Frosty the Snowman (TV special)

Frosty the Snowman is a 1969 animated Christmas television special based on the song "Frosty the Snowman" about a living snowman and a little girl who struggle to elude a greedy magician who is after the snowman's magic hat. The program, which first aired on December 7, 1969 on CBS (where it still airs to this day), was produced for television by Rankin/Bass Productions.

Jimmy Durante (Narrator)

 * I suppose it all started with the snow. You see, it was a very special kind of snow. A snow that made the happy happier and the giddy even giddier. A snow that made a homecoming homier and natural enemies friends. Naturally. For it was the first snow of the season. And as any child can tell you, there's a certain magic to the very first snow. Especially when it falls on the day before Christmas. For when the first snow is also a Christmas snow... [laughs] Well, something wonderful is bound to happen.

Dialogue

 * Frosty: It's got to be all warm and snug inside for those Christmas flowers to grow so beautiful. Let's go in.
 * Karen: Oh, but… but you will melt.
 * Frosty: Just a little. I'll only stay inside for a minute. Besides, I've been meaning to take off a little weight, anyway. [opens the door and enters] Stay in here much longer and I'll really make a splash in the world.
 * [Hinkle makes it to the greenhouse, exhausted, then slams the door shut, locking Karen and Frosty inside]
 * Hinkle: Now I've got you! And the minute you're all melted, that hat will be mine! [cackles and looks up in the sky to see Santa]
 * Narrator: [voiceover] Santa had arrived, but was he too late? Hocus explained the situation to Santa, who as ya know, speaks a fluent rabbit. [Hinkle quickly hides behind the tree next to the greenhouse] And, when they didn't find Frosty and Karen on the hill, Santa followed Frosty's path in the snow to the greenhouse. But when they got inside, a terrible sight met their eyes.
 * [Santa walks inside the greenhouse as Karen is crying over a melted Frosty. A tear drops onto the puddle showing a flashback of all the fun times she and her friends had with Frosty]
 * Narrator: They were too late.
 * Santa: Too late? Why, nonsense. Oh, don't cry, Karen. Frosty's not gone for good. You see, he was made out of Christmas snow, and Christmas snow can never disappear completely. [chuckles] Oh, it sometimes goes away for almost a year at a time, and takes the form of spring and summer rain. But you can bet your boots that when a good, jolly December wind kisses it, [chuckles] it’ll turn into Christmas snow all over again.
 * Karen: Yes, but… he was my friend.
 * Santa: Ho-ho-ho. Just watch. [opens the greenhouse door to let a magic Christmas wind bring Frosty to life again, Hocus brings the magic hat]
 * Hinkle: Wait a minute! I want that hat, and I want it now!
 * Santa: [glares at Hinkle] Don't you dare touch that!
 * Hinkle: And just what are you going to do about it?
 * Santa: If you so much as lay a finger on the brim, I'll never bring you another Christmas present as long as you live.
 * Hinkle: [disappointedly] Never?
 * Santa: Never.
 * Hinkle: No more… trick cards, or… magic balls, or…?
 * Santa: No more anything. [winks]
 * Hinkle: Oh, that's not fair. [gives an empty can a light kick on the snow] I mean, we evil magicians have to make a livin', too.
 * Santa: Now, you go home and write "I am very sorry for what I did to Frosty." 100 zillion times. And then maybe, just maybe, mind you, you'll find something in your stocking tomorrow morning.
 * Hinkle: [gasps excitedly] A… A new hat, maybe? Oh, yes, sir! Goodbye, everyone! Sorry to lose and run, but I've got to get busy writing. Busy, busy, busy! [hastily runs away]
 * Santa: [chuckles] Come on, Frosty. We're all waiting for you. [puts the hat on Frosty's head, bringing him back to life once more]
 * Frosty: Happy birthday!
 * Narrator: And so, Santa took Karen home, and made ready to bring Frosty back to the North Pole with him.
 * [Karen gets off the sleigh and almost slips, but Frosty saves her]
 * Frosty: Goodbye, Karen.
 * Narrator: Karen hated to say goodbye to Frosty, but as Santa promised, Frosty returned every year with the magical Christmas snow. And every year there was a great celebration with a big Christmas parade.

Cast

 * Jackie Vernon - Frosty
 * Jimmy Durante - Narrator
 * June Foray - Karen, schoolteacher, and Karen's friends
 * Billy De Wolfe - Professor Hinkle (The Magician)
 * Paul Frees - the traffic cop, ticket taker, and Santa Claus