My Top 10 Rankin and Bass Christmas Specials

 

   It was in the early 1960’s that Arthur Rankin and Jules Bass teamed up to create Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment. It was a Television division that produced animated specials and movies from 1963 to 1987. While they produced some animated movies in the vein of “The Last Unicorn” and “The Hobbit”, their real legacy will always be tied to their series of TV Christmas specials. 

It all started in 1964 with their stop-motion classic “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, and a series of holiday themed specials followed for the next two decades. They produced 18 Christmas specials all together, most of which featured the same style of puppet work and animation, while select others were traditionally hand-drawn. Weather you Love them, hate them, or are indifferent to them … the Rankin/Bass holiday specials are staples of the season, and have earned the right to be labeled as TV classics. For me personally … I grew-up with these specials, and while I wasn’t in love with them as a kid, I still watched them, and enjoyed them on some surface level. 

As an adult, I find myself really respecting them, admiring them, and even enjoying them more then I did as a kid. With the passing of Jules Bass this year, a legacy is left behind, and as such, I wanted to celebrate the holiday season by counting down my own personal top 10 favorite of the Rankin/Bass’s animated Christmas specials. Just a quick warning, these specials aren’t arranged by any kind of objective quality, or iconic status, and are simply based on how they left their impression on me, and have stuck with me over the years.

 

#10 “Pinocchio's Christmas” (1980)

Pinocchio is one of those characters who always seems to reappear with varying results … 2022 being a perfect example of both high- and low-quality adaptions of the story. His 1980 Christmas outing is an admittedly mixed offering, yet not without its appealing merits, and somehow still tying into the shared Rankin and Bass Christmas universe … even Santa Claus makes a cameo. 

When a magical tree from an enchanted forest is cut-down and sold for wood, a toy maker named Geppetto crafts a wooden boy from the bark … which seems to have a life and personality all its own. The wooden boy takes on the name Pinocchio, and while he has all the excitement and innocence of a child, he has to learn the difference between being naughty or nice. Thus, when looking for a special gift for his dad, he gets roped-up into an adventure, in which his virtues are put to the test. This was Rankin and Basses fifteenth Christmas special, and it’s definitely one of their more obscure entries. I’m honestly convinced that studios will give any popular character a Christmas special, and if not handled carefully, it can be kind of an average watch … although not entirely devoid of charm. Pinocchio oddly enough translates to Christmas quiet well, as he’s essentially a toy that comes to life, which in-of-itself is a winning formula for Christmas specials. Being a late Rankin Bass production, this special admittedly doesn’t have the same quality and merits of the classics. 

Yet, it’s undeniably an imaginative spin on the source material, rearranging events from the book, and giving them a lightened tone, while set against an atmospheric Christmas back-drop. The animation is also quiet appealing, with some of the studio’s most detailed and colorful sets on display. While I can’t make a persuasive argument for this as any kind of great holiday special … it’s always been appealing to me on a genuine surface level, with familiar characters going on a journey during one of my favorite holidays.      

 

#9 Frosty's Winter Wonderland (1976)

For the ninth entry in the Rankin and Bass Christmas collection, it was time for the long-awaited return of everyone’s favorite living snowman. It’s been eight years sense Frosty the Snowman first came to life, and sense then, the kids have been eagerly awaiting his return. When a giant snow storm heads their way, Frosty gets the idea to leave the North Pole, and fulfil his promise to come back again someday … much to the announce of the mystical Jack Frost, who’s annoyed he doesn’t get the same amount of love and attention. 

Frosty meanwhile is happy to bring joy to the kids, but is eager to find a snow-bride of his own to take back with him to the North Pole. Thus, with the help of the kids, they create a new enchanted Snow-woman named Crystal, who not only fills in the lonely place in Forty’s life, but may even be able to win over the cold-hearted Jack Frost. While this sequel doesn’t reach quiet the same charm of the first, it’s still leaps and bounds better than the stand-alone 1992 reboot sequel titled “Frosty Returns”. Jackie Vernon didn’t lose an ounce of his charisma in the lead role of Frosty, and the new characters are welcome additions. Also, intentional or not, I love the irony of the cast’s names, with Forty’s new snow-wife Crystal being voiced by Shelly Winters, and Jack Frost being voiced by Paul Frees … I wouldn’t be surprised if they were casted on account of their last names having a seasonal tie-in. 

Actually, Paul Frees was a regular voice actor for Rankin and Bass animation, and is a vocal talent I’ll be highlighting in a number of their specials. In general, Frosty the Snowman was one of my childhood favorite Christmas characters, and my personal favorite of the shared Rankin and Bass holiday universe. As such, it’s easy to enjoy seeing his story grow with a new family. It also works as a decent introduction to Jack Frost, who’d have his own string of appearances after this.        

 

#8 “Rudolph's Shiny New Year” (1976)

The same year Frosty returned, Rankin and Bass tenth holiday special saw the return of the iconic Reindeer with the shiny noise … and just in time for New Years. After Rudolph saved Christmas, it was time for a new mission to save New Year’s Day. In this holiday universe, the Happy New Year comes in the form of a baby named Happy, who lives with Father Time. However, this particular baby was born with large ears, which made the lad feel like a freak, prompting him to run-away to a number of fantastical islands.

 Rudolph naturally can sympathize with feeling like an outcast, and thus, set’s off on a journey to rescue the baby, and teach him to embrace the things that make him unique. Along the way, he’s pursued by a giant Vulture named Eon, who aims to snatch the baby, and keep himself alive forever. Without question, this is one of Rudolph’s stranger adventures, yet still true to the spirit of the character, and harmlessly pleasant all-around. This special certainly features some of the most elaborate sets, and imaginative locations of any Rankin Bass production, which helps this entry stand-out with its own unique visual look and feel. Billie Mae Richards reprises her signature role as Rudolph, and is just as delightful as ever. However, the Rudolph puppet was changed for this outing, which became his new look for all the specials moving forward, and personally, I think it’s an improvement over the original model. Whenever I think back on Rudolph in the Rankin and Bass universe, this is the look and design that always comes to mind first. Paul Frees also gets to reprise his role as the voice of Santa Claus, after initially voicing him in “Frosty the Snowman”. While Mickey Rooney will always be the most iconic talent to voice Santa in this series, I’ve personally always preferred the voice of Paul Frees coming from the character. 

The cast in general features some noteworthy comedians of the time, including Red Skelton and Frank Gorshin. My one reservation with this special is that it never really puts me in a Christmas mood, but regardless, it still has the same unique personality of the Rankin and Bass universe, and it’s a proper continuation of Rudolph’s story. There’s even a nice little animated segment recapping on the events of Rudolph’s first adventure of saving Christmas, and it’s cool to see 2D animation among all the signature puppet work of the studio. Despite being such an odd-ball entry in the series, I just can’t help liking this one all the same.   

 

#7 “Nestor: The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey” (1977)

For the eleventh of the Rankin and Bass Christmas offerings, we have what in my view is one of their more unique and underrated gems. We open with Santa’s personal stable donkey, who’s in the prosses of tending the reindeers stable, and comments that Rudolph wasn’t the first of the “misfits to make a difference” on Christmas. 

Thus, he relays the story of his great ancestor, the donkey Nestor, who was born with abnormally large ears, and was considered an outcast. However, through many trials and errors, he put those ears to good use, as he became the donkey who carried Mary the mother of Jesus to Bethlehem. While Nestor can’t mask the many story beats it lifts from other familiar Rankin and Bass specials, I feel it still packs an emotional punch, and is very wholesome on its own merits. It’s also one of the big ones to highlight the Rankin and Bass Christmas specials as one shared holiday universe, with the fantastical world of Santa and Rudolph bridging over into the Christian tales of The Little Drummer Boy and the Nativity. The voice cast is solid as ever, with Paul Frees voicing a farmer, as well as Santa for one last time. Nestor is also one of the darker entries, with a lot of pathos, and sad moments, but balanced out with enough magic and levity. It’s hard to explain, but I always found something warm and comforting about this entry, and I do feel it deserves more attention than what it’s gotten.

 

#6 “Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town” (1970)

Standing tall as the fourth of the Rankin and Bass Christmas specials, it’s the one to put a unique spin on the origins of Santa. In a cold and desolate northern town, the heartless monarch of the land orders all toys band, and thus the population can be just as unhappy as he is. A young man named Kris Kringle, having been raised by toy-makers, wishes to spread joy and love to the gloomy town. 

As the years go by, Kris finds new ways to deliver toys to the children, and all while avoiding the ruthless town leader. In time, we see all the iconic trademarks of Santa come into play, as told by a mail man, who’s answering the questions of several children. In many respects, this was the last of the original classics, as majority of the following holiday specials had some kind of tie-in with their first four offerings. The main appeal of this special is Mickey Rooney in the lead role of young Kris Kringle, who really brings something special to the character, which along with his age really helps him stand apart from other variations of Santa. He'd also be the main voice of Santa in most of the Rankin Bass Christmas specials to follow. Fred Astaire voices the Mail Man who’s telling the story, and makes for an iconic host in his own right. Paul Frees also gets his first big role as the voice of the wicked Burgermeister Master Burger.  

Even Mrs. Claus gets a decent amount of attention in this special … along with a very 1970’s song number … and stands shoulder to shoulder with Kris Kringle as an engaging lead with a journey. Their quiet little wedding under the first Christmas tree at the end is one of my favorite moments of the whole Rankin and Bass holiday collection. Also, even though this wasn’t the very first of the Rankin and Bass holiday offerings, it was the first to establish a shared universe of sorts with all their characters … even Rudolph gets a quick cameo. All around, this is still a charming little classic, and well worth watching just for an original and iconic portrayal of Santa.  

 

#5 “Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July” (1979)

With the Rankin and Bass Christmas specials firmly established as one big shared universe, their thirteenth holiday offering would finally mark the figurative “Avengers” style round-up of the main characters, as well as bring finality to all the established continuity of the previous films. It’s the third and the finale appearance of Billie Mae Richards Rudolph stories, third and final for Mickey Rooney’s Santa tales, and the third and final outing for Jackie Vernon’s Frosty the Snowman series ... although, this marked Forty's only time appearing as stop-motion. Even smaller characters like Jack Frost, Forty’s snow-wife Crystal, and even the whale Big Ben from the New Year’s special are all back, and voiced by the same actors. 

There’s also a number of new characters, with the great Ethel Merman leading the charge as a Circus owner, who needs Rudolph and friends to star in her sea-side act. Unfortunately, Santa, Rudolph, and Frosty fall into a trap set-up by an evil wizard called Winterbolt, who originally ruled over the North Pole, and now aims to take it back from Santa. This special is admittedly less of a classic and more of a personal nostalgic, guilty pleasure. Back when I was a kid, this was actually my favorite of all the Rankin and Bass holiday specials, and I remember always trying to catch it on TV. While the narrative is admittedly messy, and it lacks the simplicity of their other Christmas specials, there’s still an undeniable charm and appeal to seeing all these iconic holiday mascots together for one outing. The animation on display is also the finest of any of their productions, and the songs, while corny, are still very appealing. Rudolph and Frosty reprising the misfit song is a real delight, and there’s a big song number set to “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”. 

I’m also a sucker for mystical worlds, with detailed mythologies, lore, and all kinds of fantastical elements on display. There are snow dragons, an enchantress that dwells in the northern lights, and a gene made of ice … I enjoy all that stuff. Lastly, Paul Frees once again steels the show as King Winterbolt, who’s personally my favorite villain from the whole Rankin and Bass holiday catalog. Again, this is not one of their objective best … but there’s still so many details I love and enjoy from this one, and it is the one I arguably have the most childhood nostalgia for. 

 

#4 “The Little Drummer Boy” (1968)

Before Rudolph, Frosty, or even Santa … the Little Drummer Boy was the very first of the Rankin and Bass Christmas specials I ever saw, as well as owned on home video, and for years it was a family tradition to watch in our house hold during the Christmas season. Set around the events of Christs Birth in Bethlehem, a young boy is tragically made an orphan when his desert home is attacked by bandits. 

 Thus, he grows an intense hatred of people for the death of his parents. The only thing that gives him joy are three farm animals that escaped, and a single drum that was passed down from his late-parents. As a quick side note, the boy’s parents were voiced by Paul Frees and June Foray in their first Rankin and Bass project, and would of course become two of the most reoccurring talents in the company. When one of the boy’s close animal friends finds itself at deaths door, the drummer boy seeks help from the new born King, and maybe through his encounter, may finally open his heart to love others once again. This was only the studio’s second Christmas special after the runaway success of Rudolph, and it was very daring of them to go with such a dour story for a children’s holiday special. The animation is also some of the weakest of the whole Rankin and Bass collection, and at times is just plain unappealing, Yet, despite all that, this one stands-out with the most beautiful, uplifting, and emotional finale of the whole collection. 

Everything from the music, to the atmosphere, to the message is just a thing of beauty to behold, and I distinctly remember my mother crying every time we’d watched this. Also, with the abundance of Santa and decorative Christmas specials, it’s such a treat to have one focused around the birth of Christ … as there’s so phew of those. While the animation and goofy character quirks aren’t always easy to look at in this special, the heart-felt story, warm music, and powerful ending keep it among the best of the classics.

 

#3 “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (1964)

Here it is, the classic that started it all … the first of the Rankin Bass Christmas collection … and still a staple of annual holiday specials to air on TV. We all know the classic story of Rudolph, as he was the odd one out of Santa’s Reindeer, and was branded an outcast due to his unusual glowing nose. Then, after the snow-storm of the century hits, Santa realizes that only Rudolph can guide his sleigh on Christmas Eve. While this wasn’t the first time Rudolph’s story was brought to life through animation, it was the first to get imaginative, and expand on both the character and the holiday world he inhabits. 

Instead of simply following the formula verbatim, we have all kinds of creative oddities punctuating the special. This includes … a snowman storyteller … a work Elf who’s also considered an outcast due to his passion to be a dentist … an Island of messed-up toys who want to be loved by kids despite their differences … a prospector searching for Silver and Gold … a giant snow beast threatening the North Pole … and even a Chimera who rules over his own kingdom. Seriously, who would have walked into Rudolph and expected to see a Chimera. That’s the kind of imagination and creativity that made Rankin and Bass so special … they’ll just do whatever comes to mind. Of course, being their first production, the animation and character models are not on par with their later Christmas specials, and the skinny, dot-eyed Santa in particular always took me out of it, as he never matched the design of his other appearances. Regardless, the imagination, and overall ingenuity of the production was still an extraordinary achievement for its time. 

It’s still bright and colorful, and the setting is bursting with personality. Rudolph naturally is a lovable lead, with Billie Mae Richard’s vocal talents adding to the appeal of the character. The supporting characters are also memorable, and there’s just this charming atmosphere to the whole thing that truly feels timeless. What more needs to be said … this special is the classic product of a simpler time, when audiences didn’t need much to be enchanted, and while the overall look and presentation of the special will be an acquired taste for some, it still captures the bright spirt the famous character deserves.

 

#2 “The Year Without a Santa Claus” (1974)

Sixth of the Rankin and Bass collection, and often cited as a fan favorite … perhaps the most successful of all the sequels. 

Mickey Rooney returns for his second outing as the voice of Santa Claus … but this time, all the focus is on his wife Mrs. Claus. When Santa wakes up one morning feeling sick, he believes it’s a sign that the people of the world are losing their Christmas spirit, and thus, he decides he needs to take a year off from his annual Christmas trip. Mrs. Claus however will have none of that, and set’s off on a journey along with two elves’, to try and find some way to bring Christmas spirit to the people of earth … and more importantly to Santa himself. Back when I was a kid, I actually found this one of the more boring specials, but looking back as an adult … I find this venture has a special magic all its own, and it’s become one of my favorites. It’s great to have Mrs. Claus take the spot-light for once, and the songs are wonderful, with “I Believe in Santa” being one of my favorites. There’s also a great ending in which all the children of the world show their love for Santa by banding together and helping with his mission to give gifts. Of course, the main attraction to this special are the two Miser Brothers … Snow Miser and Heat Miser. 

These two are arguably the most iconic original characters to come from the Rankin and Bass holiday series, and their individual song numbers are equally enjoyable. The Snow Miser song especially was a childhood favorite. All around, this was a bright spot for the Rankin Bass Christmas collection, with its signature charms, memorable songs, and naturally … the unforgettable Mizer Brothers make it worthwhile.

 

Before I reveal my Number One Favorite, here are some quick Honorable Mentions …

“The Stingiest Man in Town” (1978)

“The Leprechaun's Christmas Gold” (1981)

“Jack Frost” (1979)

“Twas the Night Before Christmas” (1974)

“The Little Drummer Boy: Book II” (1976)

 

#1 “Frosty the Snowman” (1969)

When it comes to the classic Christmas TV specials of Rankin and Bass, I always loved "Frosty the Snowman" the most. Back when I was a little kid, I couldn't always get into the Stop-Motion visuals of Rankin and Bass other famous Christmas specials, and it helped make Frosty stand out as one of the phew traditionally hand-drawn characters to come from the studio. 

Set during the first snowfall of the winter season, a failed magician discards his hat, which surprisingly brings a snowman to life, much to the delight of the kids, and especially one little girl named Karren. With his new life, Frosty and Karen set-off on a journey to get to the North Pole, before the sun melts her new best friend away. The bright winter animation on display really does make this one of their best-looking specials. Beyond that, there's a simple charm to this one, which I feel has only gotten stronger over the decades. Screen-writer Romeo Muller had previously adapted the original stop-motion Rudolph special, and gave the same winning treatment to Frosty. This special also features my favorite round-up of characters, who’ve all been cemented in my mind as minor icons in their own right. Frosty in general was already one of my childhood favorite Christmas characters, but it’s the late voice actor Jackie Vernon, who’s humble charm makes this character so infectiously lovable. 

Legendary voice actress June Foray is a delight as the little girl Karen, and probably her second-best Christmas character behind Cindy Lou from “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”. Professor Hinkle is an enjoyable goof of a villain, and Paul Frees this time around is the voice of Santa Claus … which is awesome. In the end, Frosty is perhaps a pinch cringe with its age, but still, it's all-around a delightful, timeless classic, with its unforgettable theme song, warm feels, wonderful animation, lovable holiday mascot, and it’s personally my favorite of Rankin and Bass’s Christmas specials. 

Thanks for reading my countdown … and continue to enjoy the Christmas and Holiday specials you Love!