View source for Santa Claus is Comin' to Town

{{Italic title}}<!-- Do NOT add an extra paragraph space after this template.-->
{{title
|image=Title-cometotown.jpg
|director=[[Arthur Rankin, Jr.]]<br>[[Jules Bass]]
|writer=[[Romeo Muller]] {{s|(teleplay)}}
|narrator=[[S.D. Kluger]] ([[Fred Astaire]])
|release=December 13, 1970
|runtime=50 minutes
|rating=TV-G
|available=VHS<br>Laserdisc<br>DVD<br>Blu-ray<br>4K Ultra HD Blu-ray<br>{{ITunes|1336608299}}<br>{{Google Movies|SOKzn8Hkks4.P}}<br>{{Amazon Video|B0197D8QMO}}<br>{{VuduMov|Santa-Claus-is-Comin-to-Town|265165}}<br>{{MovAny|santa-claus-is-comin-to-town-1970}}}}
[[File:Santa Claus is Comin' to Town - "A Baby?" - Preview|thumb|250px]]
{{Dablink|the 1970 Rankin/Bass television special|the song the special is named after|[[Santa Claus is Coming to Town (song)]]}}
'''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is an hour-length stop-motion [[Christmas]] television special produced by [[Rankin/Bass]], originally aired on [[ABC]] on December 13, 1970. It stars [[Fred Astaire]] as [[S.D. Kluger]], the [[narrator]], and [[Mickey Rooney]] as the [[Santa Claus (Santa Claus is Comin' to Town)|title character]]. The film tells the story of how Santa Claus, and several other well-known Christmas traditions, came to be. It is based on the [[Santa Claus is Coming to Town (song)|Christmas song of the same name]], which was introduced by {{w|Eddie Cantor}} in 1934.

==Synopsis==
Following a newsreel stating how children around the world are preparing for the arrival of [[Santa Claus (Santa Claus is Comin' to Town)|Santa Claus]], we are introduced to the narrator, [[S.D. Kluger|Special Delivery "S.D." Kluger]]. When his mail truck breaks down, he decides to tell the story of Santa in response to several letters sent from children.  

The story begins in a gloomy municipality called Sombertown, which is ruled by the grouchy, child-hating [[Burgermeister Meisterburger]]. One night, a baby arrives on his doorstep with a name tag reading "Claus" and a note requesting that the Burgermeister raise the child as his own. The Burgermeister angrily orders his right-hand man, [[Grimsley]], to take the baby to the local orphanage. On the way over, however, a gust of wind blows the baby far away to the Mountains of the Whispering Winds. There, a group of animals hide him from [[the Winter Warlock]], a powerful wizard who dislikes anyone trespassing on his land.

[[File:Santa-claus-is-comin-to-town-05.jpg|thumb|250px|The Kringle elves adopt the baby.]]
The animals then bring the baby to the other side of the mountain, where he is found by a family of [[elves]] by the name of Kringle. Their queen, [[Tanta Kringle]], decides to adopt the baby and name him "Kris." As he grows up, the elves teach Kris how to make toys, having been "the first toymakers to the king" long ago. When Kris is old enough, he volunteers to deliver the toys to Sombertown, joined along the way by a lost penguin whom he names [[Topper the Penguin|Topper]]. Meanwhile, the Burgermeister, after tripping on a toy duck and breaking his funny bone, outlaws all toys in Sombertown, declaring that anyone with a toy in their possession will be arrested and thrown in the dungeon.

[[File:Kris meets Jessica.jpg|thumb|250px|Kris introduces himself to his future wife, Jessica.]]
After avoiding an encounter with the Winter Warlock, Kris arrives in Sombertown, where he starts handing out toys to the children. He is briefly halted by [[Jessica Claus|Miss Jessica]], the local schoolteacher, but she quickly warms up to him when he gives her a China doll as a "peace offering." Afterwards, the Burgermeister arrives and nearly arrests the children for playing with the toys. Kris gives the Burgermeister a yo-yo, which he initially enjoys (admitting he loved playing with yo-yos when he was a kid), only for Grimsley to remind him that he is breaking his own law. Enraged, the Burgermeister orders to have Kris arrested, but Kris just barely manages to escape the Burgermeister's troops and out of Sombertown.

[[File:Santa-claus-is-comin-to-town-12.jpg|thumb|250px|Kris and Topper are brought before the Winter Warlock.]]
As Kris and Topper pass through the forest, they are captured by the Winter Warlock's tree monsters and the Warlock confronts them. Kris gives the Warlock a toy train in an attempt to placate him; touched by this act of kindness, the Warlock's icy exterior melts away and he befriends Kris. To repay him, the Warlock (now preferring to be called just "Winter") tells Kris that Jessica is looking for him. Kris finds Jessica, who informs him that the Burgermeister destroyed all of the toys he delivered and the children want new ones. The Kringles move onto Winter's mountain and build a new workshop there, and Kris starts delivering the toys at night.

To prevent further toy deliveries, the Burgermeister orders all doors to be locked tight, so Kris starts sliding down chimneys to deliver them. The Burgermeister then begins searching houses outright, so Kris resolves to hide the toys in the children's stockings, which they routinely leave hanging by the fireplace. Frustrated with his inability to stop Kris, the Burgermeister sets a trap for him when he makes another delivery. He sends Grimsley to arrest Winter and the Kringles, while he personally captures Kris, who surrenders willingly once he sees Topper being taken hostage outside. With the Kringles and most of their allies now in the dungeon, the Burgermeister personally sets fire to the children's toys in front of them, declaring they will never play with toys again.

Jessica implores the Burgermeister to release Kris and the Kringle family, but her pleas fall on deaf ears. That night, she visits the dungeon and tells Winter to use his magic to free everyone, but the old warlock laments that he has no more magic except for some corn that can make [[reindeer]] fly. This inspires Jessica to give some of the corn to Kris's reindeer friends - [[Dasher]], [[Dancer]], [[Prancer]], [[Vixen]], [[Comet]], [[Cupid (reindeer)|Cupid]], [[Donner]], and [[Blitzen]] - who then use their new flying ability to help the Kringles, Kris, Topper, and Winter escape. The enraged Burgermeister vows that he and his family will hunt them down eventually. 

[[File:Santa-claus-is-comin-to-town-17.jpg|thumb|250px|Kris looking at his "wanted" poster.]]
[[File:Santa-claus-is-comin-to-town-18.jpg|thumb|250px|Kris and Jessica tie the knot.]]
After some time, it is shown that Kris has grown a beard, and Tanta suggests that he return to his birth name "Claus" for safety. Kris asks Jessica to share the name Claus with him, as his wife. After they are married under a fully decorated pine tree, the group travels to the North Pole, where they build a new workshop, making more toys for the children in Sombertown. Eventually, the people of Sombertown realize how silly the Meisterburgers' laws are once the Burgermeister passes away and falls out of power, and Kris' legend goes worldwide. Now known as Santa Claus, he realizes that he cannot keep up with all the toy requests, leading to his decision to go out just once a year, on [[Christmas Eve|December 24th]]. 

The film ends as S.D. Kluger reflects on what Christmas is truly about, even though there are still a few misguided folks who do not understand. Having by now fixed his mail truck, S.D. remembers that he still has to deliver the letters to Santa. Joined by Topper, Winter, the Kringle Brothers, and a parade of children, S.D. drives to Santa's castle while singing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" as the credits roll. The film closes with Santa stepping out of his castle, revealing himself in full splendor.

==Songs==
[[File:Comintotown01.jpg|thumb|250px|The elderly Santa as seen at the very end of the special.]]
The special contains the following songs:
* "[[The First Toymakers to the King]]" - sung by Tanta and the Kringles
* "[[No More Toymakers to the King]]" - sung by Burgermeister Meisterburger and Grimsley
* "[[Be Prepared to Pay]]" - sung by Kris and the Westminster Children's Choir
* "[[Put One Foot in Front of the Other]]" - sung by Kris and Winter
* "[[My World is Beginning Today]]" - sung by Jessica
* "[[What Better Way to Tell You]]" - sung by S.D. Kluger
* "[[Santa Claus is Coming to Town (song)|Santa Claus is Coming to Town]]" - sung by S.D. Kluger and the Westminster Children's Choir

All of the songs were included on the special's soundtrack, ''[[Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Frosty the Snowman]]''. "The First Toymakers to the King", "No More Toymakers to the King", "Put One Foot in Front of the Other", and the title song were all included on the 1996 album ''[[Rudolph, Frosty and Friends' Favorite Christmas Songs]]''. The latter two songs were also featured on the album ''[[Nick at Nite: A Classic Cartoon Christmas]]'', while the former two appeared on that album's sequel, ''[[Nick At Nite: A Classic Cartoon Christmas, Too|A Classic Cartoon Christmas, Too]]''. "Put One Foot in Front of the Other" was later featured on ''[[Songs to Celebrate 25 Days of Christmas]]''.

==Production notes==
* Sharp-eyed viewers may notice what appears to be writing on the foil covering the back of Grimsley's clipboard during the "No More Toymakers to the King" scene. The writing is in fact the word "LOTTE" repeated over and over. Lotte is a Korean-owned, Japanese-founded confectionery corporation, which can only mean that Grimsley's clipboard was once part of a package of candy.
* After Winter's tree minions let go of Kris and Topper, when Topper is falling to the ground, a bracket can be seen at the top which moves whenever he moves, which is evidence that said bracket was holding Topper in the air.
* [[Rudolph (Rankin/Bass character)|Rudolph]] makes a brief cameo following the introduction of the original eight reindeer, but S.D. Kluger tells the audience that he does not play a role here, as his backstory is "[[Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Rankin/Bass)|another story]]".
** Perhaps as a nod to that special, when the reindeer spring Kris and the others from prison, Donner is the one leading the group.
* The painting of Santa in his sleigh at the end of the special also appeared in ''[[The Year Without a Santa Claus]]''.
* In ''[[Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July]]'', continuity with this special is established when Santa refers to [[Mrs. Claus]] as Jessica and the two reminisce about the china doll he gave her when they first met. Winter Warlock's magic corn is also used in that movie, where it is revealed at the end that its ability to make reindeer fly also works on the other animals in [[Lilly Loraine]]'s circus (oddly, Winter himself is not mentioned nor seen in any of the flashbacks depicting scenes originally from this special).
* Composer [[Maury Laws]] said that this was his favorite television special to work on.

==Broadcast history==
The special is owned by {{W|Classic Media}}, which was part of the British-owned Entertainment Rights group until 2012, when {{W|DreamWorks Animation}} purchased Classic Media. Following the April 2016 purchase of DreamWorks Animation by {{W|NBC Universal}}, {{W|Comcast}} now holds those rights as the current owner of the pre-September 1974 Rankin-Bass library.

As of 2023, the special still airs annually on ABC. ABC's sister cable channel, [[Freeform]], has also aired the special as part of their annual [[25 Days of Christmas]] programming block at least once a year since the block's inception in 1996.

===Edits=== 
*When the special was syndicated to local television stations by Viacom from 1982 to 1995, most of the songs (with the exception of "Put One Foot in Front of the Other") were shortened for time, while "What Better Way To Tell You" was removed entirely.
*In some airings, Topper's name was changed to Waddles.<ref>[https://youtu.be/nJbsHscd3U8?si=f7dEOk63v98cAnBz 1]</ref>
*In recent years, ABC's broadcasts have often been trimmed for network television time constraints.
**"Be Prepared to Pay" and "My World is Beginning Today" are cut, and "No More Toymakers to the King" and "What Better Way to Tell You" both lose at least one verse.
**ABC's current broadcasts cut out the Burgermeister's last scene where he vows to hunt down Kris and the Kringles.
**The scene where Burgermeister Meisterburger lights the bonfire of toys was also cut at one time, but has since been reinstated.
*Freeform's current broadcasts are mostly uncut, removing only the shot revealing the Winter Warlock's face that came right before the second commercial break.
*[[CBC]]'s airings cut out "Put One Foot in Front of the Other".

==Availability==
In 1988, Rankin-Bass sold many of the pre-1973 specials and series (including this one) to Broadway Video, headed by Lorne Michaels of Saturday Night Live fame. In 1995 the special was released on a public domain VHS by Allied Artists Entertainment despite the film not being in the public domain. Broadway Video's children's division was then sold several years later to Golden Books Family Entertainment. Golden Books Family Entertainment later spun off into Classic Media, which was part of the Entertainment Rights group in the United Kingdom until 2009, when the company was bought by Classic Media's successor, Boomerang Media. In July 2012, DreamWorks Animation SKGpurchased Classic Media, and currently holds those rights under the DreamWorks Classics banner. The special is now in the ownership of NBCUniversal, who purchased DreamWorks Animation in April 2016.

Early DVD releases of the special, distributed by {{w|Sony Wonder}}, also included ''[[The Little Drummer Boy (Rankin/Bass)|The Little Drummer Boy]]'' as a bonus special. (Later distributors would instead release ''The Little Drummer Boy'' separately outside of box sets.)

<gallery widths="200" bordersize="none" spacing="small">
Santaclaus1985.jpg|{{GNH|VHS|Family Home Entertainment<br>1989}}
SantasComingToTownLaserdisc.jpg|{{GNH|Laserdisc|Family Home Entertainment<br>1989}}
Santaclaus1993.jpg|{{GNH|VHS|Family Home Entertainment<br>December 14, 1993}}
SCICTTAAVHS.jpeg|{{GNH|VHS|Allied Artists Entertainment<br>1995}}
Santaclaus1998.jpg|{{GNH|VHS|Sony Wonder<br>September 1, 1998}}
Santaclaus2001.jpg|{{GNH|VHS|Sony Wonder<br>September 11, 2001}}
santaclausDVD2001.jpg|{{GNH|DVD|Sony Wonder<br>September 11, 2001}}
Santaclausdvd2000.jpg|{{GNH|DVD|Sony Wonder<br>September 11, 2001}}
The_Original_Television_Christmas_Classics.JPG|{{GNH|''The Original Television Holiday Classics'' DVD|Sony Wonder<br>2001}}
santaclausDVD2002.jpg|{{GNH|DVD|Sony Wonder<br>September 24, 2002}}
santaclausDVD2004.jpg|{{GNH|DVD|Sony Wonder<br>September 14, 2004}}
santaclausDVD2005.jpg|{{GNH|DVD|Sony Wonder<br>2005}}
santaclausDVD2007.jpg|{{GNH|DVD|Genius Products<br>September 4, 2007}}
Original_Christmas_Classics_DVD_2007.jpg|{{GNH|''The Original Christmas Classics'' DVD|Genius Products<br>September 4, 2007}}
santaclausDVD2010.jpg|{{GNH|DVD|Vivendi Entertainment<br>October 12, 2010}}
SantaClausIsComingToTown Bluray.jpg|{{GNH|Blu-ray|Vivendi Entertainment<br>October 12, 2010}}
71ORu93aaTL._AA1500_.jpg|{{GNH|''The Original Christmas Classics'' Blu-ray|Vivendi Entertainment<br>October 12, 2010}}
SantaClausIsComingToTown Bluray 2012.jpg|{{GNH|Blu-ray/DVD combo pack|Vivendi Entertainment<br>November 6, 2012}}
SantaClausIsComingToTown DVD 2015.jpg|{{GNH|45th Anniversary Edition DVD|Anderson Merchandisers<br>September 8, 2015}}
SantaClausIsComingToTown Bluray 2015.jpg|{{GNH|45th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray|Anderson Merchandisers<br>September 8, 2015}}
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town DVD 2018.jpg|{{GNH|Deluxe Edition DVD|Universal Pictures Home Entertainment<br>October 16, 2018}}
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town Bluray 2018.jpg|{{GNH|Deluxe Edition Blu-ray|Universal Pictures Home Entertainment<br>October 16, 2018}}
RankinBass_Original_Christmas_Specials_Collection_DVD.jpg|{{GNH|''The Original Christmas Classics Deluxe Edition'' DVD|Universal Studios Home Entertainment<br>October 16, 2018}}
RankinBass_Original_Christmas_Specials_Collection_Blu-ray.jpg|{{GNH|''The Original Christmas Classics Deluxe Edition'' Blu-ray|Universal Studios Home Entertainment<br>October 16, 2018}}
Complete Rankin-Bass Christmas Collection.jpg|{{Gallery note|''The Complete Rankin/Bass Christmas Collection'' DVD|Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Warner Home Video<br>October 18, 2022}}
Santa Comin' to Town 4K.jpg|{{GNH|4K Ultra HD Blu-ray|Universal Pictures Home Entertainment<br>November 1, 2022}}
Classic Christmas Specials Collection 4K.jpg||{{GNH|''The Classic Christmas Specials Collection'' 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray|Universal Studios Home Entertainment<br>November 1, 2022}}
Complete Rankin-Bass Christmas Collection BD.jpg|{{GNH|''The Complete Rankin/Bass Christmas Collection'' Blu-ray|Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and Warner Home Video<br>October 31, 2023}}
</gallery>

==Cast==
[[File:SD Kluger.jpg|thumb|250px|S.D. Kluger, the narrator]]
[[File:Character-kringles.jpg|250px|thumb|The Kringle brothers]]
{| class="wikitable"
!Voice actor/actress!!Character(s)
|-
|[[Fred Astaire]] || [[S.D. Kluger]]
|-
|[[Mickey Rooney]] || [[Santa Claus (Santa Claus is Comin' to Town)|Kris Kringle/Santa Claus]] (adult)
|-
|{{w|Keenan Wynn}} || [[The Winter Warlock]]
|-valign="top"
|[[Paul Frees]] || [[Burgermeister Meisterburger]]<br>[[Grimsley]]<br>Soldiers<br>Townsmen<br>[[Ebenezer Scrooge]]<br>Businessman<br>The Kringle brothers<br>Newsreel announcer
|-valign="top"
|{{w|Joan Gardner}} || [[Tanta Kringle]]<br>Cashier
|-
|[[Robie Lester]] || [[Jessica Claus]]
|-valign="top"
|Greg Thomas || Kris Kringle/Santa Claus (young)<br>The Children
|-valign="top"
|Andrea Sacino<br>Dina Lynn<br>Gary White || The Children
|}

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="200" spacing="small">
Santa-claus-is-comin-to-town-02.jpg|Burgermeister Meisterburger, the villain of the special.
Baby Claus.jpg|The baby who would one day come to be known as Santa Claus.
Song-FirstToymakers.jpg|Tanta Kringle educates young Kris on the family legacy.
Kris gets his coat.jpg|Tanta gives Kris his own Kringle coat.
Kris comes to Sombertown.jpg|Kris arrives in Sombertown.
Kris gives Jessica a doll.jpg|Kris wins Jessica's heart with a gift.
Kris meets Burgermeister.jpg|Kris meets the Burgermeister.
Burgermeister breaks his own law.jpg|The Burgermeister realizes he's breaking his own law.
Kris befriends Winter.jpg|Kris reforms Winter by showing him kindness.
Winter makes magic snowball.jpg|Winter provides Kris with a magic snowglobe.
Jessica bringing letters.jpg|Jessica brings Kris the letters the children wrote for him.
Winter befriends the Kringles.jpg|Winter becomes friends with the Kringle elves.
Kris goes down his first chimney.jpg|Kris gets the idea to start going down chimneys.
Grimsley arrests the group.jpg|Grimsley arrests the Kringles and Winter...
Burgermeister arrests Kris.jpg|...while the Burgermeister springs a trap on Kris.
Burgermeister fires Jessica.jpg|The Burgermeister fires Jessica after she begs him to release Kris.
The original 8 reindeer.jpg|After gaining the ability to fly, Kris' reindeer friends...
Reindeer rescue Kris and friends.jpg|...rescue him and the others.
Santa's castle is built.jpg|Kris builds his workshop castle at the North Pole.
Middle-aged Kris and Jessica.jpg|Kris and Jessica continue receiving letters from children...
Clauses' living room.jpg|...well into old age.
</gallery>

==Citations==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{imdb title|0066327}}
*{{Bcdb title|27855}}
*{{TVtropes link|WesternAnimation/SantaClausIsCominToTown}}
*{{Btva TV|Santa-Claus-is-Comin-to-Town}}
{{Rankinbass}}
[[Category:Specials]]
[[Category:Rankin/Bass]]
[[Category:Originally aired on ABC]]
[[Category:Based on songs]]
[[Category:Musicals]]
[[Category:Classic Media]]
[[Category:1970 releases]]
[[Category:Award winners]]
[[Category:Santa Claus filmography]]
[[Category:Mrs. Claus filmography]]
[[Category:Santa's Reindeer filmography]]
[[Category:Rudolph filmography]]
[[Category:Japanese Christmas Specials]]