The Essential Animated Christmas TV Show List
Here are my favorite animated TV Christmas shows for the past 40 years. They bring back so many memories of waiting for Rudolph and Charlie Brown Christmas to broadcast on CBS in mid-December (Before DVRs and DVDs). I always loved the Rankin and Bass Christmas specials but other newer TV specials like Olive, Madagascar, and Shrek have helped continue the traditions of holiday TV memories. Leave me some comments and suggestions for other Christmas gems.
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- 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.
- DirectorBill MelendezStarsAnn AltieriChris DoranSally DryerDepressed at the commercialism he sees around him, Charlie Brown tries to find a deeper meaning to Christmas.
- 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.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsFred AstaireMickey RooneyKeenan WynnA mailman reveals the origin of Santa Claus.
- DirectorCharles VisserStarsJoe AlaskeyBob BergenBilly WestGreedy duck hates Christmas but loves money. Throughout the night, he gets visited by three ghosts.
- 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.
- DirectorJimmy T. MurakamiDianne JacksonStarsDavid BowieRaymond BriggsMel SmithOn Christmas Eve, a young boy builds a snowman that comes to life and takes him to the North Pole to meet Father Christmas.
- DirectorDave UnwinStarsMel SmithA down-to-earth Father Christmas recounts a vacation he took around the world and a typical Christmas Eve workload, from his small house in contemporary Britain.
- DirectorAbe LevitowStarsJim BackusMorey AmsterdamJack CassidyThis musical adaptation of the classic tale by Charles Dickens stars Magoo as the cold-hearted old miser, Ebenezer Scrooge.
- 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.
- DirectorPhil MonroeStarsRoss Bagdasarian Jr.Janice KarmanJune ForaySwept up in a holiday mood, Alvin gives away his cherished harmonica to a sick little boy. Meanwhile, Dave has booked Alvin to perform a harmonica solo at Carnegie Hall. Alvin keeps the loss of his harmonica a secret from Dave, and with the help of Simon and Theodore, he scrambles to earn enough money to buy another harmonica in time for his Carnegie Hall debut. Along the way you'll hear Alvin, Simon, and Theodore getting ready for the big night, singing their own comical versions of holiday favorites like "Jingle Bells," "Deck the Halls", and their famous "Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)". This heartwarming story, brimming with joyful music, makes "A Chipmunk Christmas" a great way to celebrate the holidays - any day.
- DirectorWill VintonStarsTim ConnerJohnny CounterfitTwo hosting prehistoric dinosaurs, Rex and Herb, guide you along a typical small town's Christmas choral celebration. There's just one catch, the entire town population is made out of clay. Special guest stars: the California Raisins.
- DirectorJim HensonStarsJerry NelsonFrank OzMarilyn SokolA poor otter family risks everything for the chance to win the cash prize of a talent contest for Christmas.
- DirectorHal SutherlandStarsBill CosbyJan CrawfordGerald EdwardsFat Albert, Mushmouth, Rudy, Bill, and the Cosby kid gang are rehearsing their Christmas play in their junkyard clubhouse when suddenly Mr. Tyrone, who owned the junkyard as well as the whole east end of town, show up and threatened to have the clubhouse bulldozed to the ground. Then, a little boy, Marshall; his dad, and his very pregnant mother show up. They had car trouble and they wouldn't take them because they were poor. So Fat Albert offered to take them in while he went to go bargain with Tyrone, but that mean old grinch simply wouldn't listen. It takes Mudfoot to talk some sense into him and melt that icy old heart. Back at the clubhouse, the baby is soon born and in comes Tyrone full of Christmas spirit! Hey, hey, hey!
- DirectorKaren DisherStarsRay RomanoJohn LeguizamoDenis LearySid, Eddie and Crash get in trouble with Santa and have to get their names off of the naughty list.
- DirectorSteve MooreStarsDrew BarrymoreDan CastellanetaJoe PantolianoWhen Santa cancels his annual flight because of a hurt reindeer, a young Christmas loving dog named Olive is convinced she has what it takes to get Santa's flight off the ground and save Christmas.
- DirectorTony CharmoliStarsJohn DenverFrank OzJerry NelsonIn this beloved holiday classic, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and all the Muppets join the singer for a heart-warming Christmas celebration, with traditional carols as well as lesser-known holiday songs.
- DirectorDavid SorenStarsBen StillerChris RockDavid SchwimmerWhen Santa and his reindeer crash onto Madagascar it's up to Alex, Marty, Gloria, Melvin, and the penguins to save Christmas.
- DirectorBill PerezThe Pink Panther employs various strategies in an effort to get himself a big holiday dinner.
- DirectorGary TrousdaleStarsMike MyersEddie MurphyCameron DiazThis half-hour animated TV special features the Shrek characters putting their own spin on holiday traditions.
- DirectorGary KatonaEd WexlerJamie MitchellStarsJim CummingsPeter CullenJohn FiedlerRing in the season with Winnie The Pooh in a holiday adventure.
- DirectorGerry ChiniquyRay PattersonHawley PrattStarsSue AllenJohn Richard BolksDaws ButlerYogi, Boo Boo and Cindy are awakened from hibernation and join their friends' Christmas activities while interfering with two villains' efforts to ruin the holiday.
- DirectorJun FalkensteinAlex MannBradley RaymondStarsKelsey GrammerWayne AllwineRussi TaylorThree tales of Christmas past about Donald's nephews reliving the day on repeat, Max Goof's belief in Santa being challenged, and Mickey and Minnie making ends meet.
- 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.
- DirectorTim JohnsonStarsJack BlackDustin HoffmanAngelina JoliePo is to host the annual winter holiday feast and he struggles to meet his friends' expectations.