin Corcoran	....	first assistant director
Martha L. Mericka	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Roger Apperson	....	construction coordinator
Ellen Freund	....	property master
Craig Gadsby	....	leadman
Tony Guastella	....	leadman
Leslie Lawson	....	paint foreperson
Tedi Tate	....	assistant property master
Doug Vlaming	....	construction foreman
Tom Jung	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)
Steve Purdy	....	art department production assistant (uncredited)
Rich Romig	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Wayne Ardman	....	re-recording mixer
Brian Bidder	....	sound mixer
Robert L. Harman	....	re-recording mixer (as Bob Harman)
Michael A. Patillo	....	sound playback (as Michael Patillo)
Jeff Shannon	....	assistant engineer
J.R. Westen	....	re-recording mixer
Glenn Young	....	boom operator
Tim Chilton	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Bob Costanza	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Tommy Goodwin	....	foley mixer (uncredited)
Dennis Sager	....	adr engineer (uncredited)
Dean St. John	....	adr mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
James Reedy	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Stephanie Powell	....	visual effects supervisor
Lon Tinney	....	visual effects producer
Matt Haslam	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Chere Rae	....	stunt double: Ms. Lansbury

Camera and Electrical Department
Marshall Adams	....	gaffer
Steve Barnes	....	camera operator (as Steven Barnes)
Matthew Devitt	....	best boy grip
Bill Finger	....	first assistant cameraman (as William Finger)
Michael Goldman	....	best boy grip
Dennis Grow	....	rigging gaffer
Bill Layton	....	camera operator
Randall Marcus	....	still photographer
Robin Melhuish	....	first assistant cameraman
Andrew Smith	....	best boy electric
Michael Starkey	....	rigging grip
R. Michael Stringer	....	grip (uncredited)
Keith Talley	....	key grip (as Keith A. Talley)
Michael Bratkowski	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Ray Brown	....	grip (uncredited)
Steve Cooke	....	electrician (uncredited)
Michael Starkey	....	key rigging grip (uncredited)
Maliz van Ooyen	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Allison Cowitt	....	casting
Rachel Davies	....	casting assistant
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mary Fleming	....	costumer: Ms. Lansbury's
James Gadd	....	wardrobe supervisor
Lisa Tomczeszyn	....	assistant costume designer
Eilish Zebrasky	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Viv Kim	....	negative cutting
Mary Pritchard	....	assistant editor
Yelena Lanskaya	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Larry Blank	....	music supervisor
Larry Blank	....	orchestrations
Alice Borden	....	audition vocalist
Dennis Dreith	....	additional orchestrations
Patti Fidelibus	....	music copyist (as Pat Fidelibus)
Sooky Fidelibus	....	music copyist
Mark Green	....	music editor
Jerry Herman	....	lyrics by
Jerry Herman	....	musical supervisor
Steve Lively	....	vocal contractor
Don Pippin	....	conductor
Don Pippin	....	music producer
John Richards	....	music mixed by
John Richards	....	music recorded by
Joe Soldo	....	orchestra contractor
Joe Soldo	....	orchestra manager
Rick Winquest	....	scoring mixer

Transportation Department
Bobby Jo Cawley	....	transportation coordinator
James D. D'Amico	....	transportation coordinator (as James D'Amico)
Bruce Callahan	....	driver (uncredited)
Mel Langford	....	production driver (uncredited)
Lowell D. Smith	....	driver: cast trailer (uncredited)

Other crew
Stefan Dessalines	....	key production assistant
Betty A. Griffin	....	script supervisor (as Betty Abbott-Griffin)
David Krane	....	dance arranger
Asaf Landau	....	key production assistant
Jack Lilley	....	boss wrangler
Rob Marshall	....	choreography
Billy Martin	....	key production assistant
Barney McNulty	....	cue cards
Sarah Miles	....	assistant choreographer
Dorothy Morey	....	assistant: David Shaw
Gayle Phelps	....	trainer
Juanita Presley	....	production associate
Lynnet Price	....	production coordinator (as Lynnet Marie Price)
Rod Ripley	....	key production assistant
Todd Schroeder	....	voice coach: Ms. Lansbury's
Chip Touhey	....	key production assistant (as John 'Chip' Touhey)
Pamela Varney	....	assistant: Mr. Burley
Katherine Wallace	....	executive assistant: Ms. Lansbury
Elise Ganz	....	studio teacher (uncredited)
Matthew Howard	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Mike Montesano	....	on-set medic (uncredited)
Robert Penrose	....	on-set medic (uncredited)
Michael Picarella	....	production assistant (uncredited)
John Plant	....	craft service (uncredited)
Maurice Schwartzman	....	lead dancer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Corymore Productions
• Hallmark Entertainment

Distributors

• Alpha Filmes (199?) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1996) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Hallmark Home Entertainment
• LK-TEL (2007) (Argentina) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Fantasy II Film Effects (uncredited)
• Greenberg/Schluter (visual effects sequences designed by)

Other Companies

• American Humane Association, The  animal action was monitored by (as the American Humane Association)
• Broadway Video  pre-production services by
• Central Casting  extras casting
• Eastman Kodak  filmed on
• Echo Sound Services  sound editing by (as Echo Sound Services, Inc.)
• F-Stop  titles and opticals (as F-Stop, Inc.)
• Four Media Company  re-recorded at
• Hollywood Digital  video post-production services by
• O'Henry Sound Studios  music mixed at (as O'Henry's, Burbank, CA)
• O'Henry Sound Studios  music recorded at (as O'Henry's, Burbank, CA)
• Otto Nemenz International  cameras by (as Otto Nemenz)
• Rescues Unlimited  set medics (uncredited)
• Steve Martin's Working Wildlife  animals trained by

Also Known As:

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor) (uncredited)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby (as Dolby SurroundTM)

Certification:

USA:G | Australia:G | Argentina:Atp | Portugal:M/6 | UK:U (video rating) (2010)

Filming Locations:

Hayvenhurst Studios - 7017 Hayvenhurst Avenue, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Corymore Productions

Trivia:

The Debbie Reynolds' Dance Studio, located on Lankershim Boulevard, adjacent Universal Studios, was the rehearsal studio used by choreographer Rob Marshall, and (sister) Sarah Miles. The art department brought into the rehearsal space, and rotated all the necessary prop tables, stools, front bars, benches, which were used in the production dance numbers. The director Terry Hughes, the director of photography Stephen M. Katz, and Jerry Herman, attended every day of the six week preliminary production dance rehearsals and staging routines developed for the musical.

Quotes:

Mrs. Santa Claus:[takes Nora aside] I have to go now, sweetheart.
Nora Kilkenny:All right, I'll see you tomorrow.
Mrs. Santa Claus:Actually, I'm going back home.
Nora Kilkenny:But you can't go! Not yet!
Mrs. Santa Claus:Someone back home really needs me. Now, don't worry, I haven't forgotten. I still have presents for you and the other kids.
Nora Kilkenny:Will I ever see you again?
Mrs. Santa Claus:Oh, I hope so. In the meantime, when you look up at the evening sky, and you see a star. You'll know who I'm thinking of.
[hugs Nora goodbye]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Biography: Angela Lansbury: A Balancing Act" (1998)

SPECTACULAR

This is a quality musical movie, with another ten star score from the great Jerry Herman, my favorite composer. Most others have said many of the things I wanted to say here, so I'll just say don't miss it. Someone questioned why politics were added. In Lansbury's biography, she states that she turned down the role at first because it was too "fluffy" and when they added the human rights thing she was more interested.

Composer Jerry Herman was very ill with HIV at the time this was being filmed. She also did this as a favor to him. He really wanted her to do the TV movie of MAME, saying that she was still able to pull it off, but she felt she was too old for the role, and so to do something for her friend, she did this musical, and I am glad she did this (although MAME would have been awesome, and finally a good movie).

The score, orchestrations are 10 out of 10, the only problem I had was with a few of the special effects, I felt they could have been a notch better.

Lansbury and Durning are excellent. This is a great 2 hour experience of the kind of movie that is so rare, and it works because of all of the broadway talent involved, that's who should be making musicals. Director Rob Marshall (Chicago) did the choreography and that's superb.

Great movie, great cast, great music! The DVD also has a great but short "making of." on it, the DVD is definitely in my collection! I wish some of Herman's other shows were good movies, Hello Dolly being the only good one, my opinion of course. There's The Grand Tour, Dear World, La Cage Aux Folles, Milk and Honey and Mack and Mabel, great musicals without being filmed.