| “ | Bah, humbug! | ” |
— Scrooge's catchphrase | ||
Ebenezer Scrooge (born February 7, 1786) is the main character in Charles Dickens' tale, A Christmas Carol. He is a very cold-hearted, selfish elderly man, who has no love for Christmas, children, family, or anything that even resembles happiness. The story of his transformation by the three Ghosts of Christmas (Past, Present, and Yet to Come) has become a defining tale of the Christmas holiday.
Scrooge's partial inspiration is Ralph Nickleby, an antagonist in an earlier Dickens novel, Nicholas Nickleby.
Portrayals[]
| Picture | Production | Year | Actor | Notes |
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The Death of Poor Joe | 1901 | Tom Green, Laura Bayley | |
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Scrooge; or Marley's Ghost | 1901 | unknown | |
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A Christmas Carol | 1908 | Thomas Ricketts | |
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A Christmas Carol | 1910 | Marc McDermott | This short silent film was produced by Thomas Edison in 1910. |
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A Christmas Carol | 1913 | Sir Seymour Hicks | |
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A Christmas Carol | 1914 | Charles Rock | |
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The Right to be Happy | 1916 | Rupert Julian | |
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Scrooge | 1922 | H. V. Esmond | |
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A Christmas Carol | 1923 | Russell Thorndike | |
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Old Scrooge | 1926 | unknown | |
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A Christmas Carol | 1928 | Bransby Williams | |
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Scrooge | 1935 | Sir Seymour Hicks | |
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A Christmas Carol | 1938 | Reginald Owen | The feature was originally intended to star Lionel Barrymore, who played the role of Scrooge annually on radio, but Barrymore was forced to drop out of the film because of his arthritis. |
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A Christmas Carol | 1943 | William Podmore | |
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A Christmas Carol | 1947 | John Carradine | |
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A Christmas Carol | 1948 | Dennis King | |
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A Christmas Carol | 1949 | Taylor Holmes | |
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A Christmas Carol | 1950 | Bransby Williams | |
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Scrooge | 1951 | Alastair Sim | Alastair Sim's performance as Ebenezer Scrooge in the 1950 production "Scrooge" is generally regarded as the definitive portrayal of the role. The film expands on the original story by adding Scrooge's rise as a prominent businessman who was corrupted by a greedy new mentor that had lured him away from the benevolent Mr. Fezziwig. Sim reprised the role two decades later, lending his voice to Richard Williams' 1971 animated version of the tale. |
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A Christmas Carol | 1951 | Ralph Richardson | |
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A Christmas Carol | 1952 | Malcolm Keen | |
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A Christmas Carol | 1953 | Noel Leslie | |
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A Christmas Carol | 1954 | Fredric March | |
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The Stingiest Man in Town | 1956 | Basil Rathbone | Rathborne would go on to play Scrooge again in the 1959 episode of Tales from Dickens. |
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The Trail to Christmas | 1957 | John McIntire | |
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Tales from Dickens: "A Christmas Carol" | 1959 | Basil Rathborne | Rathborn reprises the role of Scrooge in this production, having previously played him in the 1956 production of The Stingiest Man in Town. |
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Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol | 1962 | Quincy Magoo (voiced by Jim Backus) |
Mr. Magoo takes on an acting role where he plays Scrooge in a Broadway theater play. There are a few references to Scrooge's (more accurately Magoo's) myopic vision within the stage production presented in the special. In the opening sequence, Mr. Magoo is shown arriving at the theater, and at the end is shown taking a bow with the other actors. |
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Mr. Scrooge | 1964 | Cyril Ritchard | |
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Carry on Christmas | 1969 | Sid James | |
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Famous Classic Tales: A Christmas Carol | 1969 | Ron Haddrick | |
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Scrooge | 1970 | Albert Finney | Albert Finney's portrayal of Scrooge in this musical adaptation won him the a Golden Globe for The Best Motion Picture Actor in a Musical/Comedy in 1971. |
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A Christmas Carol | 1971 | Voiced by Alistair Sim |
Alistar Sim, famously known for playing Scrooge in the 1950 production "Scrooge", reprises the role - this time voicing the character of Ebenezer for an animated adaptation. |
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A Christmas Carol | 1977 | Michael Hordern | |
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A Christmas Carol | 1978 | Warren Graves | |
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The Stingiest Man in Town | 1978 | Voiced by Walter Matthau |
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Rich Little's Christmas Carol | 1978 | Rich Little (as W. C. Fields) |
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Bugs Bunny's Christmas Carol | 1979 | Yosemite Sam (voiced by Mel Blanc) |
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A Christmas Carol | 1981 | William Paterson | |
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A Christmas Carol | 1982 | Richard Hilger | |
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The Gospel According to Scrooge | 1983 | Robert Buchanan | |
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Mickey's Christmas Carol | 1983 | Scrooge McDuck (voiced by Alan Young) |
Being named after the Ebenezer Scrooge character, it was fitting for Scrooge McDuck to portray the character. Alan Young, who voiced Scrooge, also created the 1977 record album on which the film was based. |
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Scrooge's Rock 'N' Roll Christmas | 1984 | Jack Elam | |
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A Christmas Carol | 1984 | George C. Scott | Scott was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special for his portrayal in this version of A Christmas Carol. This Scrooge notably wears dress-slacks, a dress-shirt, a vest and a smoking jacket on his journey through time rather than the traditional nightgown, slippers and cap. Sources have stated that Scott openly reeled at the thought of portraying Scrooge under such conditions, especially in mid-winter England. |
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A Christmas Carol | 1984 | Michel Bouquet | |
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Christmas Carol II the Sequel | 1985 | James Whitmore | |
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The Real Ghostbusters: "Xmas Marks the Spot" | 1986 | Voiced by Peter Renaday |
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The Muppet Christmas Carol | 1992 | Michael Caine | The British character actor is very believable as Scrooge in Brian Henson's directorial debut. |
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A Flintstones' Christmas Carol | 1994 | Fred Flintstone (voiced by Henry Corden) |
Fred gets the role of Ebonezer Scrooge in Bedrock Community Theatre's production of A Christmas Carol. He becomes so obsessed with the part that he begins living it, and through playing Scrooge, he ends up learning a valuable lesson about his own selfishness. |
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A Christmas Carol | 1994 | Garry Chalk | |
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A Christmas Carol | 1997 | Tim Curry | The consummate British actor, best known for his crossdressing role as Dr. Frank N. Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show as well as Mr. Hector in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York and the voice of Nigel Thornberry from The Wild Thornberrys plays it straight here. |
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Ebenezer | 1998 | Jack Palance | Set in the wild west, Palance portrays Scrooge as the "most greedy, corrupt and mean-spirited crook in the old West". |
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A Christmas Carol | 1999 | Patrick Stewart | The British actor best known as Captain Jean-Luc Picard from Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men movies also performed a one-man version of Dickens' play in the 1990s in London and New York. |
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A Christmas Carol | 2000 | Ross Kemp (as Eddie Scrooge) |
Eddie Scrooge, played by Ross Kemp, is an unscrupulous loan shark living on a poor estate, his business partner Jacob Marley is killed while out on business, though Eddie knows why he was killed he does no disclose this information to the police, or Marley's family. In this modern adaptation, Eddie is taught the true meaning of Christmas by the three ghosts of Christmas, past, present and future. |
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Christmas Carol: The Movie | 2001 | Voiced by Simon Callow |
In this adaptation, Scrooge is middle aged instead of elderly and reunites with his old flame Belle (who works as a nurse). He is also shown to have a soft spot for animals as he shows kindness towards a mouse that appears throughout the film with its companion Gabriel. |
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Scrooge and Marley | 2001 | Dean Jones | |
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A Christmas Carol: The Musical | 2004 | Kelsey Grammer | |
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The Polar Express | 2004 | Voiced by Tom Hanks |
Scrooge makes a cameo appearance as a marionette. It is revealed that the puppeteer of this character is the hobo. |
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The Northern Ballet Theatre presents A Christmas Carol | 2005 | Jeremy Kerridge | |
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A Christmas Carol: Scrooge's Ghostly Tale | 2006 | Voiced by Tim Bentink |
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The Carol Project | 2006 | Bill Bourne | |
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The Nutcracker: A Christmas Story | 2007 | Marc Wenke | |
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A Christmas Carol | 2009 | Voiced by Jim Carrey |
The film, directed by Robert Zemeckis, uses the motion capture techniques previously featured on The Polar Express and Beowulf. Zemeckis wrote the screenplay with Jim Carrey in mind, and - like Tom Hanks in The Polar Express - Carrey plays multiple roles in the film, including Ebenezer Scrooge as a young, middle-aged, and old man, along with the three ghosts who haunt him. |
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The Man Who Invented Christmas | 2017 | Christopher Plummer | Academy-Award Winner Christopher Plummer portrays Scrooge as a vision from Charles Dickens' own imagination, whom only Dickens can see, hear, and talk to at various moments. At the near end, Dickens confronts Scrooge and overcomes his own inner darkness, nearly ending the story with Scrooge's death. But after he pleads for mercy and makes his vows, Dickens finally finishes his book in time for his deadline. |
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A Christmas Carol | 2019 | Guy Pearce | |
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Scrooge: A Christmas Carol | 2022 | Luke Evans |
Female Scrooges[]
| Picture | Production | Year | Actress | Notes |
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Scrooge: A Christmas Sarah | 1990 | Sarah Greene (as Sarah Scrooge) |
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Ebbie | 1995 | Susan Lucci (as Elizabeth "Ebbie" Scrooge) |
Best known as Erica Kane on All My Children, Lucci portrays a department store manager. |
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Ms. Scrooge | 1997 | Cicely Tyson (as Ebenita Scrooge) |
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A Diva's Christmas Carol | 2000 | Vanessa Williams (as Ebony Scrooge) |
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Barbie in a Christmas Carol | 2008 | Voiced by Morwenna Banks (as Eden Starling) Melissa Lyons (singing) |
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La rosa de Guadalupe: "Otro cuento de Navidad" | 2010 | Begoña Saavedra (portrayed by Zoraida Gómez) |
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Ms. Booksy: "A Christmas Carol" | 2021 | Ms. Booksy |
Other characters in the Scrooge role[]
| Picture | Production | Year | Character | Notes |
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Carol for Another Christmas | 1964 | Daniel Grudge | |
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A Special Sesame Street Christmas | 1978 | Oscar the Grouch (played by Carroll Spinney) |
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Skinflint: A Country Christmas Carol | 1979 | Cyrus Flint | |
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An American Christmas Carol | 1982 | Benedict Slade (played by Henry Winkler) |
Henry Winkler plays Benedict Slade, a depression-era American version of Ebenezer Scrooge, who is visited by the three Christmas ghosts to see the error of his ways. |
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The Jetsons: "A Jetson Christmas Carol" | 1985 | Cosmo Spacely (voiced by Mel Blanc) |
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| John Grin's Christmas | 1986 | John Grin | ||
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Scrooged | 1988 | Francis "Frank" Xavier Cross (played by Bill Murray) |
Frank Cross is a selfish, cynical television programming executive whose concentration on his lucrative, fast climbing career cost him his true love, alienated him from his family and obliterated any chance of having a happy and fulfilling life. When he is given the task of heading up a live broadcast of A Christmas Carol, his life inexplicably begins to mirror the story he's producing. |
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Blackadder's Christmas Carol | 1988 | Ebenezer Blackadder (played by Rowan Atkinson) |
In a reversal of roles, Victorian mustache shop owner Ebenezer Blackadder is the nicest man in England - until the Spirit of Christmas shows him what life in the past, present and future would be like if he was a little bit more mean-spirited. |
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Alvin and the Chipmunks: "Merry Christmas, Mr. Carroll" | 1989 | Alvin Seville (voiced by Ross Badgasarian, Jr.) |
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Camp Candy: "Christmas in July" | 1989 | Vanessa (voiced by Willow Johnson) |
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Peter Pan and the Pirates: "Hook's Christmas" | 1990 | Captain Hook (voiced by Tim Curry) |
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Back to the Future: "Dickens of a Christmas" | 1991 | Ebiffneezer Tannen (voiced by Thomas Wilson) |
One of many ancestors of Back to the Future antagonist Biff Tannen. |
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Animaniacs: "A Christmas Plotz" | 1993 | Thaddeus Plotz (voiced by Frank Welker) |
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Avenger Penguins: "A Christmas Carol" | 1994 | Caractacus P. Doom (voiced by Mike McShane) |
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Beavis and Butt-head: "Huh-Huh-Humbug" | 1994 | Beavis (voiced by Mike Judge) |
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Littlest Pet Shop: "Who Scrooged McRude?" | 1995 | Angus McRude (voiced by Ian James Corlett) |
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Xena: Warrior Princess: "A Solstice Carol" | 1996 | King Silvas | |
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101 Dalmatians: "A Christmas Cruella" | 1997 | Cruella De Vil (voiced by April Winchell) |
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An All Dogs Christmas Carol | 1998 | Carface Caruthers (voiced by Ernest Borgnine) |
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Sabrina: The Animated Series: "Witchmas Carole" | 1999 | Gem Stone (voiced by Chantal Strand) |
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Maxine's Christmas Carol | 2000 | Maxine | |
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Adventures from the Book of Virtues: "A Christmas Carol" | 2000 | Annie Redfeather (voiced by Adrienne Carter) |
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A Very Cartoon Cartoon Fridays Holiday Special | 2000 | Eustace Bagge (voiced by Lionel Wilson) |
Eustace (bottom) portrays Scrooge in a segment parodying the closing scene of A Christmas Carol. |
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Brer Rabbit's Christmas Carol | 2002 | Br'er Fox | |
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The Star of Christmas | 2002 | Ebenezer Nezzer (Mr. Nezzer) (voiced by Phil Vischer) |
Ebenezer Nezzer lets Cavis Appythart and Millward Phelps use his theater for their "The Princess and the Plumber". But when they accidentally burned it down, he tells them to work in his plastic egg factory until it's paid off, which would play a roll in the later non-Christmas movie An Easter Carol. |
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A Carol Christmas | 2003 | Carol Cartman (played by Tori Spelling) |
Tori Spelling plays a selfish talk show host. |
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Chasing Christmas | 2005 | Jack Cameron | |
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Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends: "A Lost Claus" | 2005 | Mr. Herriman (voiced by Tom Kane) |
Because he was only going to give one gift to each resident, Bloo decides to scare this seven-foot-tall imaginary rabbit out of his wits on Christmas Eve. |
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A Sesame Street Christmas Carol | 2006 | Oscar the Grouch (played by Carroll Spinney) |
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A Christmas Mikey | 2006 | Ozu (voiced by Stephen Moverly) |
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Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas | 2006 | Daffy Duck (voiced by Joe Alaskey) |
Daffy is the owner of the Lucky Duck Mall, and he treats his employees very shabbily. After Daffy states he hates the holidays, Bugs Bunny warns him about the Ghosts of Christmas, which Daffy simply scoffs at. However the duck changes his tune after the Christmas spirits arrive and show him the error of his ways. |
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A Dennis the Menace Christmas | 2007 | George Wilson (played by Robert Wagner) |
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The Replacements: "Dick Daring's All-Star Holiday Stunt Spectacular V" | 2008 | Todd Daring (voiced by Nancy Cartwright) |
Todd plays Scrooge in a Christmas Carol skit for his adoptive father's holiday special. |
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Dora the Explorer: Dora's Christmas Carol Adventure | 2009 | Swiper the Fox (voiced by Marc Weiner) |
After getting on Santa's naughty list, Swiper must learn to be good. |
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The Suite Life on Deck: "A London Carol" | 2010 | London Tipton (portrayed by Brenda Song) |
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Aída: "La Noche de los Belenes Vivientes" | 2010 | Mauricio Colmenero (portrayed by Mariano Peña) |
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The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol | 2011 | Grouchy Smurf (voiced by George Lopez) |
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El Barco: "La noche de reyes" | 2012 | Ernesto Gamboa (portrayed by Juan Pablo Shuk) |
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Shake It Up: "Merry Merry It Up" | 2012 | CeCe Jones (portrayed by Bella Thorne) |
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The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange: "Orange Carol" | 2012 | Orange (portrayed by Daneboe) |
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La CQ: "Christmas in the CQ" | 2012 | Adri | |
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The Thundermans: "Winter Thunderland" | 2014 | Max Thunderman (portrayed by Jack Griffo) |
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Thomas & Friends: "Diesel's Ghostly Christmas" | 2015 | Diesel (voiced by Kerry Shale) |
Diesel refuses to be helpful to anyone at Christmastime, so Thomas, Emily, Salty, Cranky and Paxton decide to teach him a lesson by pretending to be four ghosts who teach him about what will happen if he does not begin helping others. |
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My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: "A Hearth's Warming Tail" | 2016 | Starlight Glimmer (voiced by Kelly Sheridan) |
Starlight Glimmer plays a Scrooge-like character named Snowfall Frost. Here she is a powerful magician who attempts to erase Hearth's Warming from existence with a magic spell, dismissing the idea that the holiday protects the land from evil Windigos as a childish story. The three spirits visit her not only to teach her the true meaning of the holiday, but also to prevent the eternal winter her spell would create. |
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Camp Lakebottom: "Smells Like the Holidays" | 2016 | McGee (voiced by Scott McCord) |
After pulling a fart prank on Squirt that stinks up the whole Mess Hall, McGee blames it on Squirt, who then believes his gas is too dangerous to let out anymore and traps himself inside a bubble. McGee is then visited by 3 'gasey' ghosts, who show him what his stinky actions will lead to. So he confesses his responsibility for the incident. |
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Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!: "Scroogey Doo" | 2017 | Voiced by Neil Ross |
After his visit from Marley, Scrooge meets Mystery Inc., gives them British exchange for their American tender, and allows them to try and solve his mystery. During each visitation, Scrooge tells the gang what ghosts came and what they showed him. After the 3rd ghost is caught, he arrives with the police. On the downside, with the mystery solved, Scrooge remains stingy, believing nothing bad will happen to him. |
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Velma Dinkley (voiced by Kate Micucci) |
'Victorian Velma' arrives in England with the gang for the New Science and Reason Symposium. After getting tangled in Scrooge's mystery, however, she too is visited by the 3 Christmas ghosts, who convince her that mystery-solving is a waist of her genius. However, Velma then realizes that she and Scrooge were victims of hypnosis, overcomes it, and realizes she can be who she wants and solve mysteries. | ||
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The Powerpuff Girls: "You're a Good Man, Mojo Jojo" | 2017 | Mojo Jojo (voiced by Roger L. Jackson) |
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Vampirina: "A Gargoyle Carol" | 2019 | Gregoria voiced by Wanda Skyes |
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Nature Cat: "A Nature Carol" | 2019 | Nature Cat (voiced by Taran Killam) |
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New Looney Tunes: "The Legend of Burrito Monday" | 2020 | Elmer Fudd (voiced by Jeff Bergman) |
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The Loud House: "A Flipmas Carol" | 2020 | Flip (voiced by John DiMaggio) |
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| That Girl Lay Lay: "All I Want for Christmas is Lay Lay" | 2023 | Sadie Alexander (portrayed by Gabrielle Nevaeh Green) |
See also[]
- Ebenezer Scrooge on Wikipedia