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Cricket on Hearth
Actor(s): Holiday Classics
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 9780307142702
Format(s): AnimatedColorNTSC
ISBN: 0307142701
Label: Sony Wonder (Video)
Language(s): English Original Language
List Price: $9.98
Manufacturer: Sony Wonder (Video)
Number Of Items: 1
Package Dimensions:
Height: 1.12"
Width: 4.19"
Length: 1.12"
Weight: 0.38 lbs.
Product Group: Video
Publisher: Sony Wonder (Video)
Release Date: 1998-09-01
Running Time: 50minutes
Studio: Sony Wonder (Video)
Theatrical Release Date: 1967
UPC: 074644954937
Customer Reviews Average rating - 4.0
Rating - 5 Date: 2005-12-03
Content: PLOT: Danny Thomas stars as Caleb, a toymaker who discovers a cricket (delightfully played by Roddy McDowell) on his fireplace hearth at Christmas which is supposed to be a sign of good luck. His daughter Bertha, (played by his real life daughter Marlo Thomas who makes her first musical performance in this show), is sadly seeing her fiance Edward off to war so luck is not with them yet. Edward is gone for months, and finally news arrives that he is dead, but the grief strikes Bertha blind. Caleb who was already very poor only seems to do worse. He is forced to work for Grugg Tackleton (voiced by Hans Conried who also voiced Captain Hook for Disney), a mean Scrooge like character, who only pays room and board. He is a crow named Caw (voiced by Paul Frees who also voices the Sea Captain). Since Bertha cannot see, the toymaker tells his daughter they are in luxurious surroundings and he is being paid very well. He meets an old and hungry stranger and brings him home to eat. The evil Tackleton decides he wants to marry Bertha, and the cricket joins with the toys that are brought to life to defend her honor. Songs include "Don't Give Your Love Away", "Smiles Go With Tears", "Through My Eyes", "The First Christmas", "That Was Yesterday", "Fish and Chips", "Parade of the Toys", and "A Waltz for Christmas".
BACKGROUND INFO: This one hour format television special was first aired on NBC on December 18, 1967. It was created by Rankin/Bass Studios in association with Aaron Spelling and Danny Thomas. Music by Maury Laws, and lyrics by Jules Bass.
This was the 5th television special from the studio, and the first holiday show after Rudolph that they released. This was the first time Danny and Marlo Thomas appeared together for a television show. This was shown again later as an episode on the Danny Thomas Show. Marlo was on television in her own popular show the same year this was in producion. Written by Romeo Muller and Arthur Rankin.
It has great cel animation art, and a good story. By the way the horrible artwork on the box pictured here is not from the actual film, so do not let it scare you off. This show is currently owned by Golden Books, and they have done a great job recently with DVD's with the other shows they have in their catalogue from Rankin/Bass who brought us such memorable holiday classics such as Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, Year without a Santa Claus, Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey, Mad Monster Party, The Little Drummer Boy, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Mouse on the Mayflower, Here Comes Peter Cottontail, the Stingiest Man in Town, Jack Frost, Pinnochio's Christmas, Rudolph's Shiny New Year, the First Easter Bunny. They also made non-holiday films such as the Hobbit, Flight of Dragons, the Last Unicorn. It is incredible that one company is responsible for all those TV specials, 95% of the ones we see every year. Their work includes standard animation, stop-motion animagic, and live action. In 2008 this show was finally released on DVD.
Summary: Rankin/Bass studios 2nd holiday show
Rating - 5 Date: 2005-11-19
Content: We caught this on The Family Channel's "25 Days of Christmas" and enjoyed it very much. It was an odd little tale to be cast in a Christmas mold, but irrestistibly sweet nevertheless. A young lady and her kindly father are held in thrall to a tyrant who runs their town; her true love is poor and goes to seek his fortune. When he goes missing and is presumed dead, she falls prey to hysterical blindness. It is the lowly cricket who saves the day when all seems lost and the girl is about to wed the tyrant. The animation is typically 1960s, very bright and flat, simply drawn and thin compared to lusher productions of the same time frame, such as How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The voice cast is great, especially Danny Thomas as the toymaker and Marlo as his cartoon daughter. Roddy MacDowell was wonderful as the cricket and smooth-voiced baritone Ed Ames was the true love; he also sang the song The First Christmas. (Though not as widely known today, Mr. Ames was quite the singing sensation back then.) We would love to see this little tale come out on DVD someday. Though obscure, The Cricket on the Hearth deserves a place in the annals of holiday classics.
Summary: Charming and Sweet Little Story
Rating - 4 Date: 2005-10-15
Content: I saw this video tape when I was shopping one day and I bought it and I had never seen it before and when watched it I really liked it and I think it's very under-rated! The Cricket on tthe Hearth is based on a story by Charles Dickens and is about a toy maker and his daughter who's voices are provided by Danny Thomas and Marlo Thomas (a real life father and daughter) who are poor and being taken advantage of by a cruel and selfish toy factory owner. The cricket in the story is both narrator and friend to the toy maker and his daughter and is voiced by Roddy McDowell. This is a really good Christmas cartoon and I would like to see it transferred to DVD!
Summary: This Classic Christmas Cartoon Should Be On DVD!
Rating - 1 Date: 2002-02-26
Content: Ordered 11/14/01. Today is 02/26/02. I have not received yet. Info said estimated delivery 12/26/01-01/13/02. I have been told normally 4-6 wks. This video has been paid for but I have been informed to search the Marketplace and the Auctions. Why do I have to do the research for a item already paid for? I really would like to have this video. My children and myself like all the Raskin Bass Holiday Movies and I am sure we will like Cricket on the Hearth if we ever get it.
Summary: Cricket on the Hearth
Rating - 5 Date: 2000-11-09
Content: "Cricket on the Hearth" is a heart warming excellent version of the Charles Dickens tale. Granted is it not the full book, but it does dramatize a significant part of the story - the toymaker who falls on hard times and his daughter whose fiance is lost at sea. When Bertha agrees to marry the miserly toy factory owner who is forcing them to live in poverty, the future seems grim - until the good luck cricket on the hearth steps in. The voices are great - Danny Thomas and his daughter Marlo as the toymaker and his daughter and Roddy McDowell, perfect as the cricket. The music is wonderful with a real gem of a Christmas song - "The First Christmas" that should be a classic holiday song if only some well known singer would record it. For years this production was unavailable and thought lost, but was rerelased last year and is a real treasure. A different Christmas story that is still full of the warmth and music of the season.I am amazed that a previous review got so many of the facts of the story wrong. There is no "prince" to save the girl. There are no slow spots. It is a fast moving completely delightful story. People who rush to write reviews should really check their facts and not give misleading information. This is a production that can easily appeal to adults as well as children. It could prove a wonderful introduction to the works of Dickens for children.
Summary: Excellent cartoon version of Charles Dicken's story
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