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The Stingiest Man in Town

  • TV Movie
  • 19781978
  • TV-PGTV-PG
  • 1h
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
434
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
The Stingiest Man in Town (1978)
  • Animation
  • Drama
  • Family
This version of the story is told from the perspective of B.A.H. Humbug. After Ebenezer Scrooge refuses to assist the poor or have Christmas Dinner with his nephew, he is visited by the ghos... Read allThis version of the story is told from the perspective of B.A.H. Humbug. After Ebenezer Scrooge refuses to assist the poor or have Christmas Dinner with his nephew, he is visited by the ghost of his one time business partner and friend, Jacob Marley. Marley tells him to change hi... Read allThis version of the story is told from the perspective of B.A.H. Humbug. After Ebenezer Scrooge refuses to assist the poor or have Christmas Dinner with his nephew, he is visited by the ghost of his one time business partner and friend, Jacob Marley. Marley tells him to change his ways and Scrooge refutes this as madness. He is then visited by three ghosts, all who sh... Read all
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
434
YOUR RATING
  • Directors
    • Jules Bass
    • Arthur Rankin Jr.
  • Writers
    • Janice Torre(book)
    • Romeo Muller
    • Charles Dickens(novel "A Christmas Carol")
  • Stars
    • Walter Matthau(voice)
    • Tom Bosley(voice)
    • Theodore Bikel(voice)
Top credits
  • Directors
    • Jules Bass
    • Arthur Rankin Jr.
  • Writers
    • Janice Torre(book)
    • Romeo Muller
    • Charles Dickens(novel "A Christmas Carol")
  • Stars
    • Walter Matthau(voice)
    • Tom Bosley(voice)
    • Theodore Bikel(voice)
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 13User reviews
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
    The Stingiest Man in Town (1978)
    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Walter Matthau
    Walter Matthau
    • Ebenezer Scroogeas Ebenezer Scrooge
    • (voice)
    Tom Bosley
    Tom Bosley
    • B.A.H. Humbugas B.A.H. Humbug
    • (voice)
    Theodore Bikel
    Theodore Bikel
    • Marley's Ghostas Marley's Ghost
    • (voice)
    Robert Morse
    Robert Morse
    • Young Scroogeas Young Scrooge
    • (voice)
    Dennis Day
    Dennis Day
    • Nephew Fredas Nephew Fred
    • (voice)
    Paul Frees
    Paul Frees
    • Ghost of Christmas Pastas Ghost of Christmas Past
    • (voice)
    • …
    Sonny Melendrez
    Sonny Melendrez
    • Bob Cratchitas Bob Cratchit
    • (voice)
    Debra Clinger
    Debra Clinger
    • Martha Cratchitas Martha Cratchit
    • (voice)
    • (as Debbie Clinger)
    Bobby Rolofson
    • Tiny Timas Tiny Tim
    • (voice)
    • (as Robert Rolofson)
    Steffi Calli
    • Belinda Cratchitas Belinda Cratchit
    • (voice)
    • (as Steffani Calli)
    Eric Hines
    • Peter Cratchitas Peter Cratchit
    • (voice)
    Dee Stratton
    • Fred's Wifeas Fred's Wife
    • (voice)
    Darlene Conley
    Darlene Conley
    • Mrs. Cratchitas Mrs. Cratchit
    • (voice)
    Shelby Flint
    • Belleas Belle
    • (voice)
    Diana Lee
      Charles Matthau
      Charles Matthau
      • The Boyas The Boy
      • (voice)
      • Directors
        • Jules Bass
        • Arthur Rankin Jr.
      • Writers
        • Janice Torre(book)
        • Romeo Muller
        • Charles Dickens(novel "A Christmas Carol")
      • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
      • All cast & crew

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      Storyline

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      Did you know

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      • Trivia
        While The Stingiest Man in Town (1978) is an adaptation of Charles Dickens' 1843 novella "A Christmas Carol", it is specifically an animated remake of a live-action musical version of "A Christmas Carol" that is also titled "The Stingiest Man in Town". That musical version, with book and lyrics by Janice Torre, aired as part of the NBC anthology series The Alcoa Hour (1955) in 1956.
      • Quotes

        B.A.H. Humbug: [singing] Christmas trees are brightly lighted/ Around the world, the church bells ring/ Big and small, all are invited/ To the birthday party of the King/ Mighty prince and humble peasant/ Each must choose a gift to bring/ Do you have a birthday present/ For the birthday party of the King?/ Once wise men came in His honor/ Bringing frankincense, myrrh, and gold/ But what is gold to a Ruler/ Who has all the stars to hold?/ Do you know what gift will please Him?/ Praise Him more than anything/ Bring a heart that truly loves Him/ To the birthday party of the King/

      • Connections
        Featured in Familiar Faces: Familiar Faces #46: The 12 Forgotten Animated Christmas Classics (2010)
      • Soundtracks
        A Christmas Carol/Overture
        (uncredited)

        Performed by Tom Bosley, Chorus and Orchestra

      User reviews13

      Review
      Top review
      5/10
      Why Didn't They Just Call It "A Christmas Carol"?
      "The Stingiest Man In Town" was a lost Christmas special churned out by Rankin-Bass, the company behind many of the most celebrated TV specials of all time. Those specials most notably include "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer", "Frosty The Snowman", and "The Little Drummer Boy". It doesn't matter that the animation style of these specials, whether regular, 2D animation or stop-motion, are archaic in comparison to the dominant, but not necessarily superior, 3D animation popular today. These specials stand the test of time for their colorful characters and great storytelling skills.

      This special, originally broadcast on network TV in 1978, just recently found its way onto DVD by way of the "Classic Christmas Favorites" box set. Although it is good to see such TV specials get the recognition they deserve after being put on the back-burner for 30+ years, "The Stingiest Man In Town" lacks the charm, purpose, and uniqueness of its TV predecessors. It's good, but not great.

      My major problem with this special is in the title. I will admit that one of my biggest pet peeves is when a movie that is clearly based on Charles Dickens' immortal "A Christmas Carol" is instead titled "Scrooge". Sure, the main character is Ebenezer Scrooge, but that's NOT the title of the story to which it is based. That said, the reason the title "The Stingiest Man In Town" does not sit well with me is because I was expecting a different story. Other men besides Scrooge can be stingy, can't they? Is Ebenezer Scrooge the only person in the history of literature and storytelling who initially hated Christmas? Of course not. So instead of getting a fresher story about a different man, Rankin-Bass here adds yet another version of "A Christmas Carol" to a never-ending list of movie versions.

      I will give this special credit for staying truer to the Dickens story than other versions. However, there's nothing unique or fresh about this retelling. Adding the character of B.A.H. Humbug the bug, a blatant and unnecessary ripoff of Jiminy Cricket, wasn't enough to make this retelling memorable. In fact, the bug doesn't interact much, if at all, with any of the main characters. Plus, he seems way too cheerful to be named after a word defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as "the quality of falseness or deception". Does that mean the bug is deceiving someone? It doesn't make sense.

      This TV special was not bad, mind you, but certainly is not as memorable as animation specials that Rankin-Bass had released before. There were musical numbers, but none of great significance. I can't fault the animation style, but the problem lay in it feeling as though the special was put together at the last minute. The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come makes one brief appearance as he points to a grave, and that fleeting moment, alas, is the extent of the dark, climactic turning point of the original story.

      Seeing as this T.V. special's original air date (according to this website) was two days before Christmas, there is no doubt in my mind that the special had added pressure to air before families supposedly turned off their TVs to cook Christmas dinner, do last minute shopping, or attend church services. If the special was, in fact, rushed, it really does show. It is true to the Dickens story, but it could have been so much more. As it is, it was just okay to me.
      helpful•1
      2
      • D_Burke
      • Jan 14, 2010

      Details

      Edit
      • Release date
        • December 23, 1978 (United States)
      • Country of origin
        • United States
      • Language
        • English
      • Also known as
        • 町一番のけちんぼう
      • Production companies
        • Rankin/Bass Productions
        • Topcraft
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Technical specs

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

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