# Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July

Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July (titled on-screen as Rudolph and Frosty: Christmas in July) is an American–Japanese Christmas/Independence Day film produced by Rankin/Bass Productions, featuring characters from the company's holiday specials Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) and Frosty the Snowman (1969), among others. It was filmed in Japan using the company's trademark "Animagic" stop-motion animation style. The film was originally a theatrical film released through Avco Embassy Pictures, where it ran for only 2–3 weeks and was considered a box-office flop. Later that year, on November 25, 1979, the film premiered on television in the US on ABC.
This is the last Rankin/Bass production to star Billie Mae Richards as Rudolph and Jackie Vernon as Frosty. Mickey Rooney reprises his role as Santa Claus from Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970) and The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974). Additional voices are provided by Red Buttons, Ethel Merman, Alan Sues and Paul Frees. Shelley Winters and Frees reprise their roles as Frosty's wife Crystal and Jack Frost, respectively, from Frosty's Winter Wonderland, and Hal Peary reprised his role as Big Ben the Clockwork Whale from Rudolph's Shiny New Year. This is the final Rankin/Bass production to use Rudolph and Frosty. All other specials and films starring the characters are produced by other companies.

## Plot

Long ago, a powerful, evil snow wizard named Winterbolt caused havoc on the North Pole until Lady Boreal, Queen of the Northern Lights, put him in a deep sleep. Years later, Winterbolt awakens and Boreal transfers the last of her power into Rudolph's red nose when he is born, which will stop glowing if it is ever used for evil. Winterbolt learns of this and plans to dispose of Rudolph. Meanwhile, an ice cream man named Milton arrives in an hot-air balloon and tells Rudolph and Frosty that he plans to marry Lilly Loraine's daughter Lainie if they star in the Circus by the Sea to get the circus out of debt since a cynical man named Sam Spangles wants to buy the circus after the Fourth of July.
Winterbolt offers Frosty and his family magic amulets to keep them from melting, which will only last until the final firework fades on the Fourth. Santa agrees to pick them up before the magic wears off, but Winterbolt creates a blizzard to prevent him and Mrs. Claus from arriving on time. He then goes to the Caves of Lost Rejections and recruits an unintelligent, nasty reindeer named Scratcher, who is jealous because he wanted to be one of Santa's reindeer, but was fired when Santa hired Rudolph. They, alongside Spangles, plan to get Rudolph to steal from the circus, which will make him appear to be evil and rid him of his magic.
Meanwhile, Frosty discovers Scratcher's conspiracy and wants to help Rudolph. Winterbolt takes advantage of Frosty as well by agreeing to help Rudolph in exchange for his hat, intending to use it to create an army of evil snowmen. Rudolph manages to defeat Winterbolt, gets the hat back, and his nose regains its glow.
Rudolph returns to the circus with a police officer named Officer Kelly who exonerates him and returns Frosty's hat and the circus money, bringing him back to life. Winterbolt arrives and tries to attack everyone, but Lilly breaks his scepter using her iron pistols, causing him to turn into a tree. After this, Sam is arrested, Scratcher disappears, and all of Winterbolt's spells wear off, but Frosty and his family melt as their amulets are no longer active.
However, Rudolph’s old friend Big Ben arrives in time with Jack Frost who brings Frosty and his family back to life. Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive to help Jack Frost take the snow family back home while Rudolph stays behind to help the circus until they’re out of debt and leads the flying circus parade with the circus animals who can now fly with some of Santa’s magic feed corn.

## Voice cast

* Billie Mae Richards as Rudolph
* Jackie Vernon as Frosty
* Mickey Rooney as Santa Claus
* Red Buttons as Milton
* Alan Sues as Scratcher
* Darlene Conley as Mrs. Claus
* Shelby Flint as Laine Loraine
* Ethel Merman as Lilly Loraine
* Paul Frees as Winterbolt, Keeper of the Cave, Jack Frost and Officer Kelly
* Thurl Ravenscroft as the Genie of the Ice Scepter
* Candy Candido as the Snow Dragons
* Don Messick as Sam Spangles, Donner, Santa's Cuckoo Clock and clowns
* Hal Peary as Big Ben the Clockwork Whale
* Shelley Winters as Crystal
* Nellie Bellflower as Lady Boreal
* Steffi Cali as Milly
* Eric Hines as Chilly

## Songs

* "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" – Chorus
* "Everything I've Always Wanted" – Crystal
* "Everything I've Always Wanted (reprise)" – Milton
* "Everyday is Just Like Christmas" – Lily
* "Chicken Today and Feathers Tomorrow" – Lily
* "I See Rainbows" – Santa, Chorus
* "Don't Let the Parade Pass You By" – Lily
* "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" – Chorus
* "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" – Laine, Chorus
* "Everything I've Always Wanted (second reprise) – Frosty
* "No Bed of Roses" – Rudolph
* "Frosty the Snowman" – Chorus
* "Now and Then" – Frosty
* "We're a Couple of Misfits" – Frosty and Rudolph
* "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (reprise)" – Lily, Chorus