Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysLGBTQ+ Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas

  • TV Movie
  • 19771977
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 48m
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
4K
YOUR RATING
Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (1977)
Clip: Song on the River
Play clip2:00
Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas
1 Video
7 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Family
A poor otter family risks everything for the chance to win the cash prize of a talent contest for Christmas.A poor otter family risks everything for the chance to win the cash prize of a talent contest for Christmas.A poor otter family risks everything for the chance to win the cash prize of a talent contest for Christmas.
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
4K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Jim Henson
  • Writers
    • Lillian Hoban(book)
    • Russell Hoban(book)
    • Jerry Juhl
  • Stars
    • Jerry Nelson(voice)
    • Frank Oz(voice)
    • Marilyn Sokol(voice)
Top credits
  • Director
    • Jim Henson
  • Writers
    • Lillian Hoban(book)
    • Russell Hoban(book)
    • Jerry Juhl
  • Stars
    • Jerry Nelson(voice)
    • Frank Oz(voice)
    • Marilyn Sokol(voice)
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 58User reviews
    • 15Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 4 Primetime Emmys
      • 1 win & 4 nominations total

    Videos1

    Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas
    Clip 2:00
    Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas

    Photos7

    Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (1977)
    Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (1977)
    Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (1977)
    Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (1977)
    Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (1977)
    Jerry Nelson in Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (1977)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jerry Nelson
    Jerry Nelson
    • Emmet Otter
    • (voice)
    • …
    Frank Oz
    Frank Oz
    • Chuck
    • (voice)
    • …
    Marilyn Sokol
    Marilyn Sokol
    • Ma Otter
    • (voice)
    Dave Goelz
    Dave Goelz
    • Wendell
    • (voice)
    • …
    Richard Hunt
    Richard Hunt
    • Charlie
    • (voice)
    • …
    Eren Ozker
    • Gretchen Fox
    • (voice)
    • …
    Jim Henson
    Jim Henson
    • Kermit the Frog
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    • …
    • Director
      • Jim Henson
    • Writers
      • Lillian Hoban(book)
      • Russell Hoban(book)
      • Jerry Juhl
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together
    7.8
    John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together
    A Muppet Family Christmas
    8.1
    A Muppet Family Christmas
    The Christmas Toy
    7.8
    The Christmas Toy
    The Little Drummer Boy
    7.0
    The Little Drummer Boy
    A Christmas Carol
    7.6
    A Christmas Carol
    Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
    7.7
    Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
    Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
    8.1
    Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
    Nutcracker
    6.8
    Nutcracker
    The Night the Animals Talked
    7.4
    The Night the Animals Talked
    Tales from Muppetland: The Muppet Musicians of Bremen
    7.5
    Tales from Muppetland: The Muppet Musicians of Bremen
    A Charlie Brown Christmas
    8.3
    A Charlie Brown Christmas
    The Great Muppet Caper
    7.1
    The Great Muppet Caper

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      On the documentary about the making of the show on the DVD, singer/composer Paul Williams says that when Jim Henson asked him to write the songs for it, Henson explained that the show was going to be a "trial run" for a proposed Muppet movie to check out whether the Henson company could handle certain technical tasks needed to produce a full-length theatrical feature. When The Muppet Movie (1979) came out two years later, Williams also wrote the songs used in that film.
    • Quotes

      Chuck: Look at the birds up in the tree.

      Harvey: We're not birds, we're a jug band!

    • Alternate versions
      The first two video releases, from 1982 and 1996, both did not include the scene with a group of bunnies dancing at the talent show. Both of these video releases also had a shortened version of "There ain't no hole in the washtub".
    • Connections
      Featured in The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years (1986)
    • Soundtracks
      The Old Bathing Suit That Your Grandma Otter Wore
      Written by Paul Williams

    User reviews58

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    I loved the mashed potatoes
    Charming Christmas special from Jim Henson, based on the book by Russell and Lillian Hoban. This sweet story is about dirt poor Emmet Otter and his mother. Unbeknownst to each other, they both get the idea to join a talent show in hopes of winning the prize money to buy a gift for the other. It's a sentimental tale with a great moral lesson and some nice songs. Wait until you get a load of the Riverbottom Nightmare Band! Try to find the uncut version if you can. Unfortunately, after Disney acquired the rights to the Muppets, some scenes were removed from the DVD releases. Still, whatever version you watch I'm sure you will enjoy this delightful Christmas special.
    helpful•7
    0
    • utgard14
    • Dec 11, 2013

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 4, 1977 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Canada
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Los Teleñecos: Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas
    • Filming locations
      • Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)
      • Henson Associates (HA)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $231,710
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $473,802
      • Dec 16, 2018
    • Gross worldwide
      • $231,710
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      48 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in July
    See the full list
    View image
    Photos
    Hollywood Romances: Our Favorite Couples
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.