'Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974 TV special)

1974 American-Japanese animated Christmas television special 'Twas the Night Before ChristmasTitle pageGenreAnimationWritten byJerome CoopersmithDirected byArthur Rankin Jr.Jules BassStarringJoel GreyGeorge GobelTammy GrimesJohn McGiverNarrated byGeorge Gobel (main story)Joel Grey (poem sequence)Theme music composerMaury LawsCountries of originUnited StatesJapanOriginal languageEnglishProductionProducersArthur Rankin Jr.Jules BassCinematographyToru HaraTsuguyuki KuboRunning time25 minutesProduction companiesRankin/Bass ProductionsTopcraft Limited CompanyOriginal releaseNetworkCBSReleaseDecember 8, 1974 (1974-12-08)Related Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) Frosty the Snowman (1969) Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970) Here Comes Peter Cottontail (1971) 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974) The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974) The First Easter Rabbit (1976) Frosty's Winter Wonderland (1976) Rudolph's Shiny New Year (1976) The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town (1977) Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey (1977) The Stingiest Man in Town (1978) Jack Frost (1979) Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July (1979) Pinocchio's Christmas (1980) Frosty Returns (1992) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys (2001) The Legend of Frosty the Snowman (2005) A Miser Brothers' Christmas (2008)

'Twas the Night Before Christmas is a 1974 American animated Christmas television special produced by Rankin/Bass Productions that features Clement Clarke Moore's famous 1823 poem A Visit from St. Nicholas, the opening line of which is the source of the title of this animated special. The special first originally aired on CBS on December 8, 1974, and the network aired it annually until 1994, when The Family Channel (now Freeform) took over its syndication rights. AMC took over syndication rights for the special in 2018. Although the opening credits mention "told and sung by Joel Grey", it is really narrated by George Gobel, as there is more emphasis on the point of view of Father Mouse, with Moore's poem read by Grey as a secondary plot.

[edit] This article's plot summary needs to be improved. Please help do so. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. (December 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Santa Claus is offended by an anonymous letter printed in a Junctionville, USA newspaper claiming that he does not exist. In response, Santa returns all of the townspeople's letters unopened. Upon reading the letter, Father Mouse, an assistant to the clockmaker Joshua Trundle, suspects that his son Albert is the author, and Albert confirms this. To make amends with Santa, Father Mouse and the Trundle Family build a clock tower that will play a special song to convince Santa not to bypass Junctionville on Christmas Eve. Unfortunately, Albert sneaks into the clock and inadvertently causes it to malfunction in front of the whole town. The Mayor, embarrassed by the clock's failure, denies Joshua access for repairs. After confessing his mistake, Albert decides to fix the clock himself and manages to get it to play its song within earshot of Santa, prompting Santa to visit the town after all.

[edit] George Gobel as Father Mouse Joel Grey as Joshua Trundle Tammy Grimes as Albert John McGiver as The Mayor of Junctionville Additional voices[edit] Robert McFadden as The Substation Operator, The Councilmen, and The Handyman Allen Swift as Santa Claus Pat Bright as Sarah Trundle, and Mother Mouse Christine Winter as The Girl, and The Girl Mouse Scott Firestone as The Boy, and The Boy Mouse The Wee Winter Singers as The Chorus

[edit] There are three musical numbers in the program:

"Give Your Heart a Try" - Father Mouse (George Gobel) "Even a Miracle Needs a Hand" - Joshua Trundle (Joel Grey), Albert (Tammy Grimes) "Christmas Chimes are Calling (Santa, Santa)" - Chorus

[edit] "Even a Miracle Needs a Hand" later appeared on South Park in the Season 4 episode "A Very Crappy Christmas". Similar to its use in the original special, the song is sung by Kyle to Stan and Kenny during a seemingly hopeless situation. At one point, Joshua Trundle's face is even superimposed over Kyle's face.

[edit] An original advertisement for the special. Like many of Rankin/Bass' other animated TV specials, this special was animated in Japan by the animation studio Topcraft, which was rolled into Studio Ghibli in 1985.

[edit] The special was originally first issued on VHS by ABC Video Enterprises and Golden Book Video in 1987. After Lorimar was purchased by Time Warner, Warner Home Video/Warner Bros. Family Entertainment (owners of the post-1974 Rankin/Bass library), re-released the special on VHS in 1990, and on DVD in 2004, paired with the 1976 special Frosty's Winter Wonderland. A Blu-ray was released on October 5, 2011. It is also available on iTunes for purchase. On October 31, 2023, it was released as part of The Complete Rankin/Bass Christmas Collection on blu-ray and DVD.

At just 25 minutes, the 1974 Rankin/Bass special packs the full‑length feel of a classic holiday tale into a tidy slot that fits neatly between the evening news and the Christmas dinner. Its crisp animation, a product of Japan’s Topcraft studio, still feels fresh compared to the softer palettes of later TV specials. Parents love the brevity because it can be re‑watched without demanding a full evening, while the dual narration—George Gobel for the story and Joel Grey for the poem—gives it a theatrical quality that feels a step up from the more sing‑along‑heavy productions of the era. That blend of efficient storytelling and high‑production values makes it a reliable filler for family viewing slots and a nostalgic palate cleanser during the marathon of longer classics.

Original broadcasts were on CBS, but the rights have since moved to home‑media and streaming platforms. For collectors, the most comprehensive edition is the 2000 DVD set that includes a restored picture, a commentary track from the original producers and a booklet of original promotional art. If you prefer digital, the special is currently available on the Hallmark Movies Now catalogue and can be rented on major on‑demand services such as Amazon Prime Video, usually priced per‑title. When choosing a source, check for the inclusion of the original 1974 opening credits; some later compilations trim these for time. A DVD copy also guarantees you won’t miss the special during a seasonal power cut.

Many viewers assume the animation simply illustrates Clement Clarke Moore’s 1823 poem line‑by‑line, but the Rankin/Bass team expanded the narrative with new characters and a brief subplot that shows Santa’s workshop preparing for the night’s journey. This addition was designed to give the short a visual arc that matches the pacing of television audiences, not to rewrite the poem. Another myth is that the special was entirely American‑made; in fact, the animation was hand‑drawn in Japan, a collaboration that helped define the distinctive look of 1970s holiday specials. Understanding these production choices helps appreciate why the special feels both familiar and distinct within the Rankin/Bass catalogue.