Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town

TV Movie
1970
TV-G
48m

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

18K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

1,189

367

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

18K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

1,189

367

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

I will be 33 in January 2002. I only mention this so that readers will be able to gauge my review of this classic based on my age. While I was growing up, prior vcr tapes and dvd players, I and my friends would wait all year to view the various Christmas specials that aired each year. I remember sitting glued to the tv taking in every second of the shows. Back then if you missed part of the show or even the whole show you were border line depressed because you knew you couldn't see it again for a whole year. In some ways anticipation made the viewing of Christmas specials that much better.

SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN' TO TOWN(SCICTT) is in my top five Rankin/Bass specials. Right along with RUDOLPH, FROSTY and The Year WITHOUT SANTA CLAUS. I enjoy the 1970's feel this classic has. The flowers that appear when Jessica sings, the simple toys the kids play with and the songs that are sung throughout this show. I can only imagine what a modern version of this show would sound like with its boy band sounding songs and electric toys and video games. Instead of watching Kris and Jessica court each other and wed we would probably see them live together while they consider marriage. This was a scary classic. The Winter Warlock was very scary when I viewed this as a kid. No matter how many times I saw this as a kid I would always wonder if Kris would make it past the warlock.

I suppose the best thing about this type of Christmas classic is that when people my age view it they can escape back to their innocent youth for a short while. Even though I now own the vhs of SCICTT and soon hope to purchase the DVD I make myself and my kids wait until Christmas season to watch it. It's not quite the same as when I was a kid but anticipation still increases the viewing pleasure once we do watch it.