16 Best Christmas Films and TV Adaptation 1951-1974
These best Christmas films, from 1951 to 1974 are great DVD gifts for the season’s holiday celebration.
Resources, facts and information include the year the film was released, film director, writers, film leading stars and a brief summary.
Christmas Films and Television (TV), Years 1951 to 1974
1. Scrooge (a.k.a. A Christmas Carol), (1951)
Director: Brian Desmond Hurst
Writer: Adapted by Noel Langley based on the classic novel of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol
Film Stars: Alastair Sim, Jack Warner, Kathleen Harrison, Meryvn Johns, Michael Hordern
An old mean victorian miser is given a chance at redeem himself when he is haunted by the ghosts of his business partner, the Past, Present and Future.
2. The Lemon Drop Kid (1951)
Director: Sidney Lanfield
Story writer: Edmund Beloin
Film stars: Bob Hope, Marilyn Maxwell, Jane Darwell, Lloyd Nolan
The Lemon Drop Kid is forced to come up with $10,000 to repay the angry gangster when he accidentally steers Moose Moran’s girl away from a winning bet. Good luck, it’s Christmas, a time of goodwill when people can be persuaded to let go some of their monies for the right cause.
3. The Holly and the Ivy (1952)
Director: George More O’Ferrall
Writers: Wynyard Brown, Anatole de Grunwald
Film stars: Ralph Richardson, Celia Johnson, Denholm Elliott, Margaret Leighton
It is a heartwarming story of an English minister and his family reunited at Christmas. It also includes remembrances of their trials during the Second World War.
4. Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (1954)
Director: Michael Curtiz
Writers: Norman Krasna and Norman Panama
Film stars: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney
A successful team of song-and-dance becomes romantically involved with a sister act. They team up to save the failing Vermont inn of their former commanding general.
5. Babes in Toyland (1961)
Director: Jack Donohue
Writers: Ward Kimball (screenplay), Glen MacDonough (operetta)
Film stars: Ray Bolger, Tommy Sands, Annette Funicello, Tommy Kirk
The Piper’s Son, Tom, is about to marry Mary Quite Contrary but on the eve of their wedding, evil miser Barnaby hires two henchmen to drown Tom and steal Mary’s sheep.
6. Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol (1962), TV Animated
Director: Abe Levitow
Writer: Adapted by Barbara Chain based on the classic novel of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol
Voices by Jim Backus, Morey Amsterdam
A magical, musical version of Dickens’ classic novel, A Christmas Carol
7. Amahl and the Night Visitors (1963), TV
Director: Kirk Browning
Writer and composer: Gian Carlo Menotti
Stars: Richard Cross, Martha King, Willis Patterson, John McCollum
8. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964), TV Animated
Directors: Kizo Nagashima and Larry Roemer
Writers: Robert May and Romeo Muller
Narrated by Burl Ives
Stars: Billie Mae Richrads, Burl Ives, Paul Soles
A misfit reindeer and his friends look for a place that will accept them.
9. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), TV Animated
Director: Bill Melendez
Writer and cartoonist: Charles M. Schulz
Stars: Ann Altieri, Chris Doran, Sally Dryer
Charlie Brown tries to find the true meaning of Christmas as he finds commercialism of the season around him repulsive.
10. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966), TV Animated
Directors: Chuck Jones and Ben Washam
Writers: Dr. Seuss (novelist)
Star: Boris Karloff
Voice of the Grinch, Boris Karloff
A grumpy hermit schemes a plan to steal Christmas from the Who’s Who of Whoville.
11. Frosty the Snowman (1969), TV Animated
Narrated by Jimmy Durante
Directors: Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin, Jr.
Writer: Romeo Muller
Stars: Jackie Vernon, Billy De Wolfe, Jummy Durante
A little girl and a living snowman struggle to elude a greedy magician who is after the magic hat of the snowman.
12. Scrooge (1970)
Director: Ronald Neame
Writer: Adapted by Leslie Bricusse based on the classic novel of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol
Film stars: Albert Finney, Alec Guinness, Edith Evans
The story is adapted form Charles Dickens’ famous classic novel about the miser Scrooge.
13. The Juggler of Notre Dame (1970)
Director and screenplay: Milton H. Lehr
Based on the novel by Anatole France
Film stars: Barry Dennen, Jessica Benton, Christopher Ellis
This is Anatole France’s story translated and adapted to the 1970s. It’s a religious and inspirational miracle story based on medieval legend. It is also amazing considering the fact that Anatole France was an agnostic.
14. The House Without a Christmas Tree (1972), TV
Director: Paul Bogart
Writers: Eleanor and Gail Rock
Stars: Jason Robards, Lisa Lucas, Mildred Natwick
Addie, a young girl, wants nothing more for the holidays than a Christmas tree, but her widowed father who is bitter from events of family’s past, refuses her.
15. A Dream for Christmas (1973), TV
Director: Ralph Senensky
Writer: Earl Hamner Jr.
Stars: Hari Rhodes, Beah Richards, Lynn Hamilton
A Southern minister is assigned to a poor church in California. The congregation has drifted away and the church is scheduled for demolition.
16. The Year without a Santa Claus (1974), TV
Directors: Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin, Jr.
Writers: Phyllis McGinley and William Keenan, Dick Shawn
Stars: Mickey Rooney, Shirley Booth
Mrs. Santa Claus shares the time Santa had a bad cold and decided to take a vacation from Christmas.
These Christmas films and TV adaptations are considered best in Hollywood from 1951-1974. They are timely for the festive season entertainment. DVDs can be rented out at video rental stores or online video rentals.
Resources of Best Christmas Films 1951-1974
The Internet Movie Database (IMDB)
Other Christmas and Holiday Links
11 Greatest Christmas Films (1935-1950)
18 Best Christmas Films and TV Adaptations 1977-1985
14 Best Christmas Films and TV Adaptations 1986-1990
22 Best Christmas Films and TV Adaptations 1991-1999
16 Best Christmas Films and TV Adaptations 2000-2005
Traditional Christmas Cookie Recipes: The History of Cookies and Three Christmas Cookie Recipes
What to Serve for Christmas Dinner: Recipes and Entrees to Serve for Christmas Meals
History of Christmas: Facts, Information, Resources
Christmas Trivia Questions, Lesson Plans, and Recipes
Tel Asiado is a writer, author, and business consultant, previously, IT manager & consultant. Her articles reflect her interests, from small business, biographies & histories, to classical music especially Mozart, art & literature, biographies, and Christian writings. Tel has produced non-fictions, e-books and anthologies. Her education is MBA in Computer Management, BSc Chemistry, Diploma in Small Business & Internet Mktg, and Cert IV Training and Assessment (TAA). Her small office/home site is homebizideasnow.com, and numerous information of Mozart and classical music, mozartandclassicalmusic.com.
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