The Story of Santa Claus is a CBS animated special, directed by Toby Bluth (former Disney animator Don Bluth's brother), that premiered on December 7, 1996. It features the voices of Ed Asner, Betty White, and Tim Curry.
Synopsis[]
The story opens in "Europe, a long time ago". Santa, nicknamed by his wife, Mrs. Claus, is a toymaker who wishes he could give a toy to every child in the world. It's explained that he grew up in the Angel's Island Orphanage, where he taught himself to make toys for the other children. However, he is now in debt because he gives away more toys than he sells. The Clauses are subsequently evicted by their greedy landlord, Mr. Minch.
Now penniless, Santa and the Mrs. decide to take their remaining toys to the children at the Angel's Island Orphanage. However, their ship is caught up in a storm and they are miraculously transported to the North Pole, where they meet the elves, including wizardly elf Nostros, his son, Clement, and the know-it-all elf girl, Aurora. When Santa saves Clement's life, Nostros is forced to grant him a wish. He wishes that he could deliver toys to all the children in the world on Christmas. Nostros declares that this is impossible and trying to fulfill it will doom the elves by destroying their magic. However, the wish can't be taken back because it is now "etched among the stars".
Santa and Mrs. Claus manage to recruit almost all the elves to help them. Soon they have built a toy factory and gotten to work. Nostros watches from afar, scoffing at their attempt to do the impossible and forbidding Clement from involving himself. Clement sneaks out to help anyway. On the big day, Aurora realizes Nicholas will have to be accompanied by a magical expert on his trip. She goes to Nostros, but he refuses, of course. After thinking about it for a while, he changes his mind and goes to the toy factory to help Nicholas.
As their voyage around the world ends, Santa insists they make a stop at the Angel's Island Orphanage. He gives a young boy a knife so that he may whittle toys for the others as Santa once did. Once they return to the North Pole, Nostros and the other elves vote to bestow "honorary elfhood" upon the Clauses, making them immortal. Santa declares that they shall do this again every year forever and the elves cheer.
Songs[]
Uncredited
- "To Give Every Child in the World a Toy" - Jim Cummings
- "We're Gonna Pull It Off" - Cummings, Miko Hughes, Kathryn Zaremba and Tim Curry
- "Clement's Song" - Cummings and Hughes
- "Santa's Ride" - Cummings, Hughes and Zaremba
Broadcast[]
Since its original airing, CBS aired the special annually during the Christmas season until 2022, where it was replaced with the newer network-produced special Reindeer in Here. The CW (then sister channel of the network) aired the special once in 2012. As part of its distribution agreement with CBS Media Ventures, it made its return to television on MeTV Toons' 'Tis the Season for Toons event on November 30, 2025.
Home video releases[]
August 1998
October 6, 1998
Notes[]
- Betty White would voice Mrs. Claus again in Operation: Secret Santa.
- Ed Asner would portray Santa on many occasions in subsequent years, both voicing and physically portraying him.
Cast[]
| Voice actor/actress | Character(s) |
|---|---|
| Ed Asner | Santa Claus |
| Betty White | Mrs. Claus |
| Tim Curry | Nostros |
| Jim Cummings | Mr. Minch |
| Miko Hughes | Clement |
| Kathryn Zaremba | Aurora |
| Gregg Berger Victoria Carroll Paul Eiding Kipp Lennon Marie Maxwell Will Ryan John Thomas Susan Tolsky B.J. Ward |
Additional characters |
Gallery[]
See also[]
- Other Koretsky/Whitestone collabs