Heat Miser
Encyclopedia
Heat Miser is a character from the Rankin/Bass
1974 children's television special The Year Without a Santa Claus
. A vaguely demonic ogre-like being, Heat Miser is a blustery, quick-tempered hothead who is ultimately harmless. As indicated in the lyrics of his song ("whatever I touch, starts to melt in my clutch"), Heat Miser can melt objects with a touch, even, implausibly, objects that should combust rather than melt, such as a shovel's wooden handle. In the same song, he mentions his preference for hot weather ("I never want to know a day that's under 60º - I'd rather have it 80, 90, 100º!"). Appearances suggest that the objects he melts are actually transforming into lava. Unlike Snow Miser, there is no evidence that he can restore objects he melts, as Snow Miser can with objects he turns into snow. He can also project intense heat from his hands or mouth, even forming simple objects of flame that can endure independently for a few seconds. His anger comes from the fact he feels Santa is unfair to him by giving his stepbrother, Snow Miser
free publicity while he gets none, as well as the claim that their stepmother preferred Snow Miser over Heat Miser. Otherwise, he isn't malevolent at all.
He lives inside of a volcano
with his band of imp
-like minions who are all identical, miniature versions of himself. Heat Miser controls the hot weather all over Earth
. His archnemesis is his stepbrother, Snow Miser
, and their stepmother is Mother Nature
.
Heat Miser was voiced by character actor George S. Irving
. Both Heat and Snow Miser sing a memorable ragtime
style song introducing themselves.
In the 2006 NBC live-action remake
, he is played by actor Harvey Fierstein
. In this depiction, he wears a hawaaiian-style shirt, and his underlings are replaced by women in bikinis, rather than his impish duplicates. They operate his over-sized slingshot to launch fireballs and fire volcanoes to feud with Snow Miser.
A 2008 Warner Brothers/Cuppa Coffee Animation sequel to the stop-motion film that premiered on ABC Family
, A Miser Brothers' Christmas
had Heat Miser and Snow Miser set aside their differences to save Christmas when Santa once again is unable to make his run while fighting off their brother, North Wind. George S. Irving reprised his role.
sing the same song commonly known as either the Snow Miser Song or the Heat Miser Song which goes as follows:
I'm Mister Green Christmas,
I'm Mister Sun,
I'm Mister Heat Blister,
I'm Mister Hundred-and-One.
They call me Heat Miser,
What ever I touch,
Starts to melt in my clutch,
I'm too much!
Rankin/Bass
Rankin/Bass Productions, Inc. , also known as Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment, was an American production company, known for its seasonal television specials, particularly its work in stop-motion animation. The pre-1974 library is currently owned by Classic Media,while the post-1974 library is...
1974 children's television special The Year Without a Santa Claus
The Year Without a Santa Claus
The Year Without a Santa Claus is a 1974 Rankin/Bass stop motion animated television special. It usually airs during the Christmas season on United States television. The story is based on Phyllis McGinley's 1956 book of the same name, illustrated by Kurt Werth.-Summary:The show is set in the...
. A vaguely demonic ogre-like being, Heat Miser is a blustery, quick-tempered hothead who is ultimately harmless. As indicated in the lyrics of his song ("whatever I touch, starts to melt in my clutch"), Heat Miser can melt objects with a touch, even, implausibly, objects that should combust rather than melt, such as a shovel's wooden handle. In the same song, he mentions his preference for hot weather ("I never want to know a day that's under 60º - I'd rather have it 80, 90, 100º!"). Appearances suggest that the objects he melts are actually transforming into lava. Unlike Snow Miser, there is no evidence that he can restore objects he melts, as Snow Miser can with objects he turns into snow. He can also project intense heat from his hands or mouth, even forming simple objects of flame that can endure independently for a few seconds. His anger comes from the fact he feels Santa is unfair to him by giving his stepbrother, Snow Miser
Snow Miser
Snow Miser is a character from the Rankin/Bass-produced 1974 stop-motion animated Christmas special The Year Without a Santa Claus. Snow Miser was voiced by actor/comedian Dick Shawn....
free publicity while he gets none, as well as the claim that their stepmother preferred Snow Miser over Heat Miser. Otherwise, he isn't malevolent at all.
He lives inside of a volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
with his band of imp
Imp
An imp is a mythological being similar to a fairy or demon, frequently described in folklore and superstition. The word may perhaps derive from the term ympe, used to denote a young grafted tree.-Folklore:...
-like minions who are all identical, miniature versions of himself. Heat Miser controls the hot weather all over Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
. His archnemesis is his stepbrother, Snow Miser
Snow Miser
Snow Miser is a character from the Rankin/Bass-produced 1974 stop-motion animated Christmas special The Year Without a Santa Claus. Snow Miser was voiced by actor/comedian Dick Shawn....
, and their stepmother is Mother Nature
Mother Nature
Mother Nature is a common personification of nature that focuses on the life-giving and nurturing aspects of nature by embodying it in the form of the mother. Images of women representing mother earth, and mother nature, are timeless...
.
Heat Miser was voiced by character actor George S. Irving
George S. Irving
George S. Irving is an American actor, known primarily for his character roles on Broadway. Born George Irving Shelasky in Springfield, Massachusetts, he made his debut in the original 1943 production of Oklahoma!, only to be drafted days later to serve in World War II...
. Both Heat and Snow Miser sing a memorable ragtime
Ragtime
Ragtime is an original musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918. Its main characteristic trait is its syncopated, or "ragged," rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of American cities such as St. Louis and New Orleans years before being published...
style song introducing themselves.
In the 2006 NBC live-action remake
The Year Without a Santa Claus (2006 film)
The Year Without a Santa Claus is a 90-minute 2006 live-action remake of the Rankin-Bass classic The Year Without a Santa Claus which premiered on NBC December 11, 2006...
, he is played by actor Harvey Fierstein
Harvey Fierstein
Harvey Forbes Fierstein is a U.S. actor and playwright, noted for the early distinction of winning Tony Awards for both writing and originating the lead role in his long-running play Torch Song Trilogy, about a gay drag-performer and his quest for true love and family, as well as writing the...
. In this depiction, he wears a hawaaiian-style shirt, and his underlings are replaced by women in bikinis, rather than his impish duplicates. They operate his over-sized slingshot to launch fireballs and fire volcanoes to feud with Snow Miser.
A 2008 Warner Brothers/Cuppa Coffee Animation sequel to the stop-motion film that premiered on ABC Family
ABC Family
ABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...
, A Miser Brothers' Christmas
A Miser Brothers' Christmas
A Miser Brothers' Christmas is a stop motion spin-off special based on the characters from 1974 Rankin-Bass special The Year Without a Santa Claus. Produced by Warner Bros...
had Heat Miser and Snow Miser set aside their differences to save Christmas when Santa once again is unable to make his run while fighting off their brother, North Wind. George S. Irving reprised his role.
Song
Both the Heat Miser and the Snow MiserSnow Miser
Snow Miser is a character from the Rankin/Bass-produced 1974 stop-motion animated Christmas special The Year Without a Santa Claus. Snow Miser was voiced by actor/comedian Dick Shawn....
sing the same song commonly known as either the Snow Miser Song or the Heat Miser Song which goes as follows:
I'm Mister Green Christmas,
I'm Mister Sun,
I'm Mister Heat Blister,
I'm Mister Hundred-and-One.
They call me Heat Miser,
What ever I touch,
Starts to melt in my clutch,
I'm too much!
In popular culture
- In the Christmas special of That '70s ShowThat '70s ShowThat '70s Show is an American television period sitcom that centers on the lives of a group of teenage friends living in the fictional suburban town of Point Place, Wisconsin, from May 17, 1976, to December 31, 1979...
, a character remarks "Man, Heat Miser is badass" while watching The Year Without a Santa Claus. - The indie rock band The LocalsThe LocalsThe Locals is a low budget 2003 New Zealand made horror film directed by Greg Page and starring Kate Elliott. The film took in a modest sum at the box-office following negative reviews....
did a cover of the song in 2009 which is available on iTunes. - The band HeatmiserHeatmiserThe Music of Heatmiser is a six-song demo cassette, recorded on April 29 and 30, 1992, at Sound Impressions in Milwaukie, Oregon. It was made available only at shows or by mail order....
was named for the character. - Swamp ZombiesSwamp ZombiesSwamp Zombies was an indie rock band formed during the 1980s in California . One of Doctor Dream Records most popular bands, the Swamp Zombies released five albums for the label. The core of their sound blended folk music and punk music with heavy doses of calypso and other influences thrown into...
did a cover of the song on the Doctor Dream White Christmas Album (1991) - The BadleesThe BadleesThe Badlees are a Roots rock band from central Pennsylvania formed in 1990. They released several independent albums and achieved national success with their 1995 album River Songs...
recorded a cover version of the song that appears as a bonus track on their live compilation album 50:45 Live (2000). - Big Bad Voodoo DaddyBig Bad Voodoo DaddyBig Bad Voodoo Daddy is a contemporary swing revival band from southern California. Their notable singles include "Go Daddy-O", "You & Me & the Bottle Makes 3 Tonight ", and "Mr. Pinstripe Suit". The band played the Super Bowl XXXIII half-time show in 1999.The band was originally formed in Ventura,...
has done a cover of the song from the TV special, which can be found on their CD Everything You Want For Christmas. - The Power Pop band Barely Pink, covered the Heat Miser song for their Christmas EP "A Barely Pink Christmas".
- The skaSkaSka |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
band Atlas The Atom Smasher, based in northern Massachusetts, performs an elaborate set of songs known as the Snowmiser Suite; Part II of this Suite is named "Heatmiser", and Part III is named after the duo's mother, "Mother Nature" - Heat Miser is also a song by Massive AttackMassive AttackMassive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
, appearing on their 1995 album "Protection" - Ice Cube mentions Heat Miser in his song "Look Who's Burnin'" on the 1991 album Death CertificateDeath Certificate (album)Death Certificate is the second studio album by American rapper Ice Cube, released October 29, 1991 on Priority Records. Highly anticipated with over one million advanced orders, the album was certified platinum in sales on December 20, 1991...
: "She thought she was wiser/Now she's sitting in the waiting room, burning like Heat Miser" - In the Christmas special of My Life As A Teenage RobotMy Life as a Teenage RobotMy Life as a Teenage Robot is an American animated television series, created by Rob Renzetti for Nickelodeon. The series follows the adventures of XJ-9, better known as Jenny Wakeman, a female robot designed to protect Earth, who is excessively addicted to teen-related activities, which are almost...
A Robot For All Seasons, protagonist Jenny is brainwashed into attacking Santa. During their fight he asks if Heat Miser put her up to it. - The Christian Rock band Thousand Foot Krutch did a cover for the Heat Miser's song for Tooth & Nail's Happy Christmas Vol. 5 Album (Brother band FM Static covered Snow Miser's song).
- The King of Town, a character from the animated web cartoon Homestar RunnerHomestar RunnerHomestar Runner is a Flash animated Internet cartoon. It mixes surreal humor with references to retro pop culture, notably video games, classic television, and popular music.The cartoons are nominally centered on the title character, Homestar Runner...
, dressed up as the Heat Miser as part of their 2010 Decemberween celebrations. - The Seattle pop band, Lushy cover the Heat Miser's theme song on their 2007 album, Snowflake Surprise.