A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa is an hour-long Christmas television special starring the Muppets, which first aired on NBC on December 17, 2008. Shot in Brooklyn and Midtown Manhattan, it is notably the first Christmas production featuring the Muppet Show characters following their acquisition by The Walt Disney Company in 2004.
Synopsis
On Christmas Eve, the Muppets go to the post office in New York City to deliver each of their letters to Santa Claus. Later, Claire, a young girl who lives in the same apartment building as them, is disappointed when Gonzo reveals to her that they will not be around for Christmas as they are all going on separate vacations - Kermit and Miss Piggy are going to the Caribbean, Fozzie is heading out on a comedy tour, and Gonzo is going to Hawaii. But then he discovers that three letters wound up in his coat from a mishap at the post office, and one of them was written by Claire. Unfortunately, the post office is now closed, and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew states that Santa doesn't have wireless Internet. Despite the Muppets preparing to leave for their vacations, Gonzo is sad about these letters not being able to be delivered and persuades Kermit and Fozzie into helping him deliver them to Santa themselves. Rizzo and Pepe also tag along, despite the fact that they do not believe in Santa.
At the airport, the Muppets end up getting tickets from a North Pole Airlines clerk named Joy, but then get caught by a bitter security guard named Officer Frank Meany, who perpetually ended up on Santa's naughty list for being a bully. He and Bobo the Bear eventually allow the Muppets to pass through, but they have to ride on the plane's wing.
Gonzo, Kermit, Fozzie, Rizzo, and Pepe eventually reach the North Pole, only to find out that Santa has already left to deliver the presents. He overhears their grieving and returns. While on a sleigh ride, they hand him Claire's letter, along with the other two, which are revealed to have come from Officer Meany (who wants to be taken off the naughty list) and Pepe. He brings them home in time to spend the rest of the holiday with Claire and her mother, which was all she wanted in the first place.
Songs
The special features four original songs written by frequent Muppet collaborator Paul Williams, who also appears in it as Santa's chief elf.
- "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" - performed by the Crystals
- "Delivering Christmas"
- "It's All About Heart"
- "I Wish I Could Be Santa Claus"
- "My Best Christmas Yet"
Walt Disney Records released the special's soundtrack, containing the four original songs, as a digital download on iTunes and Amazon.com on November 24, 2009. "I Wish I Could Be Santa Claus" was also included on the 2011 reissue of A Green and Red Christmas.
Trivia
- One of Fozzie's joke cards says "What do you call a reindeer wearing ear muffs? Anything you want because it can't hear you!" This is a reference to the song "North Pole Comedy Club" from the album A Green and Red Christmas.
- During the opening credits, the Jim Henson and Muppets stamps are used on the letters.
- As an inside joke, references to Frank Oz and Jerry Nelson are made over the loudspeaker at the airport.
- A few elements of the plot were originally written for the unproduced special The Muppets Run for President.
Availability
The cover to the DVD release
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released the special on DVD on September 29, 2009. The DVD contains an "extended edition" cut, with seven minutes of scenes not seen in the televised broadcasts, adding up to a total running time of 55 minutes. After the credits, a blooper reel is presented. The DVD also includes short interviews with Madison Pettis, Jane Krakowski, Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo and Fozzie, plus still photos and four additional deleted scenes.
Cast
| Actor / Muppeteer | Character |
|---|---|
| Steve Whitmire | Kermit the Frog Rizzo the Rat Statler Beaker |
| Dave Goelz | Gonzo Waldorf Dr. Bunsen Honeydew Zoot |
| Bill Barretta | Pepe the King Prawn The Swedish Chef Rowlf the Dog Dr. Teeth Bobo the Bear Husband Pigeon |
| Eric Jacobson | Fozzie Bear Miss Piggy Animal Sam the Eagle |
| Matt Vogel | Floyd Pepper Robin the Frog Son Pigeon Additional Muppets |
| David Rudman | Scooter Janice Additional Muppets |
| Martin P. Robinson | Crazy Harry Additional Muppets |
| Tyler Bunch | Wife Pigeon Additional Muppets |
| Noel MacNeal | Sweetums |
| Michael Bloomberg | Himself |
| Whoopi Goldberg | Cab driver |
| Richard Griffiths | Santa Claus |
| Jane Krakowski | Claire's mother |
| Nathan Lane | Officer Frank Meany |
| Jesse L. Martin | Postal worker |
| Petra Nemcova | Beaker's girlfriend |
| Madison Pettis | Claire |
| Steve Schirripa | Mafia guy #1 |
| Tony Sirico | Mafia guy #2 |
| Uma Thurman | Joy |
| Paul Williams | Santa's chief elf |
| Pam Arciero Heather Asch Tyler Bunch Leslie Carrara Stephanie D'Abruzzo James Godwin James J. Kroupa Tim Lagasse Peter Linz Noel MacNeal Jim Martin Paul McGinnis |
Additional Muppets |
| Nadine Ellis Kevin Sateri Douglas Caldwell Mary Ann Lamb Terrance Reddick Warren Adams |
Dancers |
| Paul Becker (uncredited) | Postal dancer |
| Peter Conboy (uncredited) | Holiday commuter |
| Paul T. Gosselin (uncredited) | Postal customer |
| Bill Timoney (uncredited) | Additional voices |
| Guy Veryzer | Mailman |
Note: Pops, Beauregard, Quongo, Pokey, the Luncheon Counter Monster, and Big Mean Carl appear as background characters, without speaking roles.
External links
- Muppet Wiki: A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa: A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa
- Disney Wiki: A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa: A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa
- A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa at the Internet Movie Database
- A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa at TV Tropes
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