The Special World of Rankin-Bass
Rankin-Bass was another studio that was synonymous with 70s tv (though they started in the 60s), both for their holiday specials and their Saturday morning output. Formed by Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass, Rankin-Bass covered the gamut of animation outlets: feature films, tv specials, network series, and syndicated programming. They also ventured into the live action world, partnering with Japanese studio Toho for King Kong Escapes. In fact, Japan factors into most of their productions as both their line animation and stop-motion works were created with Japanese studios. They are best remembered for their Christmas specials, such as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman and Santa Claus is Comin' to Town; but, they also produced Saturday morning fare (Jackson 5ive, The Osmonds, Kid Power, several segments for the Saturday Superstar Movie); and syndicated powerhouses, such as Thundercats. Their logo, a vertical bar and two stacked circles of different shades (combining the letters "r" and "B") is instantly recognizable by children of the 70s., though they also operated under the name Videocraft International, Ltd. Let's take a look at their output:
List activity
3.6K views
• 0 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
78 titles
- StarsLarry D. MannCarl BanasPaul KligmanFollow Pinocchio and Cricket on their zany adventures.R-B's first product was a syndicated stop-motion series, featuring Pinocchio. The show consisted of 5 5-minute chapters per story.
- StarsLarry D. MannCorinne ConleyAlfie ScoppThis 150-episode series of shorts chronicles Dorothy's long stay in the land of Oz. The Munchkins are portrayed as tiny globs; the Scarecrow is a fool named Socrates; the Tin Woodman is a bully named Rusty; and the dandy Lion is called Dandy. The Wizard, who speaks like W.C. Fields, can perform little magic beyond card tricks. Nevertheless, Dorothy continually pressures the Wizard to send her home. A constant threat is posed by the solid-green Wicked Witch of the West, who tries to make the dragonette Desmond follow her orders and attack the group of friends, even though he has no malice toward them.R-B's next show was from the realm of traditional line animation, featuring characters from L. Frank Baum's Oz stories. However, they gave them new names, like Rusty Tin Man. The animation was done in Canada, by Crawley Films.
- DirectorF.R. CrawleyThomas GlynnLarry RoemerStarsLarry D. MannAlfie ScoppCarl BanasAfter Dorothy's friends are robbed of their prizes by a revived Wicked Witch, she is sent back to Oz to set things straight once again.Crawley Films and Rankin-Bass reteamed to produce this animated special, using the models from the Tales of the Wizard of Oz series. The story is pretty much identital to the original Wizard of Oz, with some minor changes. It was much repeated, through syndication, and had a life on home-video.
- DirectorLarry RoemerStarsBillie Mae RichardsBurl IvesLarry D. MannA young reindeer Rudolph lives at the North Pole. His father is one of Santa's reindeer and it is expected that Rudolph will eventually be one too. However, he has a feature which is a setback and causes him to be ostracized: his red nose.This is where Rankin-Bass truly made their name. Produced for CBS, it became a staple of the holidays for two generations. It created the structure for all of their future specials (a narrator who talks directly to the audience and relates the story, use of celebrity voices) and is beloved by millions. It's a thing of wonder, as it took a little novelty song and fleshed it into a larger story. Rudolph is the son of Donner, who tries to hide his glowing nose from the other reindeer. At the reindeer games, Rudolph's nose is revealed, to the ridicule of others, though a doe named Clarice, who appeared smitten with Rudolph, doesn't laugh. She tries to cheer up Rudolph, but her father forbids her to see him. Rudolph runs away to escape the ridicule and heartbreak. Meanwhile, an elf named Hermey wants to be a dentist, not a toymaker. He, too, runs away and the pair run into one another and set off on a journey. Along the way, they encounter Yukon Cornelius and a Snow Monster, before finding the Island of Misfit Toys. The special is filled with honest emotion and can't fail to tug at your heartstrings. Actress Billie Mae Richards provides the perfect voice for young Rudolph.
- DirectorArthur Rankin Jr.StarsLarry D. MannBillie Mae RichardsAlfie ScoppLittle Willy McBean joins up with a Mexican monkey named Pablo to travel back in time and stop the evil Prof. von Rotten from changing history.This was R-B's first feature film, done in stop-motion. It features the tale of a boy genius who travels through time to stop an evil inventor from altering history by turning himself into the creator of several great inventions. The boy is aided by the villain's talking monkey, who rebels against his master. The group go back to the Old West, Columbus' voyage, Arthurian Britain, and pre-historic times in an effort to stop the villain.
- DirectorJules BassStarsTallulah BankheadVictor BorgePatty DukeAn anthology of fairytales by Hans Christian Andersen: "The Little Mermaid", "The Emperor's New Clothes", "Thumbelina", and "The Garden of Paradise".This film combines live action and stop motion, via dream sequences. The story revolves around a teenaged Hans Christian Anderson, who daydreams about fairytales, rather than doing his schoolwork. Inspirations for his stories play out as dreams, animated via stop motion.
- DirectorLarry RoemerStarsJames CagneyWilliam MarineRose Marie JunThe origin of the great bear forest conservation crusader.This special featured stop-motion and tells the tale of Smokey the Bear, with Jimmy Cagney narrating. I have never seen this one, so I don't really know much about it. I don't recall it circulating on the networks or syndication in the 70s, though that could have been related to rights for the character (just supposition on my part). It could also just be that it was outshined by later R-B specials.
- StarsBillie Mae RichardsCarl BanasPaul SolesAn animated series about the adventures of King Kong and his young pal Bobby Bond. Also featured were the adventures of "Tom of T.H.U.M.B.", a 6" tall secret agent.Rankin-Bass produced this animated series, with animation from Toei. It proved quite popular in Japan, leading to the teaming with Toho for King Kong Escapes. The series revolves around Kong's adventures with the Bond family, as he meets up with monsters, aliens, and oter threats. It also featured the cartoon Tom of THUMB. This was a big hit, in its day, and remains a cult favorite.
- DirectorIshirô HondaStarsRhodes ReasonMie HamaLinda MillerThe evil Dr. Who captures King Kong to dig for Element X when his robot duplicate, Mechani-Kong, is unable to do the job, but Kong soon escapes and battles his doppelganger.This was Rankin-Bass' first full entry into live action, done in partnership with Toho, producers of Godzilla. It centers around the Toho version of King Kong, as seen in King Kong vs Godzilla. A scientist creates a Mechani-Kong (a robot version of Kong) to find the radioactive Element X, which is poisonous to humans. The robot short-circuits, so the scientist tries to find the real Kong. meanwhile, a submarine finds the real Kong, with scenes derived from the original King Kong. The villain captures Kong and hypnotizes him into completing the job. Kong eventually breaks control and swims to Japan to free a female naval lieutenant, with whom he is smitten (ala Fay Wray). The film features a climactic battle between Kong and MechaniKong, on top of the Tokyo Tower. If you enjoy Godzilla films, you'l enjoy this. The film features American and Japanese actors and is directed by Godzilla director Ishiro Honda.
- DirectorJules BassStarsBoris KarloffAllen SwiftGale GarnettOn the Isle of Evil, Baron Boris von Frankenstein reveals his imminent retirement and that he has refined the secret of total destruction, only to be upset when the other monsters try to steal the secret and kill his nephew, Felix Flanken.More stop-motion in this feature film, which tells the tale of Baron Frankenstein's (Boris Karloff) nephew, who becomes heir ot the Baron's secret for total destruction. There is a romance between Felix (the nephew) and the Baron's assistant, as well as appearances by other monster legends. The script was from Harvey Kurtzman, with designs by Jack Davis, both of whom helped launch Mad Magazine to fame (as a comic book). The movie features Alan Swift impersonating actors such as Claude Rains, Peter Lorre, Charles Laughton, and others, while Phyllis Diller also lends her voice. This has been a cult hit since it was released, though for years it was only available in poor quality video. Eventually, a pristine 35mm print was uncovered and a new digital transfer was made. The film would later spawn an animated "prequel," which was part of the ABC Superstar Movie: Mad, Mad, Mad Monsters.
- DirectorJules BassStarsMargaret RutherfordBob McFaddenSusan MelvinAnimated feature film based on Charles Perrault's stories and nursery rhymes. It features Humpty Dumpty, The Old Woman Who Lives in a Shoe, and the Crooked Man.This was an animated film from R-B, with characters from the Mother Goose rhymes.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsDanny ThomasMarlo ThomasEd AmesA cricket seeks to rescue a poor toymaker and his blind daughter from an exploitative miser.Danny and Marlo Thomas are featured in this animated tale from Charles Dickens. Roddy McDowall voices the cricket, in this Christmas tale.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsTennessee Ernie FordEddie AlbertJohn GaryThe Mayflower journey as seen through the experiences of a church mouse.This Thanksgiving special features Tennessee Ernie Ford as the voice of a church mouse, Willum, who travels aboard the Mayflower and tells the story of the voyage of the ship and their arrival in the New World.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.Takeo NakamuraStarsJosé FerrerPaul FreesJune ForayAn orphan drummer boy who hates humanity finds his life changed forever when he meets three wise men en route to Bethlehem.This Rankin-Bass stop-motion special features a story based on the Christmas song. In this version, the boy, Aaron, likes to play his drum for his animal friends Samson, Babba, and Joshua (a donkey, a sheep, and a camel, respectively) who dance when he plays. The group are forced to join a travelling circus, but escape and join the caravan of the Three Magi. Babba, the sheep, is hit by a Roman chariot and is badly injured. Aaron takes him to the baby Jesus to be healed. Aaron is moved by the kindness of Jesus in healing the sheep, but he has no gift to give, so he plays his drum, leading to the song. Greer Garson plays the narrator, while Jose Ferrer is the voice of the circus owner. The Vienna Boys Choir sing the title song in this heartwarming story. The Rankn-Bass specials often allude to the religious aspects of Christmas, but this was the first that directly dealt with them.
- StarsPaul SolesBillie Mae RichardsCarl BanasSmokey Bear recalls his adventures and misadventures as a cub, growing in the forest with his friends, always threatened by fire.Smokey and the gang are featured in short cartoons, where the supporting characters end up in a jam, only to be rescued by Smokey. There was also a companion cartoon, featuring the characters as kids, in Our Gang-style comedic gags.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsJackie VernonBilly De WolfeJimmy DuranteA living snowman and a little girl struggle to elude a greedy magician who is after the snowman's magic hat.Happy Birthday! This is the second of the beloved Rankin-Bass holiday triumvirate (with Rudolph and Santa Claus is Comin' to Town). Jimmy Durante narrates and sings the title song. R-B used traditional line animation on this one. Inexplicably, June Foray's voice, as Karen, the schoolteacher, was replaced in 1970 and has never been restored. The cause of her deletion has never been revealed, though rumors persist of royalty or copyright issues.
- StarsPeter HawkinsBernard SpearTomfoolery was an animated cartoon series based on the nonsense poetry of Edward Lear and Lewis Carroll. There were several recurring characters, including the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo from the Lear poem "The Courtship of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo."This was an animated series, based largely on the writings of Edward Lear (though Lewis Carroll and Ogden Nash were also featured). It was produced in England and distributed by Rankin-Bass in the US.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsJack BennyGeorge BurnsPhyllis DillerAnimated TV special by Rankin/Bass depicting famous vaudeville acts such as Flip Wilson's Columbus, Jack Benny and George Burns' Maxwell, Groucho Marx's Napoleon, W. C. Fields' Sportsman and The Smothers Brothers' song to woo a princess.This special aired before the Oscars and features a tribute to vaudeville comedians, many of whom voiced themselves, including Jack Benny and Groucho Marx. Paul Frees provided the voice of Chico Marx (and several others), much to the delight of Groucho, who enjoyed his portrayal. this has been little scene since, but was one of R-B's highest rated specials.
- StarsPaul SolesClaude RaeCarl BanasThe show follows the adventures of Tobias, the well-meaning, kind-hearted and reluctant dragon, living in the kingdom of Willowmarch and the story of the irrepressible Mr. Toad and his friends, Badger, Mole and Water Rat.This adapted The Wind in the Willows, but I can't tell you much more than that.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsFred AstaireMickey RooneyKeenan WynnA mailman reveals the origin of Santa Claus.This is my favorite of the three Rankin-Bass biggies. Fred Astaire narrates as a mailman, delivering letters to Santa, at the North Pole. He proceeds to tell the tale of Santa's early life, and how he came to deliver presents on Christmas Eve. Mickey Rooney voices Kris Kringle, Keenan Wynn is the Winter Warlock, Paul Frees is Burgermeister Meisterburger, and Joan Gardner is Jessica, the future Mrs. Claus. The special is a lot of fun, with origins for the elves, the suit, the beard, the toys, stocking hanging by the chimney, etc... The songs are wonderful, capped off by Astaire singing the title song. The bit where the Warlock captures Kris and the penguin, with trees, scared the bejeezus out of me as a kid.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsDanny KayePaul FreesJoan GardnerWith the help of a time machine, Peter Cottontail must rescue Easter from the hands of the malicious Irontail.Easter has proven a tougher nut for Rankin-Bass to crack, as seen in this special. Peter vies with the evil January Q. Irontail to become Chief Easter Bunny. To do so, he must deliver more eggs than Irontail. Thanks to Irontail's treacher, and his own boasting, he loses. Dejected, he leaves the valley and encounters a peddler (voiced by Danny Kaye) who has a time machine, with which Peter can go back and correct things. Inortail sabotages it, though, preventing Peter from visiting Easter, though he can go to other holidays. He eventually delivers eggs on St Patrick's Day and changes the future for the better. Kasey Casem is Peter and Vincent Price is Irontail. I remember seeing this, but it was never one of the favorite specials.
- StarsJoel CooperDonald FulliloveMike MartinezThe animated musical adventures of the Jackson brothers.Now we are starting to get into the realm of memory (without rerun prompting). This featured the Jackson 5 in adventures and music, on Saturday morning. The music was theirs but the voices weren't. The premise was similar to Josey and the Pussycats, where the Jackson's manager got them all kinds of gigs, which led to the adventure. The cartoons featured two songs per episode and Diana Ross voiced her cartoon self in the debut. I watched this when I was pretty young and thought it was cool; but I haven't seen it since then.
- StarsDonny OsmondPaul FreesJames A. OsmondIn the early 1970s, white America could not allow the success of the Jackson 5 to go unchallenged. The Osmonds were their answer. It was not a great answer.Much like the Jackson 5ive, this featured the music of the Osmonds but not the voices. Donny was the hearthrob that the girls chased and Jimmy was an obnoxious brat who tagged along. At least, that is my memory, which might be faulty.
- StarsApril WinchellDonald FulliloveJay Silverheels Jr.Based on the comic strip "Wee Pals" by Morrie Turner, this half-hour animated ABC series followed the Peanuts-like adventures of the "Rainbow Club," a group of multi-racial kids. Each show featured a song by The Curbstones, several of which were released as an album on Pride (MGM) Records.This was a cartoon adaptation of the comic strip Wee Pals, about a racially diverse group of kids, with positive moral messages. I don't remember much, other than the African-American character Nipper, who wore a Civil War kepi hat, usually down over his eyes (ala Beetle Bailey).
P.S. RIP Morrie Turner, creator of Wee Pals, Jan 25, 2014. - 1972–197444m6.3 (102)TV EpisodeDirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsAllen SwiftBradley BolkeRhoda MannAll of the classic horror film monsters gather at the Transylvania Astoria Hotel for the Frankenstein Monster and his Bride's wedding on Friday the 13th at midnight.The Saturday Superstar Movie was an ABC experiment to provide a showcase for pilots of potential animated series. Hanna-Barbera, Filmation, and Rankin-Bass all provided material, though only Lassie's Rescue Rangers and The Brady Kids emerged as series from the show. This one finds R-B rehashing the Mad Monster Party, in animated form, but with a wedding for Frankenstein's monster and his Bride. It did get a home video release which is more than most of these got.
- 1972–19741h6.3 (24)TV EpisodeDirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsWillie MaysTina AndrewsPaul FreesFantasy cartoon story revolving around New York Giants outfielder Willie Mays, who is promised by an unconventional angel the chance to make his famed miracle catch, if he agrees to become the godfather of an orphan girl.I vaguely remember this one. Willie Mays is making a spectacular catch, when he is frozen in mid-air. That's mainly what I recall. I believe the plot revolves around Willie Mays helping a young kid, the child of a teammate of friend, or something similar. This introduced me to Willie Mays (this was more the era of Reggie Jackson).
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsAllen SwiftBob McFaddenRhoda MannThis animated feature casts the Red Baron as a hero, in a world of heroic anthropomorphic dogs and villainous anthropomorphic cats.This was a real oddball! A princess has been kidnapped by a nobleman from a nearby country, leading her father to declare a state of emergency, asking for volunteers to bring her back. The Baron in the title answers the call. The air corps prove useless and laugh at the Baron when he offers his services, until he proves a better pilot than all of them. Where this gets odd is that all of the characters are dogs! That doesn't prove enough to sell this as a series, though.
- 1972–19741h5.7 (27)TV EpisodeDirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsMarlo ThomasPatricia BrightDick HeymeyerAnnie Marie imagines herself in the stories "Alice in Wonderland", "Goldilocks and the Three Bears", "The Wizard of Oz" and "Cinderella".Rankin-Bass' last entry in the Saturday Superstar movie was a cartoon version of Marlo Thomas' That Girl. it was in good company, as there were other episodes based on Lost in Space, The Brady Bunch, Lassie, Bewitched, and Nanny and the Professor. This one seems fondly remembered, though I don't recall it at all.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.Hiawatha lives in the deep forests with his Indian tribe. There are many dangers lurking there, but Hiawatha is a brave boy who defies all dangerous animals and evil forces. See how Hiawatha fights these and becomes the tribe's great hero.Festival of Family Classics was a series that was broadcast between 1972 and 1973. Each episode was a different story, based on classic literature or folktales. The premiere episode was based on The Song of Hiawatha. The Rankin-Bass animation tended to have a sameness about it, so these stories don't really have anything to make them stand out, unlike those produced for the Family Classic Tales, by Australian studio API (later part of Hanna-Barbera). Family Classic Tales appeared on CBS affiliates at holidays and had more stylistic animation (at least the earlier API ones).
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsBillie Mae RichardsBased on the song and featuring a story revolving around the American Revolution.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsPeg DixonNo Bibedy-Boobedy-Boo here.
- 1972–6.7 (13)TV EpisodeDirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsBernard CowanThis one's ok, but the Hanna-Barbera one is much better (though neither match the Disney film). This one was split into two parts.
- 1972–6.4 (12)TV EpisodeDirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsBernard CowanSecond part of the Verne classic.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsCarl BanasLen BirmanBernard CowanA leprechaun, who had changed himself into a pumpkin seed to hibernate for the winter, comes to life as Mr. Jack O'Lantern, who then uses his pumpkin shell to help scare away Zelda the Witch and Archibald the Warlock.I got nothing on this one. I assume it has something to do with Halloween, though Jack O'Lantern's have nothing to do with that, in Irish tradition. It was co-opted later.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.Based on the legends of John Chapman, who did not sow seeds randomly, but actually planted nurseries.
- 1972–5.8 (7)TV EpisodeDirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsBernard CowanPhileas Fogg and Passepartout on their journey. Don't know whether they used the balloon or not (there isn't one in the book).
- 1972–5.4 (6)TV EpisodeDirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsBernard CowanDon't know if they split this into 40-day halves or what.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.Cat, boots, etc, etc.... Probably could have used the Adam Ant song (no, not Prince Charming...)
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsCarl BanasLen BirmanBernard CowanI assume this had something to do with a Christmas tree. Haven't seen it.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.More folktales; ox, trees, big ol' hot cakes. You get the picture.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.You know, Robinson really isn't a Swiss name....
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsPeg DixonCarl BanasLen BirmanThese days, this would be followed by a sequel, "Dozing Ugly."
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.No idea which stories they used, but my money is on Aladdin and Ali Babba; maybe Sinbad. Hanna-Barbera Australia (formerly API) did Sinbad for Family Classic Tales.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsCarl BanasLen BirmanBernard CowanA young girl named Alice falls down a rabbit hole and finds herself in Wonderland, a fantasy land of strange characters and ideas.Got to be better than the Tim Burton version.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.This was before he joined the US Navy.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsPeggi LoderBillie Mae RichardsI understand that he was a modern day warrior, with a mean, mean stride. Apparently, his mind was not for rent, so don't put him down as arrogant. His reserve's a quiet defense, riding out the day's events.
- 1972–4.4 (9)TV EpisodeDirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsPeggi LoderOnce upon a time, there was a princess named Snow White. Her jealous stepmother wanted her dead, so Snow White fled the castle and found friendship with the forest animals and the Seven Dwarfs. Meanwhile, her stepmother puts on a disguise so she won't be recognized, and lures Snow White into trying on a sash, then eating a poisoned apple. Both times, Snow White falls into a deep sleep, but is finally awakened when a prince whispers the last word she said before eating the apple. They live happily ever after.This didn't quite rival Disney.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.A woodcutter is jailed by the evil Sheriff of Nottingham, and it's up to Robin Hood and his merry men to save the woodcutter.The real Robin Hood was a nobleman trying to avoid paying taxes. Not quite the hero of the ballads. Bloody aristo's!
- DirectorTsugunobu KotaniSeymour RobbieStarsDesi Arnaz Jr.Jack WestonZero MostelA combination of live action and animation chronicinge the great journey of Marco Polo to the mysterious Orient. Much of the story centers on Polo's relationship with the powerful Kublai Khan.Adventure/Musical based on Marco Polo's journeys, starring Desi Arnaz Jr. needless to say, it was not a hit, except maybe to Marcia Brady. It was another produced in conjunction with a Japanese studio, which was the usual pattern for the Rankin-Bass live action films.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsJoel GreyTammy GrimesJohn McGiverWhen a town learns that Santa Claus has struck it off his delivery schedule due to an insulting letter, a way must be found to change his mind.Animated holiday special, featuring mice as the central characters. Someone wrote an editorial about how Santa doesn't exist; so, Santa sends back the town's letters unopen and intends to bypass them. Father Mouse determines that his son is responsible and sets out to create a clocktower that will play a song, to entice Santa to stop in; but, the kid wrecks it. You get the idea. I've seen bits and pieces and it never did much for me. George Gobel voices Father Mouse and Joel Grey is the narrator.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsShirley BoothMickey RooneyDick ShawnWhen a weary and discouraged Santa Claus considers skipping his Christmas Eve run one year, Mrs. Claus and his elves set out to change his mind.My other big favorite. Five words: Heat Miser and Snow Miser! This, by far had the best musical numbers (see above) and some pretty decent characters. Mickey Rooney is back as an ailing Santa and Shirley Booth is Mrs Claus. When Santa is too ill to deliver, Christmas is cancelled. Mostly, Santa wonders if it matters anymore. A couple of elves try to find some Christmas spirit, but end up in trouble. Mrs. Claus bails them out and sets out to broker a deal to bring some snow to the South, to convince a mayor to declare a holiday for Santa. Lots of arguing, catchy songs, and Mother Nature ensue and then we get the heart strings tugged pretty heavily. Well, you get the idea. It's also a favorite because Bradley Bolke (Chumley the Walrus, on Tennessee Tuxedo) voices one of the elves. This one totally rocks!
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsAngela LansburyCyril RitchardDavid KelleyA young shepherd, Lucas (David Kelley), is blinded by lightning, and some kindly nuns at a nearby abbey take him in. Sister Catherine (Iris Rainer) describes snow to Lucas, who has never seen it. Lucas gets chosen to play an angel in the abbey's Christmas pageant, and the Christmas snow that falls during the pageant works a small miracle.Angela Landsbury narrates this, about a shepherd boy blinded by lightning, who is cared for by some nuns. One of the nuns describes snow to him, which he has never seen. The shepherd is chosen to be an angel in the abbey's Christmas pageant and snow comes during the performance. I haven't seen this one, so I am not really familiar with it. It's not one of the biggies.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsBurl IvesRobert MorseStan FrebergA beloved toy stuffed rabbit is rescued by a fairy to be the first Easter Rabbit. After his owner falls ill.This was another attempt by R-B for a memorable Easter special; but, it still doesn't pan out. The rabbit in question is a stuffed bunny, whose owner becomes sick and her toys are removed. He ends up with Santa and some other bunnies. There's an ice monster and the rabbit has to find a Golden Lily to stop it from freezing the valley; or something. Like I said before, Easter was a tough one for R-B.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsAndy GriffithShelley WintersDennis DayFrosty's kind of lonely, so the kids think of making him a wife, Crystal. But will Jack Frost let them be happy?This was a nice return to form for R-B. Frosty makes a return and the kids build him a snow wife. However, jack Frost is jealous and tries to ruin things. Crystal (the snow woman) proves that love provides all the magic needed to keep Frosty around, even without the hat and a wedding (eventually) ensues. Andy Griffith narrates, while Jackie Vernon, the original voice of Frosty, returns. Shelly Winters voices Crystal and Paul Frees is Jack Frost. Nice sentiment and a fine story.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsRed SkeltonFrank GorshinMorey AmsterdamRudolph must find Happy, the baby New Year, before midnight on New Year's Eve.This is a pretty darn good one. Happy, the baby new year, has a big set of ears and they make everyone laugh. Happy thinks people are laughing at him, so he runs (well, crawls) away. Santa gets called in and dispatches Rudolph to find the youngster. Rudolph searches through the Archipelago of Last Years, where old years retire, with the environment matching their year. Rudolph meets a cave man (Morey Amsterdam), a knight (Frank Gorshin), Ben Franklin and some others. Meanwhile, a vulture named Aeon is looking to prevent the new year from returning, so he can live perpetually. Everyone meets up, Rudolph lets the kid know that it's okay to be different and no one was laughing to be mean, they just felt happy. They defeat Aeon and things work out. This one has some great voicework and is a lot of silly fun.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsGreer GarsonZero MostelDavid JayAaron, the drummer boy, struggles to protect a bellmaker's great silver bells from seizure by Roman soldiers.Sequel to the Little Drummer Boy, where Aaron and the gang team up with one of the Magi to protect the silver Christmas bells, from greedy Roman soldiers. Yeah, well..... Sequels rarely work out well.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsFred AstaireSkip HinnantBob McFaddenThe Mailman decides to stop another deluge of letters by answering questions about the Easter Bunny: Sunny, a baby rabbit found and adopted by Kidville (a town of only kids--even a kid mailman). And when Sunny goes delivering eggs to the nearby town (which he has to dye to fool Gadzooks, the mean bear on the mountain), he discovers that there are no kids in the town, and that the rightful (kid) ruler is being suppressed by his aunt. But the young king likes Sunny's dyed eggs and jelly beans. So Kidville, with the help of an old train engine, makes a few plans (and a decoy chocolate rabbit) to distribute them.Rankin-Bass still isn't ready to concede Easter and tries again, with a story swiped from Santa Claus is Comin' to Town, complete with Fred Astaire as narrator. It pretty much follows the structure of SCICTT, right down to rotten authority figures trying to stop the Easter Bunny from bringing eggs to town. Pretty much strike three, though it isn't a bad special. The Easter Bunny just doesn't conjure up the same mythology as Santa Claus.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsRoger MillerBrenda VaccaroPaul FreesAn outcast donkey in Roman era Judea with overlong ears finds his destiny on the way to Bethlehem.Rankin-Bass was running out of ideas and essentially recycled Rudolph into a donkey and tossed him into Roman-occupied Judea. I think you can see where this one goes. Substitute nose and snowstorm with ears and sandstorm, add one pregnant mother and you get the picture. Roger Miller narrates as Santa's donkey (why does he need a donkey if he has reindeer?).
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsOrson BeanJohn HustonTheodore GottliebA homebody hobbit in Middle Earth gets talked into joining a quest with a group of dwarves to recover their treasure from a dragon.Long before Peter Jackson, there was Rankin-Bass. The studio produced this animated tv movie, which was able to tell Tolkien's story in one film, rather than padding it out to three. The tale gets a bit condensed here and there, with the deletion Beorn and the subplot of the Arkenstone. Gollum is depicted as more amphibian in nature, giving him a more monstrous appearance. Orson Bean voices Bilbo and John Huston is a fine Gandalf. This was quite well done, with animation from Japanese studio Topcraft, whose members would go onto form the nucleus of Studio Ghibli.
- DirectorAlexander GrasshoffTsugunobu KotaniStarsRichard BooneJoan Van ArkSteven KeatsA wealthy big game hunter and his group become trapped in prehistoric times where they are stalked by a ferocious dinosaur.This was a decent idea of a film that is hampered by budget. Richard Boone stars as a wealthy oil man whose laser drilling machine has been able to tap new deposits under the polar ice cap. While on an exploration, it discovers a hidden world that is heated by a volcano and is filled with dinosaurs. Only one man returns to tell the tale. Boone launches a new expedition to return to the land, into which a female journalist insinuates herself. After the group is attacked by a tyrannosaurus, Boone becomes obsessed with killing it. Al in all, its a pretty good film, but it is marred by using an actor in a suit (ala Godzilla) to create the T-Rex, which never looks very convincing. Also, the romantic angle is a bit hard to swallow. Joan Van Ark plays the journalist and does a decent job in a fairly stereotypical role. In the end, its decent entertainment, if you have a forgiving eye for the effects. Like King Kong Escapes, it was done with Toho.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsWalter MatthauTom BosleyTheodore BikelThis version of the story is told from the perspective of B.A.H. Humbug. After Ebenezer Scrooge refuses to assist the poor or have Christmas Dinner with his nephew, he is visited by the ghost of his one time business partner and friend, Jacob Marley. Marley tells him to change his ways and Scrooge refutes this as madness. He is then visited by three ghosts, all who show him what his future will be like if he doesn't change his ways.This was line animation, presenting a remake of the 1956 tv episode of The Alcoa Hour. The story is a retelling of A Christmas Carol, mostly told through music. Walter Mathau is Scrooge, while Dennis Day is nephew Fred. Tom Bosley narrates as B.A.H. Humbug (get it?). Animation was doen, again, by Topcraft and looks more Japanese than before.
- DirectorTsugunobu KotaniStarsLeigh McCloskeyCarl WeathersConnie SelleccaScientists investigating the briny deep are threatened by a giant turtle and the spirit of a young brunette swimmer in the Bermuda Triangle.An odd little film, made with Tsuburaya Productions, mixing a seaside legend and a giant turtle. A young man is tormented by nightmares of his childhood, where he encountered a young girl and scratched their names on a turtle shell. The boy loses his father in a storm and the girl disappears. As an adult, he returns to the area and aids in a marine biology exploration, where they encounter a giant turtle. It's all rather convoluted. The film is available through the Warner Archives.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsBuddy HackettRobert MorsePaul FreesThe Groundhog tells the story of how, for once, Jack Frost became human, and helped a knight win his lady love.A winter sprite, Jack Frost, falls in love with a human woman and asks to be mortal. His wish is granted, but he must earn a house, a horse, a bag of gold and a wife before spring. Well, obviously, things go a bit astray. The ideas are cobbled from various tales, including the Little Mermaid. It ends on a bitter sweet note, which could be said about the R-B specials.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsRed ButtonsEthel MermanMickey RooneyThe Winterbolt is trying to make North Pole his evil wonderland, and it is up to Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and other icons to stop him.This was Rankin-Bass' all-star stop-motion tv special, featuring a team-up of Frosty, Rudolph, and Santa, all voiced by the original actors. The story revolves around an evil wizard, Winterbolt, who has been imprisoned for years, but has been released and seeks to reclaim his realm from Santa. The only power that can oppose him is Rudolph's nose, and he uses a series of lies and cons, to get Rudolph to take the blame for a theft from a circus, which causes Rudolph's nose to stop glowing (it loses its glow is used for evil). However, good triumphs over evil. The special uses models from most of the R-B stop-motion favorites and often resembles a clip show. Frosty is given a family, which provides the impetus for Rudolph to take the fall for a crime (they will melt if magi amulets stop working, in the warm climate). It's a bit convoluted and not quite up to the old standards.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsAlan KingGeorge S. IrvingBob McFaddenIt's Pinocchio's first Christmas, and he sells the book Geppetto gives him for present money, but Cat and Fox trick him out of it.Pinocchio wishes to get a present for his father for Christmas, but is tricked out of his money by the Fox and the Crow. Lady Azora, the fairy who planted the tree from which Pinocchio was carved, shows the little boy that Christmas is about more than presents. It wasn't a biggie.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsOrson BeanJohn HustonTheodore BikelTwo Hobbits struggle to destroy the Ring in Mount Doom while their friends desperately fight evil Lord Sauron's forces in a final battle.Rankin-Bass returns to Tolkien, after Ralph Bakshi runs out of money. Bakshi produced his own Lord of the Rings, but ran out of money to complete it and the released film only covers part of The Two Towers. Fans consider this an unofficial sequel, though R_B had always intended to adapt return of the King as a follow-up to The Hobbit. The vocal cast is back, with Orson Bean voicing both Bilbo and Frodo, and John Huston is back as Gandalf. The story is related via flashback, as the story is narrated by a minstrel and Gandalf. It is well done and captures that book fairly well, though it suffers from the absence of the the earlier material, leading to a lot of exposition. The battle scenes are quite good and it is very exciting, when you are young. The minstrel's song is a bit annoying, though.
- DirectorTsugunobu KotaniStarsJack PalanceSteven KeatsCindy PickettAn ivory ape escapes from a freighter and makes its way to Bermuda. Two anthropologists want to save it, but the local authorities hire a big-game hunter to track it down and kill it.This one's a bit more obscure. An albino ape escapes from a freighter in Bermuda and proceeds to wreak havoc. Locals want him destroyed but a group wants to capture and preserve the rare ape. Jack Palance plays a big game hunter brought in to capture or kill the ape (played by a man in a suit). It doesn't sound particularly memorabale and was broadcast on ABC, as was most of R-B's output, in this period).
- DirectorTsugunobu KotaniStarsRichard BooneToshirô MifuneMike StarrA steel samurai blade that was to be given to the American ambassador by the Emperor of Japan is stolen. American sailors and Japanese samurai are sent to find it.No monsters, this time, as the film depicts an event related to the historical treaty created between Japan and the United States, upon Commodore Mathew Perry's "visit" (on a warship, with guns poised). A katana (samurai sword) intended for President Franklin Pierce, is stolen by an isolationist faction. A young Japanese officer is tasked to retrieve it, as is an American naval officer. Sonny Chiba is the Japanese hero, while Frank Converse is the American. Toshiro Mifune plays the Japanese admiral Commodore Akira Hayashi and Richard Boone is Commodore Perry. Some of the plot elements resemble the earlier film Red Sun, which also featured Mifune.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsArt CarneyPeggy CassBob McFaddenAn Irish sailor is stranded on an island full of Leprechauns and soon finds himself aiding them in protecting their gold from a greedy Hag.This one starts our with a man sent to get a Christmas tree from an island and ends up with leprechauns and a banshee. It's pleasant enough, with Art Carney as the narrator; but isn't the masterpiece of the earlier specials.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsJeff BridgesMia FarrowAngela LansburyA beautiful unicorn sets out to learn if she truly is the last of her kind in this sparkling animated musical.Based on the novel by Peter S. beagle (who also wrote the script), it features the tale of the last unicorn, who goes in search of answers to what happened to her kind. She learns that the Red Bull, a fire elemental drove them into the sea. She is befriended by a an incompetent magician and is eventually transformed into a human, where she learns about mortality and love. The film features very "Japanese" designs from Topcraft, but a first rate cast, indluing Mia Farrow as the Unicorn, Jeff Bridges, Alana Arkin, Keenan Wynn, Angela Landsbury, and Christopher Lee. The film was released through Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment and did respectable box office in the US.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsVictor BuonoJames GregoryJames Earl JonesA young Boston writer goes back in time into an era where wizards and dragon reign and science is just barely known.This film was originally released direct-to-video, before appearing on ABC as a "Movie of the Week." The plot revolves around a group of wizards who confront the fact that magic is dying out in the world, replaced by science. Carolinus, the Green Wizard, hatches a plan to create a Realm of Magic for magical beings to withdraw to; but, Ommadon, the Red Wizard, wishes to rule the world for himself. Carolinus tries to stop Ommadon, but can't directly war against his brother, so he summons a knight, his dragon Gorbash, and a human from our world, who he meets in a pawn shop. The human is drawn into the conflict, but sees things in terms of scientific principles. Through an accident, he finds himself united with Gorbash into a dragon form. he helps to defeat the wizard, while he also falls in love with Carolinus' daughter Mellisande. After returning to human form and saying goodbye to the Realm of Magic, the human Peter finds a surprise waiting for him in the world of men. Harry Morgan is Carolinus, while James Earl Jones voices Ommadon. John Ritter voices the human, Peter. The film was filled with warmth, but also with many challenging ideas, like science vs magic, which gave some emat for the older audience to digest. The film can be obtained from the Warner Archives, and is a pleasant little fantasy tale.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsDan AykroydJane CurtinLaraine NewmanIn this animated pilot based on the SNL sketch, The Coneheads come to conquer Earth but they soon find themselves becoming domesticated.This animated special was based on the characters from the SNL sketch, featuring Dan Akroyd, Jane Curtain, and Lauraine Newman. I don't remember this at all.
- DirectorTony MaylamStarsAnthony PerkinsBelinda BauerOlga KarlatosA young woman sells her soul for eternal youth and beauty, while her screen test grows elderly and depraved to behold.This twist on the Oscar Wilde story features Belinda Bauer as a female Dorian Gray, who makes a deal for immortality on and offscreen. Bauer is better remembered for roles in Robocop 2 (Dr Faxx) and Flashdance, and also appeared in the pilot for Airwolf, and the tv fantasy movie Archer, Fugitive from the Empire. Unfortunately, her talents lay in her beauty, not her acting. Dorian sleeps her way to the top, knowing that she'll never age. It's mostly just an excuse for some titillation.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsEarl HammondEarle HymanLarry KenneyAt a council convened by The Great Ak, the forest being tells the story of Santa Claus to explain why he deserves to be made immortal.This was an adaptation of L Frank Baum's story, about the origins of Santa Claus. Claus must show he is worthy of the Mantle of Immortality. Not many people were familiar with the book, but the writing is greatly in the spirit of Baum and is a cult favorite.
- StarsBob McFaddenLarry KenneyEarl HammondA team of humanoid cats fight evil in their adopted home world.This was the acme of Rankin-Bass' animated fare. This hugely popular syndicated series features the adventures of Lion-O, Panthro, Cheetarah, Tygra, Wilykat and Wilykit, and Snarf. They escape from their world of Thundera, in the royal flagship and find sanctuary on Third Earth. There, they battle the machinations of the evil Pum-Ra and his minions. The series was beautifully animated by Pacific Animation Corporation (who helped form Studio Ghibli) and featured voices from several R-B regulars and Earl Hyman, of the Cosby Show (Russell Huxtable). The stories were well written and the action was fast paced, giving this a more mature feel than similar fare, like He-Man or GI Joe. Plus, the animation blew away the work of Filmation and Marvel Animation Studios.
- StarsBob McFaddenEarl HammondLarry KenneyA team of cyborgs protects Limbo from Mon Star and his gang.This was a slightly lesser release from Rankin-Bass and Pacific Animation Corporation. The stories were a bit repetitive, as Commander Stargazer sends out the team to deal with the mob of Mon Star. The structure was much ike Thundercats, but lacked the appeal of those characters and designs. It was pretty good, though, after a while, it seemed like you were watching the same old episode.
- StarsSeth GreenMaggie WheelerJim MeskimenAnimated anthology series featuring four different segments.This consisted of 4 rotating features: Mini-Monsters, Street Frogs, Karate Kat, and Tigersharks. It was all rather derivative and was never a huge hit and had nothing to do with comic strips.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsCharles Nelson ReillyRoddy McDowallJosé FerrerBadger, Rat and Mole are trying to save Toad Hall and its owner, their rich irresponsible airhead playboy friend Toad, from himself, as well as financial ruin, the court and a gang of conspiratorial weasels who have their eye on the place.This was Rankin-Bass' final production, adaptation of the Kenneth Grahme stories, with voicework from Charles Nelson Reilly, Jose Ferrer and Roddy McDowall. Some changes are made here and there. It is available through the Warner Archives.