Rankin- Bass was a stop-animation company made popular in the Sixties by their TV specials including , Rudolph the Red- Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, The Little Drummer Boy, Santa Claus is Coming Town and many more. They used a technique they called Animagic to create doll-like characters. They would project cell animation over top of the Animagic to create things like falling snow. The company was founded by Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass in the early sixties as Video Craft International. Most of the work was created in Japan, headed by animator, Tadahito Mochinaga. The traditional animation was done by Toei Animation, Crawley Films and Mushi Productions. Rankin-Bass went on to do Thundercats and Silverhawks in the Eighties, quite a diversion from Rudolph.
Santa Claus is Coming To Town is my personal favorite. Kris and Jessica had my dream wedding.
Jessica
Jessica was voiced by Robie Lester, a popular, Grammy-nominated voice actress and singer. Robie worked with Henry Mancini and Herb Alpert. She was the voice in many Kellogg cereal commercials. Her most well- known line is from her work with Disney's Read-Along Storybooks. She was the voice that said," When Tinkerbell rings her bell, turn the page."
Kris Kringle was voiced by Micky Rooney.
Frosty the Snowman was voiced by Jimmy Durante.
The Little Drummer Boy voice cast included Jose Ferrer and Greer Garson.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is probably the most beloved of the Rankin-Bass specials. Rudolph was voiced by a lady named Billie Mae Richards.
Mrs. Richards was the voice of Tenderheart Bear in the Care Bear movie and did voices in Spiderman and Maniac Mansion. Billie Mae Richards passed away this year at the age of 89.
Clarice was voiced by Janet Orenstein, whose only claim to fame seems to be the part of Clarice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUgMaL89Lqc
Frosty the Snowman was narrated by Jimmy Durante. Jackie Vernon gave him his voice.
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