He's ten times as big as a man!

 

Here is the story 🎅

https://abc7chicago.com/post/author-rick-goldschmidt-decorates-oak-lawn-illinois-home-collectibles-connected-rankin-bass-christmas-movies/15637731/

Rankin/Bass Productions specials move from CBS to NBC

This year, Rankin/Bass Productions' Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman are moving to NBC-TV.  This is Rudolph's 60th Anniversary and it originally aired on NBC until 1972 (See my NEW book for NBC Puppet display case 1964-1971).  Rudolph will air December 6th, 2024 at 7 pm Central in a 75 minute time slot.   I am not sure how I feel about this.  I can't really go into it, but I don't have a lot of confidence in these companies.  Yesterday, I heard from a Producer at CBS Saturday morning, that wants to do a Rankin/Bass segment.  Frosty the Snowman has been on CBS, since it premiered in 1969.  It is strange for it to be moved to NBC, after all of this time and holding the record for the longest-running special on the same network.  Frosty will air on NBC December 5th at 7:30 PM Central time.  I can say this, I haven't liked the prints of Rudolph and Frosty that have been airing on CBS, with their bad editing, etc.  ABC-TV will air the heavily edited version of Santa Claus Is Comin' to town December 3rd at 8 pm Central time.

 

Rankin/Bass' Santa Claus is comin' to town airs December 8th on ABC tv!

Here is a little preview of my article on Rankin/Bass' Santa Claus Is Comin' to town for RetroFan magazine in 2024!

      Arthur selected Fred to Narrate the TV Special.  Fred created sort of a sensation, when he appeared on the Academy Awards in 1970.   Actually, Rankin/Bass' The Mad, Mad, Mad Comedians (Sponsored by Pepsi Co.) was the lead in to the Academy Awards, and it was the highest Rated Rankin/Bass TV Special of all-time, because of the lead in. Fred did a surprise dance routine on the Academy Awards of 1970.

    When Asatire was asked about his puppet, Fred replied, "Well, Kluger is like all the characters in SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN' TO TOWN. He's an Animagic puppet, that's actually what they call them.  He's carved and painted and dressed then placed on the set, and then a technician is in charge of each movement he makes, and each separate motion is photographed and then, it's sort of like an animated cartoon, you know, only these are actual figures, then they put together to make a movie out of it.  The final effect is really very life-like and it is quite delightful."

     When Astaire was asked about the legends the TV Special tackles of Santa Claus, through the genius of Romeo Muller's writing, Astaire explained, "Well first I'd like to say that the way the story of Santa Claus is handled here is what attracted me to the script, and lead to my doing the narration for it.  The Explanations are imaginative without being too cute, you know, for instance, it tells how come Santa Claus is sometimes called Kris Kringle.  Well a foundling, to explain this, there's a foundling wearing a pendant with the name Claus engraved on it, and it is adopted and raised by a family of toymakers named Kringle.  The story treats other legends in the same logical way.  Like how Santa came to give out presents only on Christmas eve, and how his reindeer learned to fly, and that sort of thing."

    

Pick up our book for the correct history on Rankin/Bass' Santa Claus is comin' to town 🎅

The second longest TV special to air on one network airs on ABC tv at 7 pm Central November 25th too!

Early Christmas shopping!

 Definitely order early this year!   The Recession and the supply chain delays have really hit my printer very hard, causing delays and skyrocketing inflation is causing all prices to go up!   I have a good stock right now, but I can see it won't be easy to replenish this year!   T-shirts are coming next week!

A special announcement was made, when The Green Hornet was Pre-empted #Thegreenhornet

S.D. is really working them out!

 

Santa Claus is comin' to town on ABC tv tonight! 51 years in a row!

Rankin/Bass' Santa Claus is Comin' to town returns to ABC TV November 26th (heavily edited on black Friday) at 7 pm Central time 🎅 When Wes Garlatz and I got to page 372 in our hardcover book about the Making of the special, we knew we had something! Available at www.miserbros.com We decided to include Arthur Rankin's shooting script, so you could read along as Grinzley finds the baby Claus 👼 With the release of our new blu ray on The Daydreamer, you can read about that film too. #santaclausiscomintotown #blackfriday #abctv

Our Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town book is flying out the door! Order your copy today!

 

Friday fun!

 

Rankin/Bass started ABC's Saturday morning in 1970! I was tuned in to Lance at 8 am too!

The Outer Limits

When a television lineup was really something! #values #quality #creative

come back Shane!

The Esquire magazine article on Rankin/Bass' Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town's 50th hit the net just as the special re-aired again on ABC TV Wednesday night for Christmas! Click on the link below for the story

 https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a35059267/santa-claus-is-comin-to-town-50-anniversary-rankin-bass/?fbclid=IwAR34YsDh1dQ369MYEQ0B2ae3LJBCUgj_IQzYymsHx8xASAJ0LCZO1TtrCWE

Check out this fun radio show we did a short while ago! Fun stuff for Christmas!

 https://jholmsey.wordpress.com/2020/12/06/rick-goldschmidt-returns-to-radio-once-more/?fbclid=IwAR0u2g-nl-zx2kms2GX7Dk6c4uBIOwWernh0_JfUzPJzEIMeakP__omC96U