Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July (titled on-screen as Rudolph and Frosty: Christmas in July) is a 1979 feature-length Christmas/Independence Day film produced by Rankin/Bass Productions. As the title suggests, it is a follow-up to the studio’s earlier Christmas specials Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) and Frosty the Snowman (1969), among others. It was originally a theatrical film released through Avco Embassy Pictures where it ran for only 2—3 weeks and was considered a box office flop. Later that year, the film premiered on television in the US on November 25, 1979, on ABC where it received better status. It is notable for tying in the Mickey Rooney version of Santa Claus (from Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town and The Year Without a Santa Claus) with Rudolph and featuring stop-motion versions of Frosty and his family, previously seen only in standard animation.
This was the last Rankin/Bass special to star Billie Mae Richards as Rudolph and Jackie Vernon as Frosty. As mentioned above, Mickey Rooney reprised his role as Santa Claus, with additional voices provided by Red Buttons, Ethel Merman, Alan Sues, and Paul Frees. Shelley Winters, Paul Frees, and Hal Peary reprised their roles as Frosty’s wife Crystal and Jack Frost from Frosty’s Winter Wonderland, and Big Ben the clockwork whale from Rudolph’s Shiny New Year respectively.
This was the final Rankin/Bass special to use Rudolph and Frosty. All other specials and films starring the characters were produced by other companies.
Plot[]
The film begins in June at the North Pole, where Rudolph meets up with his old friend Frosty. Frosty and Crystal’s children, Milly and Chilly, ask Rudolph (whom they look up to as their adoptive uncle) to light up his nose for them, but when he tries to do so, he finds that it seems to be burning out. After the opening credits roll, Santa Claus, providing the opening narration, explains to us the viewers why this is happening.
Long ago, before Santa arrived, the North Pole was ruled by a powerful, evil snow wizard king named Winterbolt. He caused havoc upon the people who entered his domain and used his magic ice scepter to drive anything that was good away from the North Pole. He eventually met his match in Lady Boreal, the Queen of the Northen Lights, who took on a human form to put an end to Winterbolt’s terrible reign. She punished him by placing a spell that puts him in a deep sleep for many, many years. Eventually, years after Santa came to the North Pole (as seen in Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town), Winterbolt awakens from his coma and asks his “Genie of the Ice Scepter” (who is really more of a soothsayer) what happened during his absence. The Genie explains to him that Santa is more powerful than Winterbolt is, and that is because his magic powers grow out of the love of children around the world. Upon learning this, Winterbolt devises a scheme to trap Santa and his reindeer in a massive snowstorm on Christmas Eve, which would prevent him from delivering that year’s toys. Then, Winterbolt would rule the children all over the world, by taking Santa’s place and delivering twice as many toys. When Lady Boreal learns of Winterbolt’s scheme, in her final act of magic before turning into the Aurora Borealis (the Northen Lights), she transfers the last of her power into the newborn’s Rudolph’s red nose, telling him that it would stop glowing if it is ever used for evil. After this, the events of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer occurred, and Winterbolt’s plan was foiled by Rudolph guiding Santa’s sleigh on that foggy Christmas Eve.
Back in the present, Winterbolt, having learned of how his plan failed, plans to dispose of Rudolph. He tries to extinguish the magic of Rudolph’s nose, but after a pep talk from Frosty, Rudolph manages to survive this and is able to get his nose lit again. Winterbolt consults the Genie again and the latter explains that Rudolph’s nose is powered by the Aurora Borealis. The evil wizard decides to lure Rudolph out of the North Pole and then make him use his nose for evil, thus extinguishing it for good. At that time, an ice cream man named Milton arrives to pick up his annual stockade of ice cream that he sells at the seashore on Fourth of July. Milton sadly explains to Rudolph that there is a big problem back home; he has planned to marry his girlfriend, Lanie Loraine, daughter of Lilly Loraine, owner of the Circus by the Sea. Her mother’s circus is in danger of being shut down by an evil showman named Sam Spangles due to being in heavy financial debt and unable to gain enough profits to pay it off.
Winterbolt, watching all this in his magic snow globe, plants an idea into Mliton’s head—to have Rudolph and Frosty star in the circus, thus drawing the crowds that it needs to survive. Despite Frosty having doubts about the idea, since he and his family would never survive the Florida heat, Winterbolt appears before them at this point, pretending he wants to help them. He presents Frosty’s family with magic amulets that will prevent them from melting, but they will wear off after the final firework fades on July 4th. When Rudolph, Frosty and Milton explain this to Santa, Winterbolt then gives Santa the idea that he and Mrs. Claus will fly down to the circus on the Fourth of July to pick Frosty and his family right before the fireworks are finished.
Milton brings Rudolph, Frosty, Crystal, Milly and Chilly to the circus and introduces them to Lilly and Lanie. Back at the North Pole, Winterbolt goes to the Caves of Lost Rejections and recruits an un intelligent, nasty and evil reindeer named Scratcher, who is everything Rudolph is not and is jealous because he wanted to be one of Santa’s reindeer, but was fired when Santa hired Rudolph (and because he kept stealing toys and candy canes). After he sends him out to the seashore, Santa and Mrs. Claus take off in their sleigh with half the sleigh team pulling it. At this point, Winterbolt has his two snow dragons conjure up a terrible hurricane, trapping the Clauses and forcing them to continue their journey on the ground until the storm subsides, severely delaying them from reaching the circus in time.
Over in Florida, Rudolph, Frosty and his family take part in the circus’ parade. Unseen by anyone, Scratcher meets up with Sam Spangles and the two lay plans to get Rudolph to steal from the circus, which will make him appear to be evil and rid him of his magic. Later at the circus, Scratcher comes upon Rudolph, claiming that he has been really down on his luck and would like a job at the circus. After Rudolph’s act in the circus’ performance that evening, Scratcher cons him into using his nose to help him retrieve a briefcase with the performance’s receipts from Lilly’s wagon. Scratcher then makes Rudolph give it to a nearby police officer (actually a disguised Spangles), claiming the “cop” is going to deposit it at the bank for safekeeping and cover part of the circus’ debts.
After the circus’ performance is finished, Lilly sets off the fireworks, and Frosty is worried that Santa will not arrive before the last firework fades and the amulets wear off. After introducing Rudolph to Officer Kelly, the actual cop who was going to deposit the money at the bank, Lilly finds out that the circus has been robbed, and Rudolph finds out that Scratcher tricked him. Winterbolt then shows up in his own sleigh, pulled by “rein-snakes,” to complete his scheme. Rudolph begs him to make the amulets’ power last longer, but he uses blackmail to keep Rudolph’s nose extinguished by telling him he make the amulets last, if he does not clear himself by telling what really happened in the circus wagon. Faced with a no-win situation, Rudolph is forced to take the blame and let his nose go out. His plans succeeding, Winterbolt heads back to the North Pole with Scratcher, whom he tells that now he is the number-one reindeer there. Sam Spangles takes over the circus, and everyone is upset that Rudolph apparently gave money to him. Worse, with his nose extinguished, Rudolph’s performance in the circus is severely hampered, gaining boos and jeers from the angry audience.
As Rudolph wallows in self-pity, Frosty, the only one aware of Scratcher’s conspiracy, contemplates what he could do to help his friend. Winterbolt is told by the Genie that Frosty does have something he would want—his magic hat—and that if Winterbolt could find out the secret of its magic, he could duplicate it and make a whole army of evil living snowmen. Meanwhile, Rudolph is walking alone on the beach when he hears a voice coming from the Northern Lights; it is Lady Boreal, who advises him that if he can be brave, his nose will be unextinguished. Just then, Big Ben from Rudolph’s Shiny New Year arrives by the seashore to help out. After Rudolph explains his predicament, Big Ben swims off, saying he going to South America.
Meanwhile, Winterbolt takes advantage of Frosty by agreeing to help Rudolph is exchange for his hat. Rudolph shows up just as Winterbolt has taken Frosty’s hat and life away from him, reducing the latter to his inanimate state. While Frosty’s wife and children discover his motionless form, a furious Rudolph chases after Winterbolt who tries ambushing him with his “rein-snakes.” Rudolph manages to fight them off and then headbutts Winterbolt, knocking him to the ground and causing him to drop the hat. Rudolph catches it and, at that moment, his nose regains it glow for good. Rudolph flies away with the hat, as an angry Winterbolt swears he will not be defeated.
The next morning, as the others mourn Frosty, Rudolph returns to the circus, accompanied by Officer Kelly with the stolen money, who exonerates him and returns Frosty’s hat, bringing him back to life. As Sam Spangles is arrested (it is never shown what happens to Scratcher), Winterbolt shows up and prepares to destroy everyone with his ice scepter. Fortunately, Lilly throws her guns at it, shattering it to pieces and causing Winterbolt to turn into a hideous, gnarled tree. With Winterbolt gone for good, as a result of him being vanquished, the storm that had grounded Santa and Mrs. Claus fades away, allowing them to make it to the circus. Unfortunately, Frosty and his family have now melted because the amulets are no longer active.
Rudolph is devastated about his friends’ apparent death since the only thing that can bring them back is a December wind, which cannot happen in July. Just then, Big Ben returns, having brought Frosty’s former rival, Jack Frost, all the way back from South America. Jack provides the magic Christmas wind needed to revive Frosty and his family, after which Santa and Mrs. Claus finally arrive. As they prepare to bring the snow family back to the North Pole, with Jack keeping them cool all the way, Rudolph plans to temporarily stay with the circus until they have gotten out of debt. Santa explains that should not take long, since he gave Lilly some of the Winter Warlock’s magic corn that makes animals fly (from Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town) for her animals. The film ends with the entire circus flying with Rudolph leading the parade as Lilly sings “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”
Songs[]
- “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”
- “Everything I Always Wanted”
- “Everyday is Just Like Christmas”
- “Chicken Today and Feathers Tomorrow”
- “I See Rainbows”
- “Don’t Let the Parade Pass You By”
- “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”
- “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”
- “No Bed of Roses”
- “Frosty the Snowman”
- “Now and Then”
- “We’re a Couple of Misfits”
Cast[]
- Billie Mae Richards as Rudolph
- Jackie Vernon as Frosty
- Mickey Rooney as Santa Claus
- Red Buttons as Milton
- Ethel Merman as Lilly Loraine
- Alan Sues as Scratcher
- Shelley Winters as Crystal
- Paul Frees as Winterbolt, Officer Kelly, Jack Frost, Keeper of the Cave
- Hal Peary as Big Ben
- Shelby Flint as Lanie Loraine
- Don Messick as Sam Spangles, Donner, Santa’s cuckoo clock, Clowns
- Darlene Conley as Mrs. Claus, Lady Boreal
- Steffani Calli as Milly
- Eric Hines as Chilly
- Howard Shapiro as the Genie of the Ice Scepter
- Bob McFadden as Santa Claus (singing)
Additional voices[]
- Candy Candido as the Snow Dragons (uncredited)
- Nellie Bellflower
- Cynthina Alder
External links[]
Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July on Bing Videos