• Source: Santa and the Three Bears

      • Santa and the Three Bears is a 1970 animated feature film, which aired in syndication on television regularly during the holiday season.


      Background


      The film was originally pitched to TV networks, which rejected it as it lacked a villain, but was then shown in theaters instead. This special has been rerun on TBN, USA Network, FOX Family (now Freeform), and on KTLA channel 5 in Los Angeles. It also received a "blue ribbon" award for Best Family Film at the San Francisco International Film Festival.
      The live-action sequences, directed by Barry Mahon, at the beginning and end of the film are often edited out in television reruns. The edited version was later released on VHS in 1992 by Kids Klassics, and distributed by GoodTimes Home Video.


      Plot summary


      Two young bears, Nikomi and Chinook, know nothing of Christmas until the local park ranger tells them about the legend, and they become curious to meet Santa Claus. Their mother, Nana, is preparing for Winter hibernation and cynically tells her children there is no Santa, but they are determined to believe. Mother finds it impossible to begin their sleep, since the young cubs wish to stay awake until Santa arrives.


      Voice cast


      Hal Smith as Grandfather, Santa and Mr. Ranger
      Jean Vander Pyl (credited as Jean van der Pyl) as Nana
      Christina Ferra-Gilmore (credited as Annette Ferra) as Nikomi
      Bobby Riha as Chinook
      Joyce Taylor
      Ken Engels
      Beth Goldfarb as Beth
      Brian Hobbs as Brian
      Lenard Keith
      Kathy Lemmon
      Roxanne Poole
      Michael Rodriguez


      Live action segments


      The theatrical release of the film contains live-action sequences directed by director Barry Mahon, running for around four minutes in total. These sequences feature actor Hal Smith and two young children (Brian Hobbs and Beth Goldfarb) sitting in a cabin and conversing by the fireplace and Christmas tree, and a short montage of mechanical toys, Christmas decorations, and a pet kitten, during the opening and closing credits. The film has been also released by Modern Sound Pictures Inc. with the live-action sequences cut.


      Legacy


      Bill Hutten and Tony Love, the film's animators, created another Christmas television special in 1983 named The Christmas Tree Train, also starring a bear cub alongside a fox cub and a park ranger, which led to a TV series called Buttons & Rusty.
      The film is currently in the public domain and has seen numerous releases on DVD (mostly the theatrical cut from Super8 film masters) by Genius Entertainment/Classic Media, Mill Creek Entertainment and many other public domain companies.
      Mary Jo Pehl and Bridget Nelson of the cult series Mystery Science Theater 3000 spoofed the film on RiffTrax December 22, 2023.


      See also


      List of American films of 1970
      List of Christmas films


      References




      External links


      Santa and the Three Bears at IMDb
      Santa and the Three Bears is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive

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