Jack Frost (TV special) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jack Frost |
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| Written by | Romeo Muller |
| Directed by | |
| Voices of |
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| Narrated by | Buddy Hackett |
| Theme music composer | Maury Laws |
| Country of origin |
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| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
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| Cinematography |
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| Running time | 48 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Rankin/Bass Productions |
| Distributor | Warner Bros. Television Distribution |
| Release | |
| Original network | NBC |
| Original release | December 13, 1979 |
Jack Frost is a fun Christmas television special from 1979. It was made using stop-motion animation by Rankin/Bass Productions. The story was directed by Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin, Jr.. Romeo Muller wrote the script.
The famous voice actor Buddy Hackett tells the story. Other voices include Robert Morse, Debra Clinger, and Paul Frees. The special first aired on NBC on December 13, 1979. It tells the exciting adventures of Jack Frost when he becomes a human. You can still watch it every year on AMC during their "Best Christmas Ever" shows.
Contents
The Story of Jack Frost
The story is told by a groundhog named Pardon-Me-Pete. Pete has a special deal with Jack Frost. Jack extends winter by six weeks, which means Pete gets to sleep longer! Pete then begins to share the amazing legend of Jack Frost.
Jack Frost Falls in Love
The tale starts with Jack Frost, who is an immortal winter sprite. He falls in love with a human girl named Elisa. One day, Elisa is in danger when the ice she is standing on cracks. Jack saves her, and she tells him she loves him.
Jack wants to be with Elisa forever. So, he asks Father Winter if he can become a human. Father Winter agrees to give him a chance. But he gives Jack a challenge. Jack must prove he can succeed as a human. He needs to get a house, a horse, a bag of gold, and a wife by the first sign of spring.
Becoming Human: Jack Snip
Jack agrees and turns into a human. He calls himself Jack Snip. He opens a tailor shop in a town called January Junction. Two of his friends, Snip and Holly, also turn human. Snip makes snowflakes, and Holly is a snow gypsy. Father Winter sent them to help Jack and keep him out of trouble.
Elisa likes "Jack Snip" a lot. But she dreams of a brave knight named Sir Ravenal Rightfellow. She hopes he will be her "knight in golden armor."
Kubla Kraus and the Kidnapping
Soon, an evil king named Kubla Kraus kidnaps Elisa. Kraus lives in his castle on Miserable Mountain. He has an iron horse named Klangstomper and a clockwork butler called Fetch-Kvetch. His army is made of iron "Keh-Nights." He also has a ventriloquist's dummy named Dommy as his sidekick. Kraus is very arrogant and greedy. No human or animal could live with him.
Kraus also stole all the brick, gold, and timber from January Junction. Sir Ravenal rescues Elisa from Kraus. After this, Kraus promises to destroy January Junction. He plans to send one thousand Keh-Nights to get Elisa back. He also throws Jack, Snip, and Holly into his dungeon.
Jack's Sacrifice and Victory
To save his friends and the town, Jack gives up being human. He turns back into a spirit. He creates the biggest blizzard ever! This blizzard freezes Kraus and his one thousand Keh-Nights in the castle. Snip and Holly also change back into sprites.
This plan works until Groundhog Day arrives. The sky is cloudy, so no sun can cast shadows. Jack Frost uses his magic shadow to scare Pete the groundhog back into his hole. This makes Pete go back to sleep. Jack then continues to make the storm even bigger.
With only one hour left before spring, Jack turns human again. He tricks Kraus's Keh-Nights. He imitates Dommy, the dummy, and makes them walk off the icy mountain. They are destroyed. Then, Jack makes Kraus fall out of his castle. Father Winter blows Kraus far away from Miserable Mountain.
Jack is now able to claim the gold for himself. He tames Klangstomper, making the iron horse his own. The castle becomes his new home.
A Bittersweet Ending
Jack races off to ask Elisa's parents if he can marry her. But while he was gone, Elisa fell in love with Sir Ravenal. And Sir Ravenal fell in love with her.
Jack becomes a spirit again for good. He blows ice onto Elisa's wedding bouquet, turning it white. When someone asks about the white bouquet, Elisa sheds a tear. She says, "An old friend just kissed the bride." Snip calls out to Jack, saying winter wouldn't be the same without him.
Before going back to sleep, Pete says that Jack Frost still plays tricks on him. Jack makes sure there are six more weeks of winter. But Pete doesn't mind because he enjoys the extra sleep!
Voice Actors
These are the talented people who gave voices to the characters:
- Robert Morse as Jack Frost
- Buddy Hackett as Pardon-Me-Pete
- Debra Clinger as Elisa
- Paul Frees as Father Winter and Kubla Kraus
- Dave Garroway as Groundhog Day Reporter
- Dina Lynn as Holly
- Sonny Melendrez as Sir Ravenal Rightfellow
- Don Messick as Snip
- Larry Storch as Papa
- Dee Stratton as Mama
Production Team
Here are some of the people who helped make this special:
- Produced and Directed by Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass
- Written by Romeo Muller
- Music and Lyrics by Maury Laws and Jules Bass
- Design: Paul Coker, Jr.
- Associate Producer: Masaki Iizuka
- "Animagic" Production Supervisors: Akikazu Kono, Ichiro Komuro, Hiroshi Tabata, Seiichi Araki
- Sound Recording: John Curcio, Dave Iveland, Glenn Berger, Robert Elder
- Sound Effects: Tom Clack
- Music Arranged and Conducted by Maury Laws
© 1979 Rankin/Bass Productions, Inc.
See also
In Spanish: Jack Frost (película de 1979) para niños
- List of Rankin/Bass Productions films
