The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)

When a weary and discouraged Santa Claus considers skipping his Christmas Eve run one year, Mrs. Claus and his Elves set out to change his mind.

Directors:

Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr.

Writers:

William J. Keenan (teleplay) (as William Keenan), Phyllis McGinley (novel)

Stars:

Shirley Booth, Mickey Rooney, Dick Shawn

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Shirley Booth	...	Mrs. Santa (voice)
Mickey Rooney	...	Santa Claus (voice)
Dick Shawn	...	Snow Miser (voice)
George S. Irving	...	Heat Miser (voice)
Bob McFadden	...	Jingle Bells (voice)
Rhoda Mann	...	Mother Nature (voice)
Bradley Bolke	...	Jangle Bells (voice)
Ron Marshall	...	Mr. Thistlewhite (voice)
Colin Duffy	...	Ignatius Thistlewhite (voice)
Christine Winter	...	Blue Christmas girl (voice)
The Wee Winter Singers	...	Chorus (voice)

Storyline

Mrs. Claus tells us about the time Santa had a bad cold and decided to take a vacation from Christmas. Two of his elves, Jingle Bells and Jangle Bells decided to go out (with Vixen) to find children to convince Santa that the Christmas spirit is still important to everybody else. But they have to get past Heat Miser and Snow Miser, first, before they land in Southtown, USA, where it never snows for Christmas. But the Miser Brothers can't agree to let it snow in Southtown. But Mrs. Santa knows their mom--Mother Nature.

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Plot Keywords:

1970s | elves | mrs. santa | nature deity | nature goddess | 

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Genres:

Animation | Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Musical

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Certificate:

TV-G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 December 1974 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Year Without a Santa Claus

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rankin/Bass Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

51 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jessica/Mrs. Claus has red hair in Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970), while Mrs. Claus in this film has red highlights.

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Goofs

When Heat Miser is singing, he touches the moon and it melts, however it melts first away from his finger/hand; it rightly should melt where his finger/hand first touch it then melt bit by bit further away from him.

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Quotes

Mrs. Santa: Would you mind doing us a favor?
Heat Miser: I don't see why I should. No one ever does anything for me. What is it?
Mrs. Santa: Could you let it snow in the south for one day?
Heat Miser: WHAT? SNOW IN THE SOUTH?
Mrs. Santa: Just for one day?
Heat Miser: NEVER!
[thinks for a few seconds]
Heat Miser: Hmmm... unless of course... there was... you know... something in it for me?

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Connections

Followed by Frosty Returns (1992)

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Soundtracks

I Believe in Santa Claus
Music by Maury Laws
Lyrics by Jules Bass
Performed by Mickey Rooney and Ron Marshall

User Reviews

Beloved Christmas Cartoon

If you were alive and cognizant during the 1970's, you must remember the "Heat Miser" and "Snow Miser" songs, but less remembered is one other... "So you don't believe in Santa Claus", which is, imho, one of the most important that Rankin & Bass ever produced. It is about faith backed with personal experience, but in a non-religious-specific way that everyone can relate to alike. The only other Rankin/Bass special that even comes close is "'Twas the Night Before Christmas", and its song about belief in the world's true magic, a belief that some children hold and most adults sadly do not.

The animation in "The Year Without A Santa Claus" is stop-motion in the tradition of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer", "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", and "Rudolph's Shiny New Year". I call this a must see for every child -- and adult.