Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Podcast

Season 3 of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Podcast is underway, and we're starting with two versions that came out in 1994: A Flintstones Christmas Carol and A Christmas Carol from GoodTimes Entertainment.

It's Christmas in Bedrock (just go with it), and Fred is playing Scrooge in a local production of A Christmas Carol. Sadly, he's begun acting like Scrooge in his real life. Meanwhile, the Bedrock Bug is getting passed around town, and it's affecting actors in the play.

The 1994 version of A Christmas Carol is a direct-to-video version starring Garry Chalk as Scrooge. Can it stand...

How does one continue the story of A Christmas Carol? It might seem a hard story to continue, but Salty Earth Pictures gave it a go in 2013. Scrooge (David Ruprecht) is transported into the future, where he must help a struggling diner owner who is fighting with a descendant of Bob Cratchit.

Hats Off Entertainment video where I first heard of this

Before there was film or TV, there were stage versions of A Christmas Carol, and the two I'm talking about today came out in 1844, just weeks after the book was first published. Clearly, this story was a hit right away. What did the very first adaptations of the story like?

Full text of plays

A Christmas Carol; Or, The Miser's Warning! by C.Z. Barnett

A Christmas Carol; or, Past, Present, and Future, A Burletta in Three Staves by Edward Stirling

Audio version of the Barnett play

It's the second half of my Christmas Carol Hot Takes episode, and we've got some truly hilarious Letterboxd reviews this time around. In this one, I cover everythng from 1978-1992, as well as An American Carol. I struggle with vague metaphors, a truly shocking take on Bill Murray, and people who don't like the Muppets.Have Christmas Carol hot takes for a future episode? Feel free to leave them, and I'll cover them.

The poster and first trailer for Johnny Depp's Ebenezer dropped today, and a lot of people are wondering what I think. I decided to release an episode explaining how I will be approaching this, in light of the allegations against Johnny Depp. After that, I break down the trailer.

Content Warning: I talk about the allegations against Johnny Depp and how they affect my approach to talking about the film, but I do not talk abou them in detail.

On this episode of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Podcast, I'm going through Letterboxd reviews that go against the norm. I'll be reading 1/2-star and 1-star reviews of unpopular versions, and 4 1/2-star and 5-star reviews of unpopular version. Just a fun diversion from the standard show! In fact, there were so many reviews that this is simply part 1. Stick around until the end, where I talk a bit about what Season 3 of the show will look like.

Have Christmas Carol hot takes for a future episode? Feel free to leave them, and I'll cover them.

For nearly 20 years, Lionel Barrymore played Ebenezer Scrooge on the radio, and some of these broadcasts survive. I'm covering these two decades, while also reviewing the existing broadcasts. From Orson Welles to the Hallmark Hall of Fame, Barrymore played Scrooge on multiple networks in various time slots, and with various scripts.

Sources used in this episode:

Radio Hall of Fame blog

Comet Over Hollywood

Jim Ramsburg's Gold Time Radio

It's another episde about a non-Christian holiday. It was only a matter of time until beloved children's media franchise Veggie Tales did their own take on A Christmas Carol. However, 1) It's not about Christmas and 2) It came at a time when the frachise was going through major changes. Has it unfairly gone under the radar?

Video about the history of Veggie Tales

I'm wrapping up my series on the silent adaptations of A Christmas Carol with two adaptations from the 1920s (and a bit on a lost version from 1916). Plus, I wrap up this mini-series as a whole. I promise we'll be back with Christmas Carols with sound next month. The special effects continue to evolve here, with some quite impressive ghost effects.

Source:

A Christmas Carol and Its Adaptations by Fred Guida

Last time, we looked at the very earliest versions of A Christmas Carol, from an incomplete silent version to a version we only know about in writing. This week, I'm looking at two complete versions from the 1910s, one of them starring Seymour Hicks, who would more famously play the part in 1935. We're still firmly rooted in the stage, but we do start to see these evolving as films.

This week, I'll be releasing episode 2 of my Silent Christmas Carols series. Plus, I've recorded a bonus episode about one of my favorite actors, who passed away last week at 95. Robert Duvall brought such humanity to every role, whether it was the star of the show or one of the supporting players. It's very laid-back and off-the-cuff, and I just wanted to talk about some of my favorite performances.

I started this podcast with the sound versions, but there were plenty of A Christmas Carol adaptations before the advent of sound film. On this episode, I'm covering the first three: Scrooge, or Marley's Ghost (1901), A Christmas Carol (1908), and A Christmas Carol (1910). One is incomplete, one is lost, and all are pretty short, but they are also all interesting steps along the way on the long road of A Christmas Carol adaptations.

Sources:

A Christmas Carol and Its Adaptations by Fred Guida

Dickens on Screen

J.C. Buckstone

Moving...

In this episode, I close out season 2 with recap, thoughts, and responding to viewer comments. Plus, find out what I'll be doing in the offseason this year. I've had a lot of fun going from Mickey Mouse to the Muppets this season, as well as covering some lesser known versions. It's always bittersweet that the Christmas season is over, but there will always be more to look forward from the podcast. Thanks so much to everyone who's a part of this!

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ScroogeAChristmasCarolPodcast

Twitter: https://x.com/scroogepod

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It's the second of two interviews about The Muppet Christmas Carol. In this one, I'm talking with Joe Boccia Jr., a Muppet fan and filmmaker who got to see the film in theatres on the day of the interview!Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ScroogeAChristmasCarolPodcastTwitter: https://x.com/scroogepodBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/scroogepod.bsky.social

It's my first of two interviews about The Muppet Christmas Carol. In this one, I'm talking to my friends Liz Scher and Ian Taylor, both of whom are big Muppet fans.
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ScroogeAChristmasCarolPodcastTwitter: https://x.com/scroogepodBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/scroogepod.bsky.social

It's the one you've been waiting for: the iconic The Muppet Christmas Carol. It may feel like everything that can be said about Muppet Christmas Carol has, but I have a lot to say anyway. How does it stand up against the countless other versions of the story I've seen? In addition, on the same day this drops, I'll be releasing some interviews with friends of mine who are big fans of the film!

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ScroogeAChristmasCarolPodcast

Twitter: https://x.com/scroogepod

Bluesky: https://bsky.app...

We all know about the iconic versions from the 1980s and early 1990s, but there are also plenty of lesser known adaptations from the same era. A Christmas Carol with the Uncle Remus animals? Martin Sheen and James Earl Jones playing the characters? Another Disney version? They're all here. Check it out! For my list of references and additional material, check out the YouTube link!

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ScroogeAChristmasCarolPodcast

Twitter: https://x.com/scroogepod

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/scroogepod.bsky.social

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ScroogePod<...

One of the more divisive takes on A Christmas Carol, Scrooged from 1988 is a beloved comedy to some and a missed attempt to others. Regardless, it is very much the most '80s take ever on the tale, with Mary Lou Retton, Lee Majors, references to Chernobyl, and even a Richard Pryor joke. The first part of the episode is my standard format, and it's followed by an interview with Aricka Rode, a lifelong fan of the film.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ScroogeAChristmasCarolPodcast

Twitter: https://x.com/scroogepod

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Everyone knows Scrooged, which I'll be covering next week, but there's another modern-day Christmas Carol from the '80s. Robert Guillame directs and stars in John Grin's Christmas, a 1986 TV movie about a Scrooge-like toy executive who needs to learn about the spirit of giving. Is this actually a lost classic, or has it been forgotten for a reason?

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ScroogeAChristmasCarolPodcast

Twitter: https://x.com/scroogepod

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/scroogepod.bsky.social

This week, I'm covering the 1984 version of A Christmas Carol starring George C. Scott, my personal favorite adaptation. What makes this version stand out among the rest? This one also features David Warner, Edward Woodward, Susannah York, Angela Pleasence, and Roger Rees.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ScroogeAChristmasCarolPodcast

Twitter: https://x.com/scroogepod

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/scroogepod.bsky.social

Totally Rad Christmas episode with Nick Bicât

https://totallyradchristmas.com/a-christmas-carol-1984-score-w-nick-bicat/

Alright, it's time to talk about the two weirdest Christmas Carols of the '80s. First up, it's Scrooge's Rock 'N' Roll Christmas, a truly bizarre TV special starring western actor Jack Elam as Ebenezer Scrooge, who has to not only change his mind about Christmas but also rock 'n' roll. Will the music of Three Dog Night, Mike Love, and the mysterious Bridget change his mind?

After that, it's Buckaneezer Scrooge, and you know what? Just listen to it. No description will do this absolutely baffling adaptation justice.

Original album: https...

It's episode 2 of season 2 of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Podcast, and I'm covering A Christmas Carol (1982) from Australiia. Ron Haddrick is back as Ebenezer Scrooge, reprising his role from the 1969 film. It's twenty minutes longer than the previous version, but is it better? There are some truly surprising moments here.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ScroogeAChristmasCarolPodcast

Twitter: https://x.com/scroogepod

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/scroogepod.bsky.social

It's Season 2 of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Podcast, and we're going From Mickey Mouse to the Muppets. Mickey's Christmas Carol was my introduction to the story, and I know it was a lot of other people's as well, so we're starting there. Learn the long history of Disney and A Christmas Carol, including 2 separate album versions before they ever adapted it for film, and revisit the classic short.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ScroogeAChristmasCarolPodcast

Twitter: https://x.com/scroogepod

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/scroogepod.bsky.social

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There are countless versions of A Christmas Carol, but which is the most accurate to the book? I've listed 100 important plot points and character descriptions, and I'll be scoring 12 versions (from 1935-1979) on their accuracy. Most podcasts are audio only, but this episode is best watched as a YouTube video. Watch here:

https://youtu.be/Kt3KFYaRicE

If you're new to the podcast, I'm comparing 12 versions that I talked about on season 1 of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Podcast. Check out all the other episodes here or wherever you get your podcasts.

It's a preview episode of Scrooge TV, a new series for my backers on Patreon where I will review a TV episode based on A Christmas Carol. This episode is free for all, and you can access a new one every month for $5 a month on Patreon.

It's Christmas Eve, and Mr. Spacely is making George Jetson work late. When he falls asleep, he's visited by some Christmas ghosts who help him change his ways.

Link to my Patreon:

Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Podcast | Patreon

<...

Collin wraps up A Christmas Carol Deep Dive with this episode covering the final stave of the book. What does "Walker!" mean? Who is Joe Miller? What on earth is a Laocoön? It's all here!

Links used in this episode:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laoco%C3%B6n

https://victorianweb.org/authors/dickens/xmas/pva116.html

http://grammarphobia.com/blog/2021/12/hookey-walker.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Miller_(actor)

https://franklycurious.com/wp/2014/05/26/joe-miller-joke-book/

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/40127

In this episode of A Christmas Carol Deep Dive, Collin breaks down the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come portion of the story. Learn about 'Change, Victorian burial traditions, offal, and much more.

Sources used in this episode and additional reading:

https://www.britannica.com/story/where-does-the-concept-of-a-grim-reaper-come-from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exchange_Alley

https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=grim

https://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=Old+Scratch

https://experimentaltheology.blogspot.com/2012/09/old-scratch.html

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary...

On this bonus episode, I'm counting down my 25 favorite films since the year 2000, in honor of the recent New York Times poll. Hopefully you'll find something to check out or revisit! Let me know what yours are.

Since it's the only version of A Christmas Carol based around July 4, Collin is taking this month to review An American Carol. From David Zucker (The Naked Gun, Airplane, Top Secret, and apparently the Republican party) comes this 2008 political comedy. Michael Malone (Kevin Farley) is a documentary filmmaker who needs to love the 4th of July, and he'll have his views changed with the reprimanding of three ghosts (Kelsey Grammer, Jon Voight, Trace Adkins) and a whole lot of conservative guest stars. Can this take on A Christmas Carol that has the complete opposite message of Dickens book beat...

It's the second half of the Ghost of Christmas Past, and this episode covers Scrooge and the Ghost visiting lighthouse keepers, sailors, and miners, Fred and his friends, and of course the children Ignorance and Want. Find out what all those games Fred was playing are about, what a "children's Twelfth Night party" is, and much more.

Sources and additional links:

https://victorianweb.org/art/illustration/green/70.html

https://www.thornburyroots.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Catch-Glee.pdf

https://web.archive.org/web/20070402141426/http://www.childrenparty.com/partygames/printversion/forfeits.html

We're into the third stave of A Christmas Carol, and there is a lot to cover in this one. In this episode, Collin talks about the first half of the Ghost of Christmas Present portion of the story, including an argument between Scrooge and the Ghost about bakers being open on Sundays, the entirety of the Cratchits scene, and lots and lots of descriptions about food.

Sources and additional links:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pitch-and-toss

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitching_pennies

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki...

Just when I thought I was done with the 1970s adaptations, I learned there was one more. This TV movie is so obscure that it only aired once and only exists in a home recording. Skinflint: A Country Christmas Carol tells the story of Cyrus Flint, a 1970s bank manager (played by Hoyt Axton) who gets a visit from some Christmas ghosts and hears a lot of country music. Also starring Mel Tillis, Lynn Anderson, Martha Raye, Dottie West, The Statler Brothers, and many more.

Balladeer's Blog Review: https://glitternight.com/2011/12/12/christmas-carol-a-thon-2011-skinflint-1979/

Join Collin as he breaks down Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, with the help of a LibriVox audiobook. This episode covers the second stave, which involves the Ghost of Christmas Past. Each month, a new episode of A Christmas Carol Deep Dive will drop, until we have gotten through the whole book. Find out about the historical context, cultural references, inspiration for adaptations, and much more.

Sources and additional links:

⁠LibriVox Audiobook⁠

https://librivox.org/a-christmas-carol-by-charles-dickens-4/Charles Dickens' sister and nephew

https://www.charlesdickenspage.com/dickens-characters-c-d.htmlJack Robinson

https://en.w...

Join Collin as he breaks down Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, with the help of a LibriVox audiobook. This episode covers the second half of the book's first stave, which involves the haunting of Marley's ghost. Each month, a new episode of A Christmas Carol Deep Dive will drop, until we have gotten through the whole book. Find out about the historical context, cultural references, inspiration for adaptations, and much more.

Sources and additional links:⁠

LibriVox Audiobook⁠:

https://librivox.org/a-christmas-carol-by-charles-dickens-4/

The Sketch Book of Geof...

Join Collin as he breaks down Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, with the help of a LibriVox audiobook. Each month, a new episode of A Christmas Carol Deep Dive will drop, until we have gotten through the whole book. Find out about the historical context, cultural references, inspiration for adaptations, and much more. This episode covers the first half of the book's first stave, from the beginning of the story up through Bob Cratchit leaving the counting house.

Sources and additional links:

LibriVox Audiobook

Ghost Stories in Victorian England

On this episode of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Podcast, Collin looks over the first season of the podcast, answers a few questions from listeners, and talks about what episodes will like throughout the coming year. Thank you for listening!

On this episode, Collin covers three weird adaptations from the 1970s: A Christmas Carol 1977 from the BBC (with Michael Hordern as Scrooge), Rich Little's Christmas Carol (with Rich Little as W.C. Fields as Scrooge), and A Special Sesame Street Christmas with Oscar the Grouch needing a change. All three of these are extremely weird in their own way, and there is a lot to talk about. Guests on these specials include Ethel Merman, Patricia Quinn, Leslie Uggams, and Rich Little many times over.

There is one more TV adaptation to cover from the 1970s, and it deserves its own episode. In An American Christmas Carol, Henry Winkler plays Benedict Slade, an Americanized Ebenezer Scrooge, and he's backed up by a supporting cast including Dorian Harewood, Susan Hogan, R.H. Thomson, and many more. The setting is moved to Concord, New Hampshire during the Great Depression, a perfect choice for this kind of story. Find out why this is one of the most underrated versions of A Christmas Carol.

In this episode of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol Podcast, Collin covers the three animated adaptations from the 1970s. First, it's the Richard Williams Oscar-winning short A Christmas Carol from 1971, with Alastair Sim reprising his role. Second, it's the Rankin/Bass remake of The Stingiest Man in Town, with Walter Matthau as Scrooge. Finally, it's Bugs Bunny's Christmas Carol, with Yosemite Sam as Scrooge. Plus, find out more about why these 1970s versions were obsessed with the Devil.

There have been musical versions of A Christmas Carol before, but today, it's the first theatrical musical version: Scrooge from 1970. Starring Albert Finney as the old and young Scrooge, this bombastic musical definitely leaves an impression. Plus, if you've seen this one, you know that this episode's title is not figurative.