Everything Action Theater: Santa Claus is Coming to Town

While Frosty and Rudolph are the kings of the hill at Rankin/Bass, the animation studio has had many more beloved holiday specials over the years, including 1970’s Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town.  Originally airing on ABC on December 13th, 1970, the special tells how Kris Kringle (Mickey Rooney) became Santa Claus.  Orphaned as a baby, Kris was raised by a family of elves and brings toys to the children of Sombertown, despite the town’s nasty Burgermeister, Meisterburger, who bans toys and anything else that brings the town’s children joy.  The special was narrated by Fred Astaire as S.D. “Special Delivery” Kluger and Keenan Wynn, Robie Lester, Paul Frees, Joan Gardner, and Dina Lynn rounded out the cast.  The special was critically and commercially successful and ABC/Freeform has continued to air it every year since it debuted and it has received a novelization and a video game in recent years.  You can watch the entire special below, thanks to YouTube.