Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962) (TV)

Director:

Abe Levitow

Writers:

Charles Dickens (story)
Barbara Chain (adaptation)

Release Date:

18 December 1962 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Comedy | Drama | Family | Fantasy | Musical

Plot:

An animated, magical, musical version of Dickens' timeless classic "A Christmas Carol." The nearsighted Mr...

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | Ghost | Christmas Eve | Scrooge | Doom

Cast

Jim Backus	...	Ebenezer Scrooge / Mr. Magoo (voice)
Morey Amsterdam	...	Brady / James (voice)
Jack Cassidy	...	Bob Cratchit (voice)
Royal Dano	...	Marley's Ghost (voice)
Paul Frees	...	Stage Director / Charity Man / Fezziwig / Eyepatch Man / Tall Tophat Man (voice)
Joan Gardner	...	Tiny Tim / Ghost of Christmas Past (voice)
John Hart	...	Billings / Stage Manager / Milkman (voice)
Jane Kean	...	Belle (voice)
Marie Matthews	...	Young Scrooge (voice)
Laura Olsher	...	Mrs. Cratchit (voice)
Les Tremayne	...	Ghost of Christmas Present (voice)

Also Known As:

A Christmas Carol (USA) (short title)

Runtime:

53 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #20330) | USA:G

Company:

United Productions of America (UPA)

Trivia:

The word "humbug" is misunderstood by many people, which is a pity since the word provides a key insight into Scrooge's hatred of Christmas. The word "humbug" describes deceitful efforts to fool people by pretending to a fake loftiness or false sincerity. So when Scrooge calls Christmas a humbug, he is claiming that people only pretend to charity and kindness in an scoundrel effort to delude him, each other, and themselves. In Scrooge's eyes, he is the one man honest enough to admit that no one really cares about anyone else, so for him, every wish for a Merry Christmas is one more deceitful effort to fool him and take advantage of him. This is a man who has turned to profit because he honestly believes everyone else will someday betray him or abandon him the moment he trusts them.

Quotes:

Ebenezer Scrooge: Spirit! They're gone! Spirit, they've vanished!
Ghost of Christmas Past: Not quite all.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Six Feet Under: Pilot (#1.1)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

Ringle, Ringle

a treasure of Christmas to be remembered and shared

I join the many other writers who remember and treasure "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol" with great fondness. Like others, I remember seeing it on its first night 40 years ago. Indeed, a time that seems simpler and nostalgic now. This week,I viewed a VHS tape copy I received and was really charmed and impressed by its quality. The animation is sweet, gentle and from an earlier time. The story adaptation from Dickens is excellent. The concept of Magoo on Broadway performing the "Carol" is really inventive and works well. What I strongly recommend to all is the outstanding and, at times, poignant music There is music and lyric here to equal and surpass much more famous shows. I hope that this wonderful treasure can be re-discovered and enjoyed by a new generation in the years to come. It deserves to be remembered and appreciated.