Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July

Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July
The original released advertisement poster for the film's theatrical release.
Directed byArthur Rankin Jr.
Jules Bass
Screenplay byRomeo Muller
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography
  • Akikazu Kono
  • ("Animagic" supervisor)
Music byJohnny Marks
Production
company
Distributed byAvco Embassy Pictures
Release date
  • June 8, 1979 (1979-06-08)
(Lexington)
Running time
97 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July (titled on-screen as Rudolph and Frosty: Christmas in July) is a 1979 American 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 on June 8, 1979, in Lexington, Kentucky, through Avco Embassy Pictures, where it ran for only one week; the film's expansion to other cities was quietly cancelled. Later that year, on November 25, 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, and the only one to feature the latter in stop-motion form. All other specials and films starring the characters are produced by other companies.