Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July |
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DVD cover depicting Rudolph, Winterbolt, Frosty and Crystal
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| Screenplay by | Romeo Muller |
| Directed by | Arthur Rankin Jr. Jules Bass |
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| Country of origin | United States Japan |
| Original language(s) | English |
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| Running time | 98 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Rankin/Bass Productions |
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| Original network | ABC |
| Original release | November 25, 1979 |
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Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July (titled on-screen as Rudolph and Frosty: Christmas in July, or simply Rudolph and Frosty) is an American-Japanese Christmas/Independence Day television special produced by Rankin/Bass Productions, featuring characters from the company's holiday specials Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) and Frosty the Snowman (1969), among others. It was filmed in Japan using the company's trademark "Animagic" stop-motion animation style. The film premiered in the US on November 25, 1979, on ABC.
This was the last Rankin/Bass special to star Billie Mae Richards as Rudolph and Jackie Vernon as Frosty. Mickey Rooney reprised his role as Santa Claus from Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970) and The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974). Additional voices were provided by Red Buttons, Ethel Merman, Alan Sues, and Paul Frees. Shelley Winters and Frees reprised their roles as Frosty's wife Crystal and Jack Frost from Frosty's Winter Wonderland, and Hal Peary reprised his role as Big Ben the Clockwork Whale from Rudolph's Shiny New Year.
This was the final Rankin/Bass special to use Rudolph and Frosty. All other specials/movies starring the characters were produced by another company.
Plot
Winterbolt, a powerful, evil snow wizard has caused havoc upon the people who have entered his domain until Lady Boreal, the Queen of the Northern Lights, puts him in a deep sleep. Years later, Winterbolt awakens and in her final act of magic, Boreal transfers the last of her power into Rudolph's red nose when he is born, which will stop glowing if it is ever used for evil. Winterbolt learns of this through his Genie of the Ice Scepter and plans not only to dispose of Rudolph, the only power capable of stopping him, but also to reclaim his territory from Santa Claus. Meanwhile, an ice cream man named Milton from Lily Loraine's Circus by the Sea arrives and tells Rudolph and Frosty the Snowman that he plans to marry his girlfriend and Lily's daughter, Lainie, if they star in the circus.
Winterbolt offers Frosty and his family magic amulets to keep them from melting and let them to perform in the circus, but they will only be protected until the final firework fades on the Fourth. Santa agrees to pick them up before the magic wears off, but the ice dragons create a blizzard to prevent Santa and Mrs. Claus from arriving on time. He then goes to the Cave of Lost Rejections and recruits an unintelligent, nasty reindeer named Scratcher, who is jealous because he wanted to be one of Santa's reindeer, but got fired when Santa hired Rudolph. Winterbolt recruits him to try to get Rudolph to turn, or at least appear, evil in the eyes of his friends. With the blizzard keeping Santa from getting to the circus, Frosty's family are worried. When Scratcher arrives, he forms an alliance with Sam Spangles during the parade.
Scratcher, taking advantage of Rudolph's kindness, tricks him into stealing money from the circus and giving it to Sam. Rudolph agrees to appear guilty by taking the blame after making a deal with Winterbolt to make the amulets’ power last longer. Frosty's family and friends and Lily are upset when Rudolph tells them he stole the money and his nose stops glowing, although Frosty doubts Rudolph would lie to them.
As Rudolph walks along the seashore, Big Ben the Clockwork Whale arrives and Rudolph tells him his problems. Frosty discovers Sam and Scratcher's conspiracy, and he wants to help Rudolph. Winterbolt takes advantage of Frosty as well by lying and agreeing to help Rudolph in exchange for Frosty's hat, with the intention of using its magic powers to create an army of evil snowmen. Rudolph manages to defeat Winterbolt, gets the hat back, and his nose regains its glow.
Rudolph returns to the circus with a policeman who tells everyone he is innocent and returns Frosty's hat and the circus money, bringing him back to life, and everyone apologizes to him. Winterbolt arrives and tries to attack everyone, but Lily throws her guns at his scepter, breaking it and causing him to turn into a tree. After this, Sam is arrested, Scratcher disappears, and all of Winterbolt's spells wear off, but Frosty and his family melt as their amulets are no longer active. However, Jack Frost arrives from South America on Big Ben and brings Frosty and his family back to life with his cold breath. Santa and Mrs. Claus bring them back to the North Pole, but Rudolph stays behind and Lily lets him lead the flying circus parade to thank him for getting the circus out of debt.
Voice cast
- Billie Mae Richards as Rudolph
- Jackie Vernon as Frosty
- Mickey Rooney as Santa Claus
- Red Buttons as Milton
- Alan Sues as Scratcher
- Darlene Conley as Mrs. Claus
- Shelby Flint as Laine Loraine
- Ethel Merman as Lilly Loraine
- Paul Frees as Winterbolt, Keeper of the Cave, Jack Frost and Officer Kelly
- Thurl Ravenscroft as the Genie of the Ice Scepter
- Don Messick as Sam Spangles, Donner, Santa's Cuckoo Clock and clowns
- Hal Peary as Big Ben the Clockwork Whale
- Shelley Winters as Crystal
- Nellie Bellflower as Lady Boreal
- Candy Candido as The Snow Dragons
- Steffi Cali as Milly
- Eric Hines as Chilly
Songs
- "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" – Chorus
- "Everything I've Always Wanted" – Crystal
- "Everything I've Always Wanted (reprise)" – Milton
- "Everyday Is Just Like Christmas" – Lily
- "Chicken Today And Feathers Tomorrow" – Lily
- "I See Rainbows" – Santa, Chorus
- "Don't Let The Parade Pass You By" – Lily
- "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" – Chorus
- "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" – Lanie, Chorus
- "Everything I've Always Wanted (second reprise) – Frosty
- "No Bed of Roses" – Rudolph
- "Frosty the Snowman" – Chorus
- "Now And Then" – Frosty
- "We're a Couple of Misfits" – Frosty and Rudolph
- "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (reprise)" – Lily, Chorus
