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 | Scrooge | Christmas Eve | Ghost | Broadway Manhattan New York City

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 / Old Joe / Undertaker (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)

Directed by
Abe Levitow

Writing credits
Charles Dickens		(story)
Barbara Chain		(adaptation)

Produced by
Lee Orgel	....	producer
Henry G. Saperstein	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Jule Styne

Film Editing by
Earl Bennett
Sam Horta
Wayne Hughes
George Probert

Production Design by
Corny Cole		(as 'Corny' Cole)
Lee Mishkin
Marty Murphy
Tony Rivera
Shirley Silvey
Bob Singer
Dick Ung		(as Richard Ung)
Sam Weiss

Production Management
Paul Carlson	....	production manager
Earl Jonas	....	production manager

Animation Department
Gerard Baldwin	....	sequence director
Steve Clark	....	sequence director
Duane Crowther	....	sequence director
Jack Heiter	....	color stylist
Bob Inman	....	color stylist
Tom McDonald	....	animator
Phill Norman	....	color stylist (as Phil Norman)
Casey Onaitis	....	animator
Hank Smith	....	animator
Ed Solomon	....	animator
John Walker	....	animator
Dave Weidman	....	color stylist
Gloria Wood	....	color stylist
Xenia	....	animator

Music Department
Walter Scharf	....	composer: incidental music
Walter Scharf	....	conductor

Production Companies

• United Productions of America (UPA)

Distributors

• Anderson Digital (2013) (USA) (video) (Digital)
• Classic Media (DVD)
• GoodTimes Home Video (DVD)
• Maron Films (1970) (USA)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1962) (USA) (TV) (original network telecast)
• Paramount Home Video (video)

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

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The show mentions the Cratchits not having a Christmas tree. Although Christmas trees had been introduced by 1843, the year in which "A Christmas Carol" was published and presumably takes place, the use of the tree in homes had not yet become a widespread custom in England.

Quotes:

Ebenezer Scrooge:Merry Christmas. Out upon 'Merry Christmas!' If I could work my will, every fool who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart! Bah! Humbug!

Movie Connections:

Featured in A Hollywood Christmas (1996) (V)

Soundtrack:

Alone in the World

DVD restores footage cut from recent broadcast versions

Like others, I too had vivid memories of watching this as a child in the 60's. I could still remember the "razzleberry dressing" lines and the disembodied mouths singing the "Despicable" song some 30 years later when I finally saw it being broadcast again, and was able to record it off the air. Over the past ten years I've watched that tape repeatedly, and never cease to be amazed at the portrayal and the remarkable music and lyrics.

But it wasn't until I got the DVD version as a Christmas gift that I realized nearly ten minutes had been cut from that broadcast version. Imagine my delight to watch the DVD and "discover" three whole scenes (including two complete songs) that I'm sure I hadn't seen since the original prime time airings in the 60's. The DVD quality is excellent as well (in contrast to the annoying "speed change" glitches in the broadcast soundtrack).

If, as I do, you consider this a Christmas "classic", don't rely on broadcast showings -- get the DVD, and enjoy it in its entirety.