Life with Louie: A Christmas Surprise for Mrs. Stillman (TV 1994)

Comedian Louie Anderson tells a story of one Christmas when he was a kid, growing up in Wisconsin, and how he and his dad brought Christmas cheer to a woman who appeared to have none.

Director:

Matthew O'Callaghan

Writers:

Louie Anderson (material by), Louie Anderson (created for television by),

Stars:

Louie Anderson, Edie McClurg, Justin Shenkarow

Cast

Cast overview:
Louie Anderson	...	Himself / Andy Anderson (Dad) / Little Louie (voice)
Edie McClurg	...	Ora Anderson (Mom) (voice)
Justin Shenkarow	...	Michael Grunewald (voice)
Debi Derryberry	...	Jeannie Harper (voice)
Miko Hughes	...	Tommy Anderson (voice)
Troy Evans	...	Policeman (voice)
Wallace Langham	...	(voice)
Laura Leighton	...	(voice)
Liz Sheridan	...	Mrs. Stillman (voice)

Storyline

When Louie Anderson was a kid, he lived with 10 siblings and a loud-mouthed father. Now Christmas was rolling around and everyone but Dad was in the spirit. They go out and buy a Christmas tree - for $35. Then Dad literally throws lights on the house. Mom notices elderly neighbor Mrs. Stillman, who's widowed and all alone, so Mom talks Dad into decorating her house for her while Mom takes her out. Dad has Louie help him. He's hounded by cops and neighborhood kids who take him for a burglar, but soon they help out as well. Mrs. Stillman loves the surprise, and so when January comes around, guess who Dad nominates to help him take down the decorations.

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Plot Keywords:

christmas | light | christmas tree | neighbor | decoration | 

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Genres:

Animation | Short | Family | Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 December 1994 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hyperion Pictures, Anderson/Hassan Entertainment, Fox Children's Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Many scenes are true stories from Louie Anderson's past, such as the buying of the Xmas tree and dad saying that because the tree cost $35, it should dance.

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Quotes

Dad: Just wait 'til that old bird sees her electric bill. She'll wish that she had married Tom Edison.

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Connections

Spin-off Life with Louie (1995)

User Reviews

Worth watching

I was fully prepared to pay little attention to this Xmas special, but it succeeds in doing what most animated specials fail to do - it actually creates a nice, Xmasy atmosphere.

Based loosely on the childhood experiences of rotund comedian Louie Anderson it is sort of a cross between A Christmas Story and a scene from Christmas Vacation. Set in the late 50s/early 60s Louie's curmudgeon dad grudgingly goes along with annual traditions and is eventually encouraged to decorate the house of a lonely old lady with Xmas lights. As Clark Griswold once learned, it's not so easy.

It's funny, and cosy, and better than most Xmas specials I've been watching recently.