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This 1966 holiday classic is based on the 1957 book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Theodor "Seuss" Geisel. The book became an instant classic, receiving two on screen appearances and even a Broadway musical! The isolated Grinch, with a heart two sizes too small wouldn't even be a smash hit if it wasn't for the convincing words of long time animator, director and friends of Dr. Seuss, Chuck Jones. Just as Charles M. Schulz was nervous about the on-screen adaptation of A Charlie Brown Christmas, Theodor Geisel was on the fence about the production of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. After talking it over with the Loony Toon's animator, Chuck Jones, Dr. Seuss was on board.
The short film takes the clever rhymes Dr.Seuss is known for and the family friendly animation style of the most well known Loony Tunes animator, Chuck Jones and blends them together in this 26 minute CBS special. To say it poetically:
The Protagonist Grinch is a curmudgeon,
to the people of Whoville,
who is judgin',
and grudgin'
the spirit of Christmas.
This is exactly what the story is about, a Christmas Grinch who is sick of the consumerism and can't take it anymore. Upon learning that joy doesn't come from the store, the Grinch's heart begins to soar. (His heart grows 3x).
The program premiered on CBS on December 18th 1966. Just like many other specials of the time, (Frosty the Snowman, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer) this program will have you singing its noteworthy tone, "You're a mean one, Mr.Grinch." The lyrics were written by none-other than the author himself, Dr. Seuss. The song was composed by Albert Hague and performed by the voice of Tony the Tiger, Thurl Ravenscroft. Ravenscroft is also known for his singing of, "Ev'rybody wants to be a cat" in the Aristocats.
Chuck Jones was not just a huge influence on the TV special, but the legacy of the Grinch all together, as in the original book the Grinch was not green, but instead black and white. The decision to color him green was inspired by all of the green automobiles that Jones saw in the Washington area. In response to the Christmas special, How the Grinch stole Christmas, Chuck Jones said,
"You can say that a Grinch wants to steal Christmas, and you don't need to know anything more about him--he is just a villainous Grinch who hates Christmas. A human being cannot be that simple. If a human villain--an old man, for example--wanted to steal Christmas, we would have to go deeper into the character, to find out whether he hated Christmas because of his age, because he lived alone on a mountain or because he loathed kids. What we do shamefully recognize, of course, is that we are all a bit like the Grinch, for we all hate Christmas a little. Or a lot."
Delving deeper into the once monstrous Grinch, we can recognize the once monstrous Boris Karloff, better known for his role as the monster in the 1931 classic, Frankenstein. He is now grumbling at the villagers of Whoville and reading off the words of Seuss in, How the Grinch stole Christmas, as he plays both the Grinch and the narrator. Karloff does an excellent job setting the tone and keeping the pace. He is joined by the female voice actress, June Foray who plays as Cindy Lou Who and played the role of a little girl in another animated Christmas classic from the 60's, Frosty the Snowman. Even the role of the dog Max is played by a voice actor who knows his stuff, as Dallas Mckennon would make a career out of voicing dogs in both 101 Dalmatians and The Lady and the Tramp.
The special is a catchy and entertaining animation to watch and should be airing on a plethora of networks during the holiday season, such as: TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network and even boomerang, as the licensing rights are currently owned by Turner Broadcasting. If you happen to click by this special, put down the remote and give it a watch.
December 5th
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
Directed by: Chuck Jones
"And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!
'Maybe Christmas,' he thought, 'doesn't come from a store.'
'Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!"
-Dr Seuss
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!
'Maybe Christmas,' he thought, 'doesn't come from a store.'
'Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!"
-Dr Seuss
This 1966 holiday classic is based on the 1957 book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Theodor "Seuss" Geisel. The book became an instant classic, receiving two on screen appearances and even a Broadway musical! The isolated Grinch, with a heart two sizes too small wouldn't even be a smash hit if it wasn't for the convincing words of long time animator, director and friends of Dr. Seuss, Chuck Jones. Just as Charles M. Schulz was nervous about the on-screen adaptation of A Charlie Brown Christmas, Theodor Geisel was on the fence about the production of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. After talking it over with the Loony Toon's animator, Chuck Jones, Dr. Seuss was on board.
The short film takes the clever rhymes Dr.Seuss is known for and the family friendly animation style of the most well known Loony Tunes animator, Chuck Jones and blends them together in this 26 minute CBS special. To say it poetically:
The Protagonist Grinch is a curmudgeon,
to the people of Whoville,
who is judgin',
and grudgin'
the spirit of Christmas.
This is exactly what the story is about, a Christmas Grinch who is sick of the consumerism and can't take it anymore. Upon learning that joy doesn't come from the store, the Grinch's heart begins to soar. (His heart grows 3x).
The program premiered on CBS on December 18th 1966. Just like many other specials of the time, (Frosty the Snowman, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer) this program will have you singing its noteworthy tone, "You're a mean one, Mr.Grinch." The lyrics were written by none-other than the author himself, Dr. Seuss. The song was composed by Albert Hague and performed by the voice of Tony the Tiger, Thurl Ravenscroft. Ravenscroft is also known for his singing of, "Ev'rybody wants to be a cat" in the Aristocats.
Chuck Jones was not just a huge influence on the TV special, but the legacy of the Grinch all together, as in the original book the Grinch was not green, but instead black and white. The decision to color him green was inspired by all of the green automobiles that Jones saw in the Washington area. In response to the Christmas special, How the Grinch stole Christmas, Chuck Jones said,
"You can say that a Grinch wants to steal Christmas, and you don't need to know anything more about him--he is just a villainous Grinch who hates Christmas. A human being cannot be that simple. If a human villain--an old man, for example--wanted to steal Christmas, we would have to go deeper into the character, to find out whether he hated Christmas because of his age, because he lived alone on a mountain or because he loathed kids. What we do shamefully recognize, of course, is that we are all a bit like the Grinch, for we all hate Christmas a little. Or a lot."
Delving deeper into the once monstrous Grinch, we can recognize the once monstrous Boris Karloff, better known for his role as the monster in the 1931 classic, Frankenstein. He is now grumbling at the villagers of Whoville and reading off the words of Seuss in, How the Grinch stole Christmas, as he plays both the Grinch and the narrator. Karloff does an excellent job setting the tone and keeping the pace. He is joined by the female voice actress, June Foray who plays as Cindy Lou Who and played the role of a little girl in another animated Christmas classic from the 60's, Frosty the Snowman. Even the role of the dog Max is played by a voice actor who knows his stuff, as Dallas Mckennon would make a career out of voicing dogs in both 101 Dalmatians and The Lady and the Tramp.
The special is a catchy and entertaining animation to watch and should be airing on a plethora of networks during the holiday season, such as: TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network and even boomerang, as the licensing rights are currently owned by Turner Broadcasting. If you happen to click by this special, put down the remote and give it a watch.