Our story stars a little drummer boy who is at home with animals more than people as people pretty much made a mess of his life. He is drawn into the nativity story in order to try and find a way to cure his hate and distrust of others.
Rankin/Bass created this 25-minute animated short-film for the holiday season 45 years ago. It features the voices from two former Academy-Award winners Greer Garson and José Ferrer.
Used to watch this with my grandma when it first aired in the sixties. It was pure magic then and still brings back vivid memories.
While it may not be one for the history books like Rudolph, The Little Drummer Boy still has that Rankin Bass charm to it.
Christmas special based on the song of the same name. Narrated by the great Greer Garson, it tells the story of an orphan boy named Aaron.
It reminds the meaning of Christmas. The only meaning and it does that in splendid - touching manner.
Go see this movie with your Muslim family on Christmas Eve and see how they will react: all excited by the Arab portrayals, but none of them will understand the story of the star or Jesus Christ. That's the only sad thing about the movie next to the outdated animatronics of course...
Directed By: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr.Starring: José Ferrer, Paul Frees, June ForayTrivia: Originally sponsored by the American Gas Association, The Little Drummer Boy premiered on December 19, 1968 on NBCThough cCovered by artists ranging from Bing Crosby to Jimi Hendrix, the best version of the tune was recorded in 1958 by the Harry Simone Chorale, a rendition that rose as high as #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart.
