Jule Styne and Bob Merrill's 'Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol' Gets Memorialized in New Book

A revealing new book by Darrell Van Citters, Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol: The Making of the First Animated Christmas Special, recently published by Oxberry Press, has reinvigorated the beloved, if not oft forgotten Christmas classic: Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol, composed by Broadway's Jule Styne and Bob Merrill (Funny Girl).  While once the reigning champion of holiday broadcasts, and the first animated Christmas special to be produced specifically for television in the 1960s, Mr. Magoo has since taken a back seat to such flashier programs as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas over the years.

The story is the familiar Dickens tale with Mr. Magoo (voiced by Jim Backus) cast as Scrooge, and Gerald McBoing-Boing (in a rare speaking role) as Tiny Tim. The cartoon is written as a Broadway theatre play, divided into acts with an actual stage curtain. In the often-cut opening and closing, the near-sighted Mr. Magoo arrives at the theatre, takes his bows with the other actors, and accidentally demolishes the stage scenery at the end. The 19th century English characters Ebeneezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, etc., are thus not seen directly, but instead are portrayed by fictional American actors playing their parts. 

Citters insightful new expose of the project, reveals that Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol was produced by the UPA animation studio in its declining days. Commissioned and sponsored by Timex, it first aired on NBC on December 18, 1962. Although the special led to the Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo television series, the studio ultimately found it could not adapt to the rigors of mass-producing cartoons for television.

He also discloses that in fact, Magoo producer Lee Orgel tried desperately to recruit music legend Richard Rogers to compose the score, before settling on Syne and Merrill.  Citter's writes:

"Orgel sent Rodgers a first edition of "A Christmas Carol" with a note telling (Richard) that he would like to talk with him about this project. As Orgel explained his idea, Rodgers became intrigued by both the concept and the prospect of working in animation. (Richard) asked for some time to mull things over while he pondered his choice of lyricist. Some time passed, and after a frank appraisal of his professional obligations, Rodgers declined. In a note dated October 17, 1961, (Rodgers) told Orgel that, "I may be rejecting the best opportunity I've had in many years, but I'm afraid that I haven't enough hours left in which to do a score for Mr. Magoo and the ‘Christmas Carol.' "(Rodgers) did, however, offer to (help Orgel) find someone else to the project as he felt that others would "jump at it."'

To read a review of Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol: The Making of the First Animated Christmas Special by Jim Hill in Jim Hill Media, click here.

Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol first aired on U.S. television on December 18, 1962, produced by United Productions of America.  It later became the first episode of a TV series entitled The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo, in which the Mr. Magoo character became an actor in dramatizations of various well-known stories.

Jule Styne is a composer and producer who has been involved with dozens of Broadway shows including: Gypsy, Bells are Ringing, Fosse, Peter Pan, Gentleman Prefer Blondes and Funny Girl, on which he collaborated with Bob Merrill.  Merrill is the lyricist behind such classics as Carnival, Take Me Along, and New Girl in Town, in addition to many others.