Frosty the Snowman (film)
| Frosty the Snowman | |
|---|---|
DVD cover
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| Based on | Frosty the Snowman |
| Written by | Romeo Muller |
| Directed by |
Jules Bass Arthur Rankin, Jr. |
| Starring |
Billy De Wolfe Jackie Vernon Paul Frees June Foray |
| Narrated by | Jimmy Durante |
| Theme music composer | Maury Laws |
| Country of origin |
United States Japan |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Jules Bass Arthur Rankin, Jr. |
| Running time | 25 minutes |
| Production company(s) |
Rankin/Bass Productions Mushi Production (animation) |
| Distributor | NBCUniversal Television Distribution |
| Release | |
| Original network | CBS |
| Original release | December 7, 1969 |
| Chronology | |
| Followed by | Frosty's Winter Wonderland |
Frosty the Snowman is a 1969 animated Christmas television special based on the song "Frosty the Snowman". The program, which first aired on December 7, 1969 on CBS (where it still airs to this day), was produced for television by Rankin/Bass Productions and featured the voices of comedians Jimmy Durante as the film's narrator (Durante's final performance in a film) and Jackie Vernon as the title character.
Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass wanted to give the show and its characters the look of a Christmas card, so Paul Coker, Jr., a greeting card and Mad magazine artist, was hired to do the character and background drawings. The animation was produced by Mushi Production in Japan, with then-Mushi staffer Osamu Dezaki among the animation staff.
Rankin/Bass veteran writer Romeo Muller adapted and expanded the story for television as he had done with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
TV Guide ranked the special number 4 on its 10 Best Family Holiday Specials list.
On Christmas Eve, the teacher hires Professor Hinkle, an inept magician, to perform for the children's Christmas party. After becoming uninterested in his tricks, the children go outside to play in the snow where they build a snowman and name him Frosty. Just then, Hinkle's rabbit, Hocus Pocus, hops outside with Hinkle's hat over him. The wind then blows the hat onto Frosty's head, bringing him to life. However, Hinkle takes the hat back after finding out that it's magic. When the children refuse him to take the hat back, Hinkle refuses, saying that when they grow up, they'll learn that snowmen can't come to life and leaves. However, Hocus escapes with the hat and returns it to the children who bring Frosty back to life. However, the temperature starts to rise and Frosty worries he will melt. So the children decide to take him to the North Pole. After realizing they have no money to buy train tickets, Frosty and Karen hitch a ride on a train headed north in a refrigerator car. However, Hinkle sneaks aboard, still vowing to get his hat back. Noticing that Karen is freezing in the boxcar, Frosty vows to warm her up. Frosty suggests Hocus to tell the forest animals to build a fire for her and find Santa Claus to come bring her home and him to the North Pole. But Hinkle soon shows up and puts out the fire. Frosty and Karen escape Hinkle, and see a greenhouse used to grow Christmas poinsettias. The exhausted Hinkle closes the door behind them.
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Wikipedia