Frosty The Snowman – Nostalgia Central

1 9 6 9 (USA)
1 x 25 minute episode

“Happy Birthday!”

This Rankin-Bass animated production – based on the popular Christmas song of the same name and narrated by Jimmy Durante –  first appeared on 7 December 1969 on the CBS television network.  Since then, it has become the longest-running annual TV special on the same network.

With the first snowfall, a little girl named Karen (voiced by June Foray) and her friends hasten outdoors to build a snowman, complete with coal-lump eyes, red button nose and a corncob pipe. They call him ‘Frosty’.

A gust of wind places the magical silk top hat of incompetent magician Professor Hinkle (voiced by Billy De Wolfe) squarely atop  Frosty’s head, and the snowman magically springs to life.

Realising that he will melt in spring unless he takes refuge in a colder climate, Frosty (voiced by Jackie Vernon) and Karen stow away on a freight train headed for the North Pole – with some help from a magic white rabbit named Hocus Pocus, who communicates using sign language.

Little do they know that the villainous Hinkle is following them, and he wants his magic hat back at any cost.

Fortunately, Santa (voiced by Paul Frees) saves the day.

The animation was by Mushi Productions in Japan, who also animated Astro Boy (1963 – 1966).

The voice of June Foray (best known for voicing Rocky the Flying Squirrel in Rocky and His Friends/The Bullwinkle Show) was later removed from the television special and replaced with that of an actual child actor.

Rankin-Bass produced a 1976 sequel named Frosty’s Winter Wonderland (hosted by Andy Griffith). A  subsequent 1992 production (Frosty Returns) was not made by Rankin-Bass.

Narrator
Jimmy Durante
Frosty
Jackie Vernon
Karen/Children/Teacher
June Foray
Professor Hinkle
Billy De Wolfe
Santa Claus/Traffic Cop/Ticketmaster
Paul Frees

Video