Star profile: Santa Claus
It is maybe the most likable old man that exists on earth. It has beard, he is a little fat, he is always dressed in a red suit, comes from North Pole into a sledge drove by reindeers, with Rudolph ahead, and maybe the most important thing he comes with presents. Yes, we talk about Santa Claus, the character that became the Christmas symbol and bought every year the smile on children and adults face.
It was just a matter of time until such an iconic figure to step up in front of filming cameras and appear in everyone’s home.
How many of you know which was one of the Santa Claus first apparition in a movie? Well this apparition comes from more than 100 years, in 1987, a short film called Santa Claus Filling Stockings. Two years later, in 1899, George Albert Smith directed a new movie – Santa Claus, in which Santa enters through house’s chimney and put presents under the Christmas tree, and when he finishes sharing presents, he disappears in a blink of an eye through the fireplace.
Everything started from classic scenarios, without complex actions, in which Santa does his duty and brings toy for the children, then he disappears through house’s fireplace and lets people wait for him next year. With time Santa’s mission became more and more complicated, in some movies he was presented as a hero, while in other movies his existence is at doubt. Neither the approach of a “bad” Santa wasn’t left outside, after Jeff Gillen and Billy Bob Thorton played the roles of some Santa’s that instead of amusing, scared the children.
From the many movies that were made, actors either played the role of Santa Claus, or just dressed like one and acted as “the old man with presents”.
A number of 28 actors interpreted Santa Claus, movies that start from premises that Santa exists: Ferdinand Munier in Babes in Toyland and Road to Utopia, Edmund Gwen in Miracle on the 34th Street, John Call in Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, Mickey Rooney in Santa Claus Coming to Town, The Year Without Santa Claus and Miser Brother’s Christmas, Sebastian Cabot in the second version for Miracle on the 34th Street, Art Carney in The Night They Saved Christmas, Jan Rubes in One Magic Christmas, David Huddleston in Santa Claus: The Movie, Douglas Seale in Ernest Saves Christmas, Lloyd Bridges in In the Nick of Time, Leslie Nielsen in All I Want for Christmas and Santa Who?, Edward Ivory (voice) in The Nightmare Before Christmas, Dick O’Neill in season 5 of The Fresh Prince of Bell-Air series, Richard Attenborough in the 3rd version of Miracle on 34th Street, Tim Allen in The Santa Clause, Edward Asneri in The Story of Santa Claus and in Elf, Douglas Campbell in Once Upon a Christmas, Nigel Hawthrone in Call me Claus, Matthew Walker in Twice Upon a Christmas, Tom Hanks in The Polar Express, John Wheeler in Single Santa Seeks Mrs. Claus and the sequel Meet the Santas, James Cosmo in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Steve Guttenberg plays Santa’s son role in Single Santa Seeks Mrs. Claus, George Wendt in Santa Baby, John Goodman in The Year Without a Santa Claus, Paul Giamatti in Fred Claus, Richard Griffiths in A Muppet Christmas: Letters to Santa and Sal Lizard in The Box.
Over 700 movies and TV series bought on the screen Santa Claus, movies that can be split into categories in function of their approach.
Some movies have as principal theme, finding of explanations concerning the origins of this character. Answers like: where does Santa come from? What are elves? How do reindeers fly? Find answer in movies like Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town or The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus.
Another category of movies that try to vanquish any doubt tied to his existence and to prove that Santa Claus is as real as it gets. One of the first movies that square up this theme is A Little Girl Who Did Not Believe in Santa Claus appeared in 1907. But, from big distance the most representative movie is the first version of Miracle on the 34th Street of 1947. The Polar Express directed by Robert Zemeckis offers us an extraordinary visual show, and the magic train that goes to North Pole, where Santa lives eludes any doubt in the mind of a boy that is hard to be convinced.
And for the most of movies Santa Claus is the good and friendly guy, which is always on our side, movies like A Christmas Story, Silent Night, Deadly Night, Santa Claws or Bad Santa bought to screens a few “evil” Santa Claus. Billy Bob Thorton makes an excellent role acting as a fake Santa Clause that plans to rob stores.
Even if not all movies which have Christmas as a theme are successful and not every actor which played Santa made a memorable role, Santa Claus will always remain one of the most beloved characters without his spirit Christmas wouldn’t be resurrected. Interpretations of some actors like Paul Giamatti, Leslie Nielsen, Edmund Gween or Tim Allen bought some Santa’s to remember, so a movie with Santa Claus is a perfect choice for this season.
