Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town

TV Movie
1970
TV-G
48m

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

19K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

242

Fred Astaire, Mickey Rooney, Paul Frees, Robie Lester, and Keenan Wynn in Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970)

Clip: Jessica saves Kris Kringle and the others

Play clip3:27

Watch Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town

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72 Photos

Holiday Animation Holiday Family Stop Motion Animation Adventure Animation Comedy Family Fantasy Holiday Musical

A mailman reveals the origin of Santa Claus.A mailman reveals the origin of Santa Claus.A mailman reveals the origin of Santa Claus.

Directors
- Jules Bass
- Arthur Rankin Jr.
Writer
- Romeo Muller
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

19K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

242

Directors
- Jules Bass
- Arthur Rankin Jr.
Writer
- Romeo Muller
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Top cast13

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Fred Astaire

Narrator - S.D. Kluger
(voice)

Mickey Rooney

Kris Kringle
(voice)
…

Keenan Wynn

Winter Warlock
(voice)

Paul Frees

Joan Gardner

Tanta Kringle
(voice)

Robie Lester

Miss. Jessica
(voice)
…

Andrea Sacino

Child
(voice)

Dina Lynn

Child
(voice)

Gary White

Child
(voice)

Greg Thomas

Child
(voice)

Patty Foley

Store Wonan
(uncredited)

Keith Hampshire

Scrooge
(uncredited)

Howard Jerome

Business Man
(uncredited)

Directors
- Jules Bass
- Arthur Rankin Jr.
Writer
- Romeo Muller
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Movie and TV Santas We Love

Celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with some of our favorite portrayals of Santa Claus.

See the gallery

Photos

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
MGM Records issued a soundtrack album from the special in 1970, pressed in limited quantities as a promotional tool for radio station disc jockeys, all with an orange and black promo sticker on the back cover. The score has since been re-issued on CD, but the vinyl remains one of the rarest and most prized Christmas collectibles of all time.

Goofs
There is no toy duck on the stairs when the Burgermeister comes out of the building. Yet he trips on the toy duck at the top of the stairs.

Quotes
Dingle: Wiggle my ears and tickle my toes, methinks I see a baby's nose! It's more than a nose. There's a whole baby attached to it. Better call my brothers! Wingle! Bingle! Tingle! Zingle!
Zingle: What is it, Dingle?
Wingle: It's a baby, Zingle.
Tingle: A baby what, Wingle?
Bingle: A baby baby, Tingle.
Dingle: I like babies, Bingle.
Bingle: Our baby's the best baby of them all, Wingle.

Alternate versions
The ABC Family/Freeform version (as of 2020) adds back "A Kiss A Toy" and "My World is Beginning Today" songs, but still omits the scene where Burgermeister burns the toys.

Connections
Edited into Saturday Night Live: Hugh Jackman/Mick Jagger (2001)

Soundtracks
Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
(Start) (uncredited)
Music by J. Fred Coots
Lyrics by Haven Gillespie
Arranged by Maury Laws (uncredited) and Jules Bass (uncredited)
Music Directed by Maury Laws (uncredited)
Performed by Fred Astaire

My favorite of all Christmas cartoons!

I am an adult, and probably shouldn't watch Christmas cartoons, but I love them anyway! "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" is my favorite of all Christmas cartoons. Anyone who knows me knows that I love this cartoon! (I was a kid in the 70's when all the Rankin/Bass cartoons were on during Christmas, so I remember and have most of them!) The mailman (Fred Astaire) is just adorable! Mickey Rooney as Santa was such a perfect choice! I love to settle in a comfy chair, knowing I won't be interrupted, and put this tape in my vcr.

I agree (a little bit) about the cartoon being dated. Yes, it has those tones mainly in the middle of the cartoon, but it can easily be dismissed. I would like to explain about the wedding celebration between Santa and Jessica in the forest. They got married in the forest because "no church would have them". This a wonderful, innocent Christmas cartoon - a joy for anyone to watch.