A Miser Brothers' Christmas | |
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Written by | Eddie Guzelian |
Directed by | Dave Barton Thomas |
Starring |
Catherine Disher Mickey Rooney Juan Chioran George S. Irving Brad Adamson |
Theme music composer | William Kevin Anderson |
Country of origin | United States Canada |
Original language(s) | English |
Production | |
Producer(s) | Howard Schwartz Adam Shaheen Linda Steiner |
Running time | 49 mins |
Production company(s) |
Warner Bros. Animation Cuppa Coffee Studios |
Distributor |
Warner Premiere Warner Home Video |
Release | |
Original network | ABC Family |
Original release | December 13, 2008 |
Chronology | |
Preceded by | The Year Without a Santa Claus |
A Miser Brothers' Christmas is a stop motion spin-off special based on some of the characters from the 1974 Rankin-Bass special The Year Without a Santa Claus. Distributed by Warner Bros. Animation under their Warner Premiere label (the rights holders of the post-1974 Rankin-Bass library) and Toronto-based Cuppa Coffee Studios, the one-hour special premiered on ABC Family on Saturday, December 13, 2008 during the network's annual The 25 Days of Christmas programming.Mickey Rooney and George S. Irving reprised their respective roles as Santa Claus and Heat Miser at ages 88 and 86.Snow Miser, originally portrayed by Dick Shawn who died in 1987, was voiced by Juan Chioran, while Mrs. Claus, voiced by Shirley Booth in the original, was portrayed by Catherine Disher (because Booth had died in 1992). The movie aimed to emulate the Rankin/Bass animation style. This is the last Christmas special to feature Mickey Rooney as Santa Claus, as he died in 2014, as well as the last time George Irving voiced Heat Miser, as he died in 2016.
The feuding Miser Brothers attend their family reunion with Mother Nature and their fellow siblings North Wind, Earthquake, Thunder and Lightning, and the Tides. North Wind passively asks Mother Nature what might happen if Santa would be unable to complete his duties on Christmas. She responds that North Wind would take control instead. Self-absorbed and vain, North Wind becomes fixated with the idea of replacing Santa Claus as a way to achieve personal glory.