Arthur Rankin, Jr. Movies
The Year Without a Santa Claus
2006
Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin, Jr.'s 1974 animated classic comes to vivid life for a whole new generation of viewers in this live action holiday adventure starring...
Santa, Baby!
2003
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The King and I
G 1999
In this animated adaptation of the popular musical, British widow Anna Leonowens (voiced by Miranda Richardson, with singing by Christiane Noll) and her ten-year-old son...
The Wind in the Willows
1987
Completed in 1985, Rankin/Bass' feature-length cartoon version of Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows had its network debut delayed several times; the film...
Straight to Hell
R 1987
This bizarre comedy spoof on spaghetti westerns was made in a hurry on location in Almeria, Spain. Simms (Joe Strummer), Willy (Dick Rude), and Norwood (Sy Richardson)...
Thundercats: Season 02
1986
Entering its second season as the top-rated animated half-hour series in daily strip syndication, Thundercats supplies its fans with 65 new adventures pitting the super-powered...
Thundercats: Season 01
1985
The daily, half-hour animated adventure series Thundercats was introduced with an extra-length "special" in January of 1985, with the series proper following eleven months...
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus
1985
A puppet-animation feature, noted for artistic values and story line, The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus is based on a children's story by L. Frank Baum. In the Pagan...
Beauty and the Beast
1983
This animated version of DeBeaumont's classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast throws in a dash of Cinderella. The kind, virtuous, generous Beauty lives in a mansion...
Rudolph & Frosty's Christmas in July
1982
Rudolph & Frosty's Christmas in July is an animated feature where Santa Claus must rescue Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman from a cruel wizard who has...
The Last Unicorn
G 1982
Only one of the mythological creatures escapes the evil King Haggard's (voice by Christopher Lee) plan to eliminate all unicorns from the land in Rankin-Bass's (Frosty...
The Flight of Dragons
1982
This animated fantasy film, from the creators of The Last Unicorn, unfolds in an age when magic and science coexist uneasily, and humans still walk the earth alongside...
The Sins of Dorian Gray
1982
Based on the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde, this modern adaptation follows the trials of a woman who trades her soul for eternal youthful beauty. However,...
The First Easter Rabbit
1982
In this magical animated feature, the beloved stuffed bunny of a small child miraculously becomes the first Easter rabbit. ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi...
Leprechaun's Christmas Gold
1981
An enchanted being from the Emerald Isle must rescue his village from an evil monster in this animated adventure from Arthur Rankin and Jules Bass. Dinty Doyle the...
Johnny Appleseed / Paul Bunyan
198z
The legends of Paul Bunyan and Johnny Appleseed are recounted in this pair of animated tales. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi...
The Return of the King
1980
The second of Rankin/Bass' animated TV specials based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, Return of the King plots the quest to defeat the evil wizard Sauron. Frodo,...
Pinocchio's Christmas
1980
Pinnochio struggles to earn enough money to buy his father Gepetto a Christmas present in this animated holiday puppet show. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi...
The Ivory Ape
1980
Set in Bermuda, this TV movie focuses on a hunt for a rare Albino gorilla, recently captured in Africa by ruthless big-game hunter Marc Kazarian (Jack Palance). Dedicated...
The Bushido Blade
R 1980
The Bushido Blade is set in 19th century Japan, at the time of American Commodore Matthew Perry's opening up of the ancient oriental nation. As played by Richard Boone...