Call Me Claus (2001)

Lucy's a producer on a home shopping channel. She hires the real Santa as Santa. He has to find his replacement as the real Santa in 4 weeks. Lucy is unknowingly the only candidate left.

Director:

Peter Werner

Writers:

Paul Mooney (story), Sara Bernstein (story)

Stars:

Whoopi Goldberg, Nigel Hawthorne, Brian Stokes Mitchell

Cast

Credited cast:
Whoopi Goldberg	...	Lucy Cullins
Nigel Hawthorne	...	Nick
Brian Stokes Mitchell	...	Cameron
Victor Garber	...	Taylor
Taylor Negron	...	Ralph
Frankie Faison	...	Dwayne (as Frankie R. Faison)
Alexandra Wentworth	...	P.A.
Melody Garrett	...	Mama
Robert Costanzo	...	Teamster Santa
Jazmn	...	Iesha
Bruce Vilanch	...	Himself
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nicholas Edwin Barb	...	Boy Onlooker (as Nicholas Barb)
Allyce Beasley	...	Telemarketer
Meredith Bird	...	Meredith (voice)
Juan Carlos Cantu	...	Doorman

Storyline

When Lucy Cullins, a successful but cranky producer at a home shopping network, hires an actor named Nick to play Santa Claus on the network she gets more than she bargained for. Nick really is Santa Claus, and he faces mandatory retirement after 200 years on the job. Nick must find his replacement by Christmas Eve or the world will face dire consequences and he has his sights set on Lucy.

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Plot Keywords:

christmas | destiny | 

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Taglines:

If She's Going To Save Christmas, She's Got Some Big Shoes To Fill.

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Genres:

Comedy | Family

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 December 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

A pót télapó

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia TriStar Television, TNT, Red Strokes Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Lucy calls Ralph by the wrong name during most of the movie, including Rakiki, Rashima, Residue, Risotto, Robespierre, and Rapscallion.

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Goofs

When the church congregation is outside when 'Santa' flies away, in between shots, the veil on Mama's hat alternates from being covered in snow to just having a few flakes.

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Quotes

Ralph: I think six guys in liederhosen would have stuck out at Hooter's.

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Connections

References The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986)

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Soundtracks

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Written by Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin
Performed by Garth Brooks
Courtesy of Capitol Records

User Reviews

The Whoopi Claus

Because she had true Christmas spirit as a young lass, "Shop-A-Lot" TV producer/pitch-woman Whoopi Goldberg (as Lucy Cullins) is chosen to be the world's new Santa Claus. This decision was made (in a 1965 flashback) by traditional roly-poly red-suited Nigel Hawthorne (as Nick). Being "Santa Claus" is revealed to be a 200-year job. If the presently grow-up and grumpy Ms. Goldberg can't get her girlish Christmas groove back, Earth will suffer a massive flood. Call her Scrooge. For Goldberg's Los Angeles-based home-shopping channel, she hires Mr. Hawthorne as a seasonal sales-marketing Santa and he tries to win her over. For a TV movie, "Call Me Claus" is nicely produced. This was the last role for Hawthorne, who performs memorably. The soundtrack music (by Van Dyke Parks) pleasantly moves it along. Having a woman take over the role of Santa Claus is an interesting and welcome premise, but the story really doesn't work. As it's destined to get lost in future years, we won't have to explain to millions of confused young children how Whoopi lost the job.

***** Call Me Claus (12/2/01) Peter Werner ~ Whoopi Goldberg, Nigel Hawthorne, Taylor Negron, Brian Stokes Mitchell