Frosty the Snowman (1969/ My Version)

Frosty the Snowman is a 1969 animated Christmas television special based on the song "Frosty the Snowman". The program, which first aired on December 7, 1969 on CBS (where it continues to air annually), was produced for television by Rankin/Bass Productions and featured the voices of comedians Jimmy Durante as the film's narrator (Durante's final performance in a film) and Jackie Vernon as the title character.

Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass wanted to give the show and its characters the look of a Christmas card, so Paul Coker, Jr., a greeting card and Mad magazine artist, was hired to do the character and background drawings. The animation was produced by Mushi Production in Japan, with then-Mushi staffer Osamu Dezaki among the animation staff.

Rankin/Bass veteran writer Romeo Muller adapted and expanded the story for television as he had done with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

TV Guide ranked the special number 4 on its 10 Best Family Holiday Specials list.

Plot (Story)
On Christmas Eve, a terrible magician named Professor Hinkle (Billy DeWolfe) is called to the schoolhouse to perform for the class Christmas party, but fails. After, the children go out to play in the snow where they build a snowman and name him "Frosty" (Jackie Vernon).

Suddenly, Hinkle's rabbit, Hocus Pocus, hops outside and a gust of wind blows the hat onto Frosty, bringing him to life, delighting the children, but Hinkle, after discovering this as well, takes it back after the wind blows it off Frosty's head. The other children, including a stand-up Jennifer Sparks (Shelby Flint) object, but he tells them that when they grow up, they'll learn that snowmen can't come to life and leaves.

Hocus, however, runs back to the schoolyard with the hat and the children bring Frosty to life again. Both Jennifer and Frosty are amazed. For Frosty, he can do since he is alive until he feels the temperature is rising, which could cause him to melt until they realize the only place he'd never melt is the North Pole. The children decide to take him there as they parade through town, shocking other people including the traffic cop.

They reach the train station, but with no money to buy a ticket, Karen (June Foray), Jennifer and Frosty to stow away on a train while Hinkle manages to sneak aboard, determined to get the hat back. Noticing that Karen and Jennifer are freezing in the boxcar, Frosty realizes that the two girls has to get out. With Karen still freezing, they find the forest animals decorating their Christmas tree and they build Karen a fire while a warmed-up Jennifer, Frosty and Hocus decide that Santa Claus to help Karen and Jennifer get back home and Frosty to the North Pole. That night, as Frosty waits patiently for Santa, Hinkle shows up and demands Frosty to give him back the hat. Frosty and Karen escape him and find a greenhouse to warm up in until Hinkle catches up to them and slams the door, trapping them inside.

Santa arrives and he, Jennifer and Hocus go to the greenhouse, only to find Karen crying over a melted Frosty. Santa explains to her and Jennifer, who'is reducing in tears, that Frosty is made of Christmas snow and will always come back every winter. He then opens the door, letting in a magic Christmas wind, bringing Frosty back to life. But just as they're about to put his hat on, Hinkle shows up and demands he wants the hat back again. Santa warns him that if he ever does take it, he'll never get another Christmas present from him. He then tells him to write his apologies and on Christmas morning, he'll get a new hat. Delighted, Hinkle runs home to write his apologies in the hopes of it. Santa then brings Frosty back to life, takes Karen home, and brings Frosty back to the North Pole, promising to return next year when another Christmas snowfall comes. As the end credits roll, Frosty and the children parade through town.

The townspeople also join the parade, including Jennifer, her love interest; James (Red Buttons), the traffic cop, and a reformed Professor Hinkle wearing his new hat. At the end of the parade, Frosty boards Santa's sleigh and they leave for the North Pole with Frosty altering the song's last lyric, saying, "I'll be back on Christmas Day!"

Voices

 * Jimmy Durante - The Narrator
 * Shelby Flint - Jennifer Sparks, who is Karen's former school-bully, but now quickly reform into a good friend, believing in magic for the first time.
 * Red Buttons - James, who is Jennifer's love interest and a basketball championship pro expert.
 * Billy DeWolfe - Professor Hinkle, a evil and jealous magician, who is terrible at acting magic tricks, especially his sneaky pet rabbit; Hocus Pocus.
 * June Foray - Karen, Brown-Haired Boy, Orange-Haired Boy, Blonde-Haired Boy, Girl with Pink Dress, Boy in Green Coat, The Teacher
 * Jackie Vernon - Frosty, who is a "all-living" snowman, "with a corncob pipe, a button nose and two eyes made of coal" and came to life by Professor Hinkle's hat, contains with magic.
 * Paul Frees - The Traffic Cop, The Ticket Manger, Santa Claus