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Directed by: Arthur Rankin, Jr.
Jules Bass
Written by: Romeo Muller
Narrated by: Buddy Hackett (as Pardon-Me-Pete)
Release date: December 13, 1979
Running time: 48 minutes
Original network: Redbox
Peacock

Jack Frost is an animated television special, directed by Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin, Jr. and written by Romeo Muller; it premiered on NBC on December 13, 1979. The special is narrated by Pardon-Me-Pete, a groundhog voiced by Buddy Hackett.

Synopsis[]

Jack Frost (voiced by Robert Morse), an immortal winter sprite, falls in love with a human girl named Elisa (voiced by Debra Clinger) after rescuing her. Jack asks Father Winter if he can become human in order to be with her. Father Winter (voiced by Paul Frees) gives him a chance, but warns that Jack must prove he can succeed as a human, by earning a house, a horse, a bag of gold, and a wife by the first sign of spring; if not, he will become a sprite again. Jack agrees and turns human, assuming the identity of Jack Snip. He runs a tailor shop in the town of January Junction with two friends who also turned human, Snip the snowflake maker (voiced by Don Messick) and Holly the holiday snow gypsy. Snip and Holly were sent by Father Winter to ensure Jack does not get into trouble (Snip bears similarities in skin tone and clothing to Snow Miser from The Year Without a Santa Claus and A Miser Brothers' Christmas). Elisa is charmed by "Jack Snip," but she harbors romantic dreams of Sir Raveneau, a "knight in golden armor."

Elisa is kidnapped by the evil Cossack King Kubla Kraus (voiced by Paul Frees), who has an army of Keh-Nights, as well as a menacing mechanical horse named Klangstumper. Kraus also possesses all the brick, gold, and timber that January Junction used to. He lives in a castle on Miserable Mountain with his sidekick, a ventriloquist's dummy named Dummy. After Elisa is rescued by a knight named Sir Raveneau, Kubla vows to destroy January Junction, and he imprisons Jack Snip, Snip, and Holly. Jack decides to become a sprite again in order to whip up the biggest snow storm ever seen, freezing Kraus in his castle. Snip and Holly change back to sprites as well. This tactic works until Groundhog Day comes. Jack Frost uses his shadow to scare Pete back to hibernation, and continues whipping up the storm.

Finally, with only one hour left before the arrival of spring, Jack returns to human form in an attempt to meet Father Winter's conditions and win Elisa. He battles Kubla Kraus which ends with him falling out of his castle and blown very far by Father Winter. Jack then claims the gold, Klangstumper, and the castle. He races off to ask Elisa for her hand in marriage, but during his absence she has fallen in love with Sir Raveneau, and he with her. Jack becomes a sprite again for good, and blows ice onto Elisa's wedding bouquet, turning it white. When asked about the change, she sheds a tear, saying "An old friend just kissed the bride." Snip calls out to Jack that winter wouldn't be the same without him.

Spoiler warning!
This article contains plot details about an upcoming episode.

Songs[]

  • Me and My Shadow
  • The Christmas Song
  • Jack Frost Is Here
  • It's Lonely Being One of a Kind
  • There's the Rub
  • Just What I Always Wanted
  • I’ve Got A Day Named After Me, February 2

Cast[]

Voice actor Character
Buddy Hackett Pardon-Me-Pete
Paul Frees Jack Frost
Bob Holt Kubla Kraus
Father Winter
Larry Storch Papa
Dave Garroway Groundhog Day Television Reporter
Debra Clinger Elisa
Don Messick Snip
Dee Stratton Mama
Sonny Melendrez Sir Raveneau
Dina Lynn Holly
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