Oh 'Carol', don't let 'em steal your plot away

A filmed musical television adaptation of A Christmas Carol from 1954, starring Fredric March as Scrooge and Basil Rathbone as Marley; it was shown on the TV anthology Shower of Stars. The adaptation and lyrics were by Maxwell Anderson, the music by Bernard Herrmann.

The first version in color, it apparently has survived only in black-and-white. March received an Emmy nomination for his performance

 

This very abbreviated 1958 version stars -- listen carefully, there will be a test later -- Basil Rathbone as Scrooge, and is hosted by Fredric March.

 

Wikipedia calls this 1949 TV version with Taylor Holmes "notoriously bad"

 

The classic Christmas 1953 episode of the radio series The Six Shooter, starring Jimmy Stewart. This is the only example of A Christmas Carolin a western context I know of. The Scrooge character is played by Howard McNear, best remembered as Doc on the radio Gunsmoke and Floyd The Barber on The Andy Griffith Show.

 

There was yet another musical version with Basil Rathbone, called The Stingiest Man In Town (1956)







Christmas TV History: The Stingiest Man in Town (1956)

This was remade by Rankin Bass two decades later, with Walter Matthau as the voice of Scrooge.

 

My only comment is I wish I had a name half as cool as "Basil Rathbone"

 

Many moons ago there was a Usenet poster whose screen name was "Razzle Bathbone"

 

The 1984 version with George C. Scott. Some consider this performance the definitive Scrooge, Alistair Sim notwithstanding.

 

This version stars The Fonz as Scrooge.




Wait... What?

 

Isn't there a Mr. McGoo version?

 

I'm sure Scott is very good, but nothing will ever top the Alastair Sim version. As a kid, the ghost of Christmast yet to come was the scariest thing I had ever seen. It's still awesome.

 

Very underrated. The first animated Christmas special on TV (a year or two before Rudolph), with music written by the composer of The Christmas Waltz and Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow, as well as many other songs and Broadway musicals.

 

Not underrated in my book! And please pass the razzleberry dressing.

 

I agree that Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol is very underrated. To me, except for his appearance Magoo matches Dickens' portrayal of Scrooge perfectly (it helps that when playing Scrooge, Magoo avoids all of the humor that he is known for, he plays the role completely straight). While it is compressed compared to the other versions (necessary to fit it in a 1 hour time slot), they manged to include all of the important story elements).

 

It's a very good introduction to the story for a child. I am almost positive it was mine. It's the earliest I can remember anyway.

 

George Thorogood could had a hit with it!

 

Most of the classics are in black-and-white; due to Magoo's badly-faded print making the syndicated rounds for a few generations, most of us have only seen Magoo in black-and-white-and-maroon-and-various-shades-of-green...

 

An All Dogs Christmas Carol (Also unofficially known as All Dogs Go to Heaven 3) is a 1998 animated TV movie which was released direct-to-video in November 1998. To date, it is the final installment in the All Dogs Go to Heaven film series and it also serves as the series finale to the animated series.​

 

we're with you 100%
My wife is committed to the Sim version until she dies. But that George C Scott version is excellent

 

Another Western adaptation is Ebenezer, a 1998 TV movie starring Jack Palance.

 

Speaking of animated Carols, I make a point of re-watching Richard Williams' Oscar-winning 1971 version every year.

 

I like the scene where Scott slaps the PTSD elf in the field hospital...

 

A Christmas Carol (1969 - Animated)