Casper's First Christmas
Encyclopedia
Casper's First Christmas is a 30-minute Christmas Television special
and crossover produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions that featured Casper the Friendly Ghost
and his friend Hairy Scary from the show Casper and the Angels
with guest stars Yogi Bear
, Boo Boo
, Huckleberry Hound
, Snagglepuss
, Quick Draw McGraw
, and Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy
. It aired on NBC
on December 18, 1979.
The theme song (Comin Up Christmas Time) sung by the cast was later heard a year later in the TV movie Yogi's First Christmas
, which contradicts the events of this special in which Yogi and Boo Boo (who, being bears are supposed to be hibernating
in the winter) can be seen celebrating Christmas with the other cast members. This is also the first time that this production pairs together the characters made from their owners, Hanna-Barbera
and Harvey Entertainment.
Like many animated series created by Hanna-Barbera in the 1970s, the show contained an abridged, inferior laugh track
created by the studio.
saving the house and turning it into Hairy's Haunting Lodge.
Television special
A television special is a television program which interrupts or temporarily replaces programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Sometimes, however, the term is given to a telecast of a theatrical film, such as The Wizard of Oz or The Ten Commandments, which is not part of a regular...
and crossover produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions that featured Casper the Friendly Ghost
Casper the Friendly Ghost
Casper the Friendly Ghost is the protagonist of the Famous Studios theatrical animated cartoon series of the same name. As his name indicates, he is a ghost, but is quite personable...
and his friend Hairy Scary from the show Casper and the Angels
Casper and the Angels
Casper and the Angels was a 30-minute Saturday morning animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and aired for one season on NBC. Casper the Friendly Ghost was a guardian angel for two female motorcycle space cops named Minnie and Maxie in the year 2179...
with guest stars Yogi Bear
Yogi Bear
Yogi Bear is a fictional bear who appears in animated cartoons created by Hanna-Barbera Productions. He made his debut in 1958 as a supporting character in The Huckleberry Hound Show. Yogi Bear was the first breakout character created by Hanna-Barbera, and was eventually more popular than...
, Boo Boo
Boo Boo (Yogi Bear)
Boo-Boo Bear is a Hanna-Barbera cartoon character on The Yogi Bear Show. Boo-Boo is an anthropomorphic bear cub in a bow tie, who is a friend to Yogi Bear. Boo-Boo often acts as Yogi Bear's conscience. He tries to keep Yogi from doing things he should not do, and also to keep Yogi from getting...
, Huckleberry Hound
Huckleberry Hound
The Huckleberry Hound Show is a 1958 syndicated animated series and the second from Hanna-Barbera following The Ruff & Reddy Show, sponsored by Kellogg's. Three segments were included in the program: one featuring Huckleberry Hound; another starring Yogi Bear and his sidekick Boo Boo; and a third...
, Snagglepuss
Snagglepuss
Snagglepuss is a Hanna-Barbera cartoon character created in 1959, a pink anthropomorphic mountain lion voiced by Daws Butler. He is best known for his famous catchphrase, "Heavens to Murgatroyd!", along with phrases such as "Exit, stage left!" Snagglepuss was originally known as "Snaggletooth"...
, Quick Draw McGraw
Quick Draw McGraw
The Quick Draw McGraw Show is the third cartoon television production created by Hanna-Barbera starring an anthropomorphic cartoon horse named Quick Draw McGraw following their success with The Ruff & Reddy Show and The Huckleberry Hound Show. The show debuted in syndication in the fall of 1959,...
, and Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy
Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy
Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy are Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters who debuted on The Quick Draw McGraw Show and appeared in their own segment of that show.-Summary:The segments centered around the misadventures of a dachshund father-and-son team...
. It aired on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
on December 18, 1979.
The theme song (Comin Up Christmas Time) sung by the cast was later heard a year later in the TV movie Yogi's First Christmas
Yogi's First Christmas
Yogi's First Christmas is a 1980 holiday-themed television film first aired on November 21, 1980 and produced by Hanna-Barbera. Throughout the 1980s it was offered to U.S...
, which contradicts the events of this special in which Yogi and Boo Boo (who, being bears are supposed to be hibernating
Hibernation
Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression in animals, characterized by lower body temperature, slower breathing, and lower metabolic rate. Hibernating animals conserve food, especially during winter when food supplies are limited, tapping energy reserves, body fat, at a slow rate...
in the winter) can be seen celebrating Christmas with the other cast members. This is also the first time that this production pairs together the characters made from their owners, Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
and Harvey Entertainment.
Like many animated series created by Hanna-Barbera in the 1970s, the show contained an abridged, inferior laugh track
Laugh track
A laugh track is a separate soundtrack invented by Charles "Charley" Douglass, with the artificial sound of audience laughter, made to be inserted into television programming of comedy shows and sitcoms.The term "laugh track" does not apply to the genuine audience laughter on shows that shoot in...
created by the studio.
Plot
Casper and his friend Hairy Scary are in a house about to be demolished on Christmas Eve and go out to look for a new place to move to after Christmas. Then Yogi and his friends get lost and arrive at Casper and Hairy's house and clean and decorate it to celebrate Christmas. Then Casper befriends Yogi and company only for Hairy to try and ruin the fun for Casper and his new friends. Then Hairy has a change of heart and celebrates Christmas with Casper and his new friends and ending with Santa ClausSanta Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
saving the house and turning it into Hairy's Haunting Lodge.
Voices
- Julie McWhirterJulie McWhirterJulie McWhirter is an Indiana-born voice actress and impressionist best known for her work as Kanga in "Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore". Her voice acting also includes numerous Hanna-Barbera cartoons, such as Jeannie, Jabberjaw, Casper and the Angels, Drak Pack and The Smurfs...
- Casper the Friendly GhostCasper the Friendly GhostCasper the Friendly Ghost is the protagonist of the Famous Studios theatrical animated cartoon series of the same name. As his name indicates, he is a ghost, but is quite personable... - Daws ButlerDaws ButlerCharles Dawson "Daws" Butler was a voice actor originally from Toledo, Ohio. He worked mostly for Hanna-Barbera and originated the voices of many famous animated cartoon characters, including Yogi Bear, Quick Draw McGraw, Snagglepuss, and Huckleberry Hound.Daws Butler trained many working actors...
- Yogi BearYogi BearYogi Bear is a fictional bear who appears in animated cartoons created by Hanna-Barbera Productions. He made his debut in 1958 as a supporting character in The Huckleberry Hound Show. Yogi Bear was the first breakout character created by Hanna-Barbera, and was eventually more popular than...
, Huckleberry HoundHuckleberry HoundThe Huckleberry Hound Show is a 1958 syndicated animated series and the second from Hanna-Barbera following The Ruff & Reddy Show, sponsored by Kellogg's. Three segments were included in the program: one featuring Huckleberry Hound; another starring Yogi Bear and his sidekick Boo Boo; and a third...
, Augie DoggieAugie Doggie and Doggie DaddyAugie Doggie and Doggie Daddy are Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters who debuted on The Quick Draw McGraw Show and appeared in their own segment of that show.-Summary:The segments centered around the misadventures of a dachshund father-and-son team...
, Quick Draw McGrawQuick Draw McGrawThe Quick Draw McGraw Show is the third cartoon television production created by Hanna-Barbera starring an anthropomorphic cartoon horse named Quick Draw McGraw following their success with The Ruff & Reddy Show and The Huckleberry Hound Show. The show debuted in syndication in the fall of 1959,...
, SnagglepussSnagglepussSnagglepuss is a Hanna-Barbera cartoon character created in 1959, a pink anthropomorphic mountain lion voiced by Daws Butler. He is best known for his famous catchphrase, "Heavens to Murgatroyd!", along with phrases such as "Exit, stage left!" Snagglepuss was originally known as "Snaggletooth"... - Don MessickDon MessickDonald Earl "Don" Messick was an American voice actor best known for his work for Hanna-Barbera. Perhaps his most well-known voice creations include Scooby-Doo, Papa Smurf, and Dr. Benton Quest....
- Boo Boo - Hal SmithHal Smith (actor)Harold John "Hal" Smith was an American character actor and voice actor. Smith is best known as Otis Campbell, the town drunk on The Andy Griffith Show, and was the voice of many characters on various animated cartoon shorts...
- Santa ClausSanta ClausSanta Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus... - John StephensonJohn Stephenson (actor)John Stephenson is an American actor and voice actor. He has also been credited as John Stevenson...
- Doggie DaddyAugie Doggie and Doggie DaddyAugie Doggie and Doggie Daddy are Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters who debuted on The Quick Draw McGraw Show and appeared in their own segment of that show.-Summary:The segments centered around the misadventures of a dachshund father-and-son team...
, Hairy ScaryHairy ScaryHairy scary is a French animated television series, directed by Rudi Bloss/Wolf-Ruediger Bloss, created by Jan Rijsselberge and co-produced by Alphanim. Hairy scary is a lush 3D CGI series geared for kids 6 to 8...
Production credits
- Executive Producers: William HannaWilliam HannaWilliam Denby Hanna was an American animator, director, producer, and cartoon artist, whose film and television cartoon characters entertained millions of people for much of the 20th century. When he was a young child, Hanna's family moved frequently, but they settled in Compton, California, by...
and Joseph BarberaJoseph BarberaJoseph Roland Barbera was an influential American animator, director, producer, storyboard artist, and cartoon artist, whose film and television cartoon characters entertained millions of fans worldwide for much of the twentieth century.... - Producer: Alex Lovy
- Associate Producer: Doug Paterson
- Director: Carl Urbano
- Story: Bob Ogle
- Story Direction: Don Sheppard
- Executive in Charge of Development: Margaret Loesch
- Recording Director: Alex LovyAlex LovyAlex Lovy was an American animator, who spent the majority of his career as an animator and director at Walter Lantz Productions, later being a producer at Hanna-Barbera, and also supervising the cartoon unit at Warner Bros...
- Voices: Daws ButlerDaws ButlerCharles Dawson "Daws" Butler was a voice actor originally from Toledo, Ohio. He worked mostly for Hanna-Barbera and originated the voices of many famous animated cartoon characters, including Yogi Bear, Quick Draw McGraw, Snagglepuss, and Huckleberry Hound.Daws Butler trained many working actors...
, Paul DeKorte, Don MessickDon MessickDonald Earl "Don" Messick was an American voice actor best known for his work for Hanna-Barbera. Perhaps his most well-known voice creations include Scooby-Doo, Papa Smurf, and Dr. Benton Quest....
, Hal SmithHal Smith (actor)Harold John "Hal" Smith was an American character actor and voice actor. Smith is best known as Otis Campbell, the town drunk on The Andy Griffith Show, and was the voice of many characters on various animated cartoon shorts...
, Ida Sue McCune, Julie McWhirterJulie McWhirterJulie McWhirter is an Indiana-born voice actress and impressionist best known for her work as Kanga in "Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore". Her voice acting also includes numerous Hanna-Barbera cartoons, such as Jeannie, Jabberjaw, Casper and the Angels, Drak Pack and The Smurfs...
, John StephensonJohn StephensonJohn Stephenson may refer to:*John Stephenson , American voice actor*John Stephenson , American baseball catcher*John Stephenson , 19th century Irish-American coachbuilder who created the street railway...
, Michael RedmanMichael RedmanMichael Redman is an American singer who was a member of television's The Lawrence Welk Show from 1980 to 1982 as part of the trio Gail, Ron and Michael.... - Musical Sequences Directed by: Tex AveryTex AveryFrederick Bean "Fred/Tex" Avery was an American animator, cartoonist, voice actor and director, famous for producing animated cartoons during The Golden Age of Hollywood animation. He did his most significant work for the Warner Bros...
, Chuck Couch, Tom Yakutis - Musical Director: Hoyt CurtinHoyt CurtinHoyt Stoddard Curtin was an American composer and music producer, the primary musical director for the Hanna-Barbera animation studio from its beginnings with The Ruff & Reddy Show in 1957 until his retirement in 1986, except from 1963-1973, when the primary music director was Ted Nichols...
- Musical Supervisor: Paul DeKorte
- Character Design: Don Morgan
- Sound Directors: Richard Olson, Bill Getty
- Layout Director: Steve Lumley
- Layout: Joe Shearer, Shane Porteus, Deane Taylor
- Animation Director: Geoffrey Collins
- Animators: Peter Gardiner, Gerry Grabner, Greg Ingram, Paul Maron, Henry Neville, Susan Beak, Gairden Cooke, Dick Dunn, Peter Eastment, Don Ezard, Nicholas Harding, Chris Hague, Pamela Lofts, Paul McAdam, John Martin, Ray Nowland, Vivien Ray, Andrew Szermenyei, Jean Tych, Kaye Watts
- Assistant Animation Supervisor: Martin Chatfield
- Assistant Animators: Jac Appel, Fernando Bernia, Astrid Brennan, Rodney D'Silva, John Eyley, Ian Harrowell, Paul Baker, Mark Benvenuti, Jo-Anne Beresford, Marc Erasmus, Eva Hellscher, John Hull, Denise Kirkham, Jane LeRossignol, Helen McAdam, Kevin Peaty, Cliff Secto, Geoff White, Lucie Laarakkers, Steve Lyons, Marie Orr, Philip Peppers, Stella Wakil, Milan Zahorsky
- Supervising Director: Chris Cuddington
- Animation Checking: Jan Cregan, Ellen Bailey, Liz Lane, Frances Mould, Renee Robinson
- Backgrounds: Richard Zaloudek, Sue Speer, Jerry Liew, Ken Wright, Milan Zahorsky Snr., Zdenka Ebner, Judy Nicholson
- Production Co-ordinator: Judy Cross
- Production Control: Vicki Joyce
- Xerox: Jack Pietruska
- Paint: Narelle Derrick
- Paint Check: Liz Goodwin
- Camera: Mark D'Arcy-Irvine, Virginia Browne, Carole Conen, Shaun Bell
- Editing: Robert Ciaglla
- Supervising Film Editor: Larry C. Cowan
- Dubbing Supervisor: Pat Foley
- Music Editors: Terry Moore, Joe Sandusky
- Effects Editors: Julia Bagdonas, Sue Brown, Catherine MacKenzie
- Show Editor: Gil Iverson
- Negative Consultant: William E. DeBoer
- Post Production Supervisor: Joed Eaton