Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July

Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July was released theatrically in 1979, through Avco/Embassy pictures, showing mostly on children's matinees. Due to it's summer release date, however, the film performed poorly at the box office, but was later revived through television airings, both during the Christmas season and the summer.

Synopsis
At the film's start, Rudolph, while playing with the kids of his best friend Frosty, finds that his nose is burning out. Santa Claus enters to provide expository narration, and a complex backstory for the established Rankin/Bass characters.

Centuries ago, the North Pole was ruled by an evil dictator, Winterbolt, who used his scepter to drive anything good from the North Pole, including the native animals. He met his match in the form of Lady Borealis, who took human form to put an end to his reign, and placing him in a deep sleep for years, which would only last for a limited time. With Winterbolt gone, the reindeer returned to the North Pole, and eventually Santa Claus settled there to establish his workshop, brought by the Northern Lights. Winterbolt awakens to discover that Santa is the new "king," and plots to create a storm next Christmas so Santa will get lost. However, the Lady Borealis uses her fading magic to light the nose of a newborn reindeer, Rudolph. As an infant, she warns him never to use it for evil. As in the original special, Rudolph grows and finally guides Santa's sleigh.

Returning to the present, it appears that Winterbolt has been biding his time, and aimed his cepter at Rudolph's nose. He soon learns that he cannot destroy Rudolph's nose unless he tricks him into using his talent for evil. Winterbolt manipulates a hot air balloon ice cream man named Milton, planting the idea that he bring Rudolph and Frosty's family to America, to save his future mother-in-law Lily Lorraine's circus from being foreclosed on the Fourth of July. Winterbolt, seemingly benevolent, gives amulets to the Frosty family to protect them, and even manipulates Santa into flying down to pick up the group at the end of the fireworks. Winterbolt plots to use this to destroy Rudolph and Santa for good and take over Christmas the following year, further using jealous reindeer Scratcher and rival circus owner Sam Spangle as willing accomplices. Many complications ensue, but ultimately good triumphs over evil.

Cast

 * Red Buttons: Milton
 * Ethel Merman: Lilly Loraine
 * Mickey Rooney: Santa Claus
 * Alan Sues: Scratcher
 * Jackie Vernon: Frosty
 * Shelley Winters: Crystal
 * Paul Frees: Winterbolt, Officer Kelly, Jack Frost, Keeper of the Cave
 * Billie Richards: Rudolph
 * Hal Peary: Big Ben
 * Shelby Flint: Lanie Loraine
 * Don Messick: Sam Spangles, Donner, Cuckoo Clock, Clowns
 * Darlene Conley: Mrs. Claus
 * Nellie Bellflower: Lady Borealis
 * Robert McFadden: Santa Claus (singing)
 * Steffi Calli, Howard Shapiro, Eric Hines, Cynthia Adler