Ben Haramed

Ben Haramed is the antagonist of the 1968 Rankin/Bass special The Little Drummer Boy. Ben is the overweight and money-obsessed owner of what is implied to be a fairly unsuccessful show caravan.

At the beginning of the movie, Ben Haramed appears to be milling around the desert with Ali, his dimwitted lackey and a juggler in his show caravan. The two suddenly spot Aaron, or as Ben refers to him, "the little drummer boy", from afar; he is playing his drum with his dancing animals in tow. Ben and Ali suddenly sneak out from behind some sand dunes, seizing Aaron and his animals and forcing the boy to join Ben's show caravan ("When The Goose Is Hanging High"). Aaron does, but reluctantly so. During the newly-formed trio's first show together in the city of Jerusalem, Ali botches his juggling performance. Ben, hoping that Aaron will save the show, sends the boy out with his drum to sing for the crowd ("Why Can't The Animals Smile?"). Things seem to be going smoothly throughout Aaron's performance until he suddenly has a meltdown and starts hollering at the crowd. Shortly thereafter, Ben, Ali, and Aaron are chased out of Jerusalem by the highly offended spectators-turned-mob. Later that night, the bumbling group is setting up camp in the desert. Ali suddenly spots the caravan of three kings. Ben, of course, jumps at the opportunity to offer to perform for the presumably-wealthy royals, assuming he'll be paid handsomely, but is quickly rebuffed, "for [they] follow the star" and must be leaving. In a fit of desperation, Ben sells Aaron's camel, Joshua, to the kings, and is paid a hefty sum of money. Aaron is enraged that Ben has sold the beloved Joshua to the kings. Ben and Ali continue to revel in their plentiful earnings, laughing wildly as Aaron storms off into the night to find Joshua.