The Christmas Carol (1949) (TV)

Director:

Arthur Pierson

Writers:

Charles Dickens (short story "A Christmas Carol")
Arthur Pierson (adaptation)

Release Date:

December 1949 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Short | Fantasy

Plot Keywords:

Victorian Era | Redemption | 1840s | Ghost | Compassion

Cast

Vincent Price	...	Host / Narrator
Taylor Holmes	...	Ebeneezer Scrooge
Patrick Whyte	...	Bob Cratchit (as Pat White)
Robert Clarke	...	Fred
Earl Lee	...	Ghost of Jacob Marley
Nelson Leigh	...	Ghost of Christmas Past
Joe Battista	...	Boy Scrooge
George James	...	Ghost of Christmas Present
Queenie Leonard	...	Mrs. Cratchit
Mike Miller	...	Peter Cratchit
Karen Kester	...	Belinda Cratchit
Jill St. John	...	Missie Cratchit (as Jill Oppenheim)
Robert Hyatt	...	Tiny Tim (as Bobby Hyatt)
Constance Cavendish	...	Martha (as Connie Cavendish)
Jack Nestle	...	Ghost of Christmas to Come

Also Known As:

A Christmas Carol (USA) (pre-release title)

Runtime:

25 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Jerry Fairbanks Inc., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Teletec

Quotes:

[first lines]
Host: G. K. Chesterton has said 'In everyone there is a certain thing that loves children, fears death and that likes sunlight: that thing enjoys Dickens.'

Movie Connections:

Featured in Christmas Unwrapped: The History of Christmas (1997) (TV)

Soundtrack:

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

A funny little production of "The Christmas Carol"

This condensed version of the Dickens story was shown on CBN one December in the mid-1980s. I taped it, and our family has enjoyed watching it each Christmas since then. The production is simple, but certain of the elements evoke unintended laughs. Only about half of the actors use British accents. Taylor Holmes' portrayal of Scrooge is very melodramatic, and we laugh at some of his delivered lines. The effect of Marley breaking through Scrooge's door is also very funny: a shot of the door is superimposed with Marley walking through a large sheet of paper and accompanied by a big "boom" sound effect. However, the program is very charming, despite the mediocre production values. I hope it is made available someday, even as a bargain-bin DVD.