Country Bear Christmas Special
Encyclopedia
The Country Bear Christmas Special is a special holiday edition of the Country Bear Jamboree
attraction at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom
at Walt Disney World. The show premiered in both parks in the winter of 1984. Also, the show opened at Tokyo Disneyland as Jingle Bell Jamboree in 1988.
At Disney World, the Christmas Special ran until 2005, but is rumored to return in the future. The show still plays at Tokyo Disneyland every year during their Christmas events.
Liver-Lips McGrowl-Liver Lips is perhaps the funniest-looking bear. He's a brown bear who gets his name from his very large lips. He becomes an Elvis impersonator in this show, playing a Christmas tree-shaped guitar. In this show, he is voiced by Imagineer
Dave Durham.
Wendell-Wendell is a brown bear with a massive overbite and buck teeth. He carries a squirrel gun, which he accidentally fires a couple of times throughout the show. He wears a hunter's hat and jacket. In this show, he is voiced by Dave Durham.
Teddi Barra-Teddi Barra is a unique bear because she never appears onstage. Instead, she descends from a hole in the ceiling on her swing. She is a brown bear who holds a pair of skis, has a cast on her leg and is dressed in ski gear. She is voiced by Genia Fuller.
Ernest-Ernest is a brown bear who plays the fiddle. He wears a beanie cap and sweater with a trim in the middle with reindeers. There's also a sled next to him. He's voiced by Mike Weston
.
Terrence-A tall bear who plays a guitar. In this show, he wears a scarf and earmuffs and has white fur to resemble a polar bear
. He is also joined by a penguin encased in ice. His singing voice is provided by Harry Middlebrooks.
Trixie-Trixie is a very large brown bear who wears a blue bow on her head, a blue tutu around her waist, a pair of skates hanging from her neck and holds a pair of mittens in one hand and a mistletoe in another. She is voiced by Suzanne Sherwin.
Big Al-Big Al is the fattest bear. He is grey with a light grey belly and plays the guitar. In this show, he's dressed as baby New Year (sash and diapers(diapers only used in the U.S.version) and wears an icepack and a party hat on his head. A banner hangs above him. His voice is provided by Peter Klimes.
The Sun Bonnet Trio
Gomer-Gomer never sings, but instead plays his piano, which has a small Christmas tree on top of it and Christmas decorations. He is considered Henry's right-hand bear. He is tall and brown and wears a heavy winter coat and sunglasses.
The Five Bear Rugs
Baby Oscar-Oscar appears with The Five Bear Rugs, but plays no instrument. He is a brown bear and always has his teddy bear to keep him company. Oscar wears white earmuffs and red boots and holds a candy cane. His teddy bear has a tag with his name on it.
Rufus-Rufus is not a performer, but instead runs the projections and lights. He is never seen, but can be heard from time to time running backstage, constantly out of breath.
.
Max-Max is the head portion of a stag. In this show, he has a small red light bulb sitting on his snout, making him look a bit like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. He's voiced by Mike West
.
Melvin-Melvin, a moose head, is the Dopey
of the animal head trio. He often makes good-natured jokes and, in this show, he has lots of Christmas lights hanging on his antlers. He's voiced by Frank Welker
.
Sammy-Sammy is Henry's raccoon pal, who cuddles around Henry's top hat. He acts like a coonskin cap for Henry. He wears a piece of a Christmas leaf next to his right ear. He's voiced by Bob Gardner
.
The show begins as always with Buff, Max, and Melvin. As the three argue over who gets to sing "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", Henry appears onstage and begins the show!
MELVIN: Well, I think we did just fine!
MAX: You would!
BUFF: If you two don't straighten up, I'm gonna pull the plug on both of you! Now say goodbye!
MAX & MELVIN: So long everybody!
BUFF: Happy holidays!
For unknown reasons, this bit of dialogue was cut from the show.
Country Bear Jamboree
The Country Bear Jamboree is an attraction at the Magic Kingdom in the Walt Disney World Resort and at Tokyo Disneyland in the Tokyo Disney Resort, as well as a former attraction at Disneyland Park. All versions of the attraction are similar....
attraction at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Park is one of four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort located near Orlando, Florida. The first park built at the resort, Magic Kingdom opened Oct. 1, 1971. Designed and built by WED Enterprises, the park's layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland in Anaheim, California...
at Walt Disney World. The show premiered in both parks in the winter of 1984. Also, the show opened at Tokyo Disneyland as Jingle Bell Jamboree in 1988.
At Disney World, the Christmas Special ran until 2005, but is rumored to return in the future. The show still plays at Tokyo Disneyland every year during their Christmas events.
Characters
Because the show was a Christmas Special, the characters in the show were put into Christmas outfits for their various acts.Bears
Henry-The "ringmaster" of the show, Henry is a welcoming and friendly brown bear. He wears a grey top hat with a red trim and a scarf. Like in the original show, he is voiced by Pete Renaday.Liver-Lips McGrowl-Liver Lips is perhaps the funniest-looking bear. He's a brown bear who gets his name from his very large lips. He becomes an Elvis impersonator in this show, playing a Christmas tree-shaped guitar. In this show, he is voiced by Imagineer
Imagineer
Imagineer may refer to:* Disney Imagineer, a position at the Walt Disney company* Imagineer Systems, a visual effects software company* Imagineer , a Japanese video game, mobile, software company...
Dave Durham.
Wendell-Wendell is a brown bear with a massive overbite and buck teeth. He carries a squirrel gun, which he accidentally fires a couple of times throughout the show. He wears a hunter's hat and jacket. In this show, he is voiced by Dave Durham.
Teddi Barra-Teddi Barra is a unique bear because she never appears onstage. Instead, she descends from a hole in the ceiling on her swing. She is a brown bear who holds a pair of skis, has a cast on her leg and is dressed in ski gear. She is voiced by Genia Fuller.
Ernest-Ernest is a brown bear who plays the fiddle. He wears a beanie cap and sweater with a trim in the middle with reindeers. There's also a sled next to him. He's voiced by Mike Weston
Mike Weston
Michael Philip Weston is a former international rugby union player and captain.Weston was capped twenty-nine times for England between 1960 and 1968, winning twenty-four caps as a centre and five caps as a fly-half. He scored one try and one drop goal for England...
.
Terrence-A tall bear who plays a guitar. In this show, he wears a scarf and earmuffs and has white fur to resemble a polar bear
Polar Bear
The polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
. He is also joined by a penguin encased in ice. His singing voice is provided by Harry Middlebrooks.
Trixie-Trixie is a very large brown bear who wears a blue bow on her head, a blue tutu around her waist, a pair of skates hanging from her neck and holds a pair of mittens in one hand and a mistletoe in another. She is voiced by Suzanne Sherwin.
Big Al-Big Al is the fattest bear. He is grey with a light grey belly and plays the guitar. In this show, he's dressed as baby New Year (sash and diapers(diapers only used in the U.S.version) and wears an icepack and a party hat on his head. A banner hangs above him. His voice is provided by Peter Klimes.
The Sun Bonnet Trio
- Bunny-Bunny stands in the center of the stage. Because she and her sisters are triplets, they all have brown fur. She wears a green hood and sweater with her name on it. She's voiced by Dianne Michelle.
- Bubbles-Bubbles stands to the audience's left between Gomer and Bunny. She wears a red hood and sweater with her name on it. She's voiced by Lori Johnson.
- Beulah-Beulah stands to the audience's right. She wears a red hood and sweater with her name on it. She's voiced by Holaday Mason.
Gomer-Gomer never sings, but instead plays his piano, which has a small Christmas tree on top of it and Christmas decorations. He is considered Henry's right-hand bear. He is tall and brown and wears a heavy winter coat and sunglasses.
The Five Bear Rugs
- Zeke-Considered the leader of The Five Bear Rugs, Zeke plays a banjo and taps on the dishpan with "a real ol' country beat". He is a grey bear with glasses who wears a black hat with snow on top of it and yellow scarf. He's voiced by Harry Middlebrooks.
- Zeb-Zeb is brown bear with a light brown stomach. He plays the fiddle as well and wears a bandana around his neck and a winter hat. His feet are in a hot bucket of water, due to having a cold, and sneezes several times throughout the show. He is voiced by Curt Wilson (speaking) and Rod BurtonRod BurtonRod Burton is a singer, songwriter, and musician best known for being part of the trio Rod, Jane and Freddy. He originally studied at the London College of Printing as a graphic designer and had a highly successful career in illustrating books, but songwriting was his main ambition so he quit the...
(singing). - Ted-Ted is a tall, skinny bear who blows on the cornjug and plays the washboard. His fur is brown and he wears a white vest and a red Santa Claus hat.
- Fred-The biggest of The Five Bear Rugs, Fred ironically plays the smallest instrument: the mouth harp. He is a brown bear and wears blue jeans held up with red suspenders as well as a red Santa Claus hat and a green tie with a candy cane on it.
- Tennessee-Tennessee plays the "Thing", which has only one string. He is brown and wears a hunter's jacket and red hat. His now-deep voice is provided by Lee Dresser.
Baby Oscar-Oscar appears with The Five Bear Rugs, but plays no instrument. He is a brown bear and always has his teddy bear to keep him company. Oscar wears white earmuffs and red boots and holds a candy cane. His teddy bear has a tag with his name on it.
Rufus-Rufus is not a performer, but instead runs the projections and lights. He is never seen, but can be heard from time to time running backstage, constantly out of breath.
Other animals
Buff-Buff is considered the leader of the animal heads and is also the largest. He is the head portion of a buffalo, wears a red Santa Claus hat and is voiced by Disney legend Thurl RavenscroftThurl Ravenscroft
Thurl Arthur Ravenscroft was an American voice actor and singer best known as the deep voice behind Tony the Tiger's "They're grrreat!" in Frosted Flakes television commercials for more than five decades. Ravenscroft was also known, however uncredited, as the vocalist for the song "You're a Mean...
.
Max-Max is the head portion of a stag. In this show, he has a small red light bulb sitting on his snout, making him look a bit like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. He's voiced by Mike West
Mike West
Mike West is a former backstroke swimmer from Canada, who competed for his native country at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. There he won the silver medal in the 4x100m Medley Relay, and the bronze medal in the 100m Backstroke.-References:...
.
Melvin-Melvin, a moose head, is the Dopey
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a 1937 American animated film based on Snow White, a German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. It was the first full-length cel-animated feature in motion picture history, as well as the first animated feature film produced in America, the first produced in full...
of the animal head trio. He often makes good-natured jokes and, in this show, he has lots of Christmas lights hanging on his antlers. He's voiced by Frank Welker
Frank Welker
Franklin Wendell "Frank" Welker is an American actor who specializes in voice acting and has contributed character voices and other vocal effects to American television and motion pictures.-Acting career:...
.
Sammy-Sammy is Henry's raccoon pal, who cuddles around Henry's top hat. He acts like a coonskin cap for Henry. He wears a piece of a Christmas leaf next to his right ear. He's voiced by Bob Gardner
Bob Gardner
Bob Gardner is a legislator in the U.S. state of Colorado. An United States Air Force veteran and attorney, Gardner was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives as a Republican in 2006...
.
Show
The show is a mesh of many different traditional Christmas carols, more modern songs and original Christmas "bear-ols" all sung by the bears in a country twang.The show begins as always with Buff, Max, and Melvin. As the three argue over who gets to sing "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", Henry appears onstage and begins the show!
Songs
- "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"- Melvin
- "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas"- Henry and Gomer
- "Tracks in the Snow"- The 5 Bear Rugs and Henry
- "12 Days of Christmas (Oh What a Christmas)"- Wendell
- "The Hibernating Blues"- Trixie
- "Deck the Halls"- The 5 Bear Rugs
- "Rock and Roll Santa"- Liver Lips McGrowl and Gomer
- "Blue Christmas"- Terrence (with his penguin)
- "Sleigh Ride"- The Sun Bonnets
- "Hungry as a Bear"- Ernest and The 5 Bear Rugs
- "The Christmas Song"- Henry and Teddi Barra
- "Another New Year"- Big Al
- "Let It SnowLet It Snow"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!", also known as "Let It Snow", is a song written by lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne in 1945. The song was written in July 1945 in Hollywood, California during one of the hottest days on record. First recorded by Vaughn Monroe, it became a popular...
/ Rudolph the Red-Nosed ReindeerRudolph the Red-Nosed ReindeerRudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer is a fictional reindeer with a glowing red nose. He is popularly known as "Santa's 9th Reindeer" and, when depicted, is the lead reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve. The luminosity of his nose is so great that it illuminates the team's path through...
/ Winter WonderlandWinter Wonderland"Winter Wonderland" is a winter song, popularly treated as a Christmastime pop standard, written in 1934 by Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith . Through the decades it has been recorded by over 150 different artists.-History:...
"- Cast (except Ernest & Trixie as she is on the opposite side of the performing Henry and Ernest is opposite Big Al's stage)
Trivia
Until 1988, the show ended with the following dialogue from Buff, Max, and Melvin:MELVIN: Well, I think we did just fine!
MAX: You would!
BUFF: If you two don't straighten up, I'm gonna pull the plug on both of you! Now say goodbye!
MAX & MELVIN: So long everybody!
BUFF: Happy holidays!
For unknown reasons, this bit of dialogue was cut from the show.