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:

christmas | snow | miser | vacation | santa claus | 

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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:

Anul fără Moş Crăciun

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

The painting hanging in Santa Claus' bedroom is the same one that is put up in the town hall at the end of Santa Claus is Comin' to Town (1970).

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Goofs

When the gang leaves Snow Miser's place, Jingle Bells's clock reads 11:45. While the gang is at Heat Miser's place, Jingle Bells's clock reads 10:30.

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Quotes

Heat Miser's Men: He's Mister Green Christmas. He's Mister Sun. He's Mister Heat Blister. He's Mister Hundred-and-One.
Heat Miser: They call me Heat Miser. Whatever I touch starts to melt in my clutch. I'm too much.

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Connections

Featured in The Year Without a Santa Claus (2006)

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Soundtracks

Snow Miser
Music by Maury Laws
Lyrics by Jules Bass
Performed by Dick Shawn

User Reviews

Miser Brothers Rule!

OK, so this film came out 4 years before I even existed...I still absolutely love it! I've always adored the Rankin/Bass classic "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" but it hasn't been until more recent years that I began really getting into other Rankin/Bass movies. Rudolph will always be my favorite, but I think TYWASC is my next favorite, largely due to the Miser Brothers, Snow Miser and Heat Miser. They definitely steal the show! Their catchy theme songs will get stuck in your head, and you'll find yourself humming them! ("I'm Mr. White Christmas, I'm Mr. Snow...I'm Mr. Icicle, I'm Mr. Ten Below!") Other highlights in the movie is the absolutely adorable baby reindeer, Vixen, who falls ill after being subjected to the heat in South Town (but fully recovers!) and of course Ignatius (Iggy) who's the boy who learns to believe in Santa. I love the part when Mrs. Claus starts talking about Iggy and she says "nice name too," in kind of a sarcastic manner.(I think someone else mentioned that in an earlier post, but I have to agree, it's hilarious!) Over all, it's not an edge-of-your-seat thriller by far, but it's not meant to be. It's a nice classic Christmas tale with that stop-animation that Rankin and Bass are so famous for. I highly recommend this to children and adults alike. And if you don't like the movie as a whole, you can't help but love those Miser Brothers!