The Christmas Raccoons
Encyclopedia
The Christmas Raccoons is the first of four television specials
before the main animated television series succedding it, The Raccoons
, took place. It was first broadcast on December 17, 1980.
, Schaeffer. It's the day before Christmas Eve, and Ranger Dan receives a call that all the trees in the forest are disappearing. Tommy and Julie are concerned, but Dan tells them that he'll get to the bottom of this. That night, Tommy, Julie, and Schaeffer go to sleep and start to dream of playing in the snow. Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, a trio of raccoons
(married couple Ralph and Melissa and their friend Bert) prepare their home, The Raccoondiminium, for Christmas. Suddenly, Ralph reads in the paper that all the trees in the forest are disappearing, and he and Melissa worry that their home is next. Not too far away from the Raccoondiminium, local aardvark millionaire Cyril Sneer is revealed to be the tree thief. His plan is to cut down every tree in the forest and make a profit out of the lumber. His college-educated son Cedric tries to talk him out of his crazed plans to destroy the whole forest, reasoning that they already have enough trees. Cyril ignores Cedric and chops down a whole line of trees, including the Raccoondiminium. However, Cyril loses the Raccoons' tree and Tommy, Julie, and Schaeffer find it and take it home.
Left without a home, the Raccoons try to find who's behind the destruction of the forest. Ralph sees the kids and Schaeffer dragging it to the cabin and deduces that they are the ones responsible for stealing all the trees and they follow the kids to get their home back. Tommy and Julie go to town to collect presents for their dad, leaving Schaeffer alone in the cabin. The Raccoons make their way inside where they find the Raccoondominium decorated with ornaments, tinsel, and lights. As Melissa tries to get their Christmas stockings back, Schaeffer wakes up from his nap and chases the Raccoons through the forest. The chase leads the four animals to Cyril's lumber headquarters, where Schaeffer finds out the truth about his family's Christmas tree, as do the Raccoons about his innocence. The animals then team up to plan to catch the real tree thief. As Cyril and Cedric head out to cut down the rest of the trees in the forest, the Raccoons and Schaeffer catch the two Sneers. After some convincing that there's a profit in planting trees, Cyril eventually promises to replant all of the trees. Schaeffer hears the kids calling for him in the distance and he and the Raccoons leave in triumph.
The animals are pleased that they have saved the forest, but the Raccoons are upset that they are left without a home. The four walk back to the cabin, wish each other a Merry Christmas, and Schaeffer returns to the cabin, where Julie and Tommy wait for him. Just then, Julie and Tommy see the homeless Raccoons in the cold and realize that their Christmas tree must be the Raccoons' home. Julie phones their father to ask him to find a new home for them. Dan agrees and the group celebrate. The next day, the kids rush to open their presents, but are surprised that it's only Christmas Eve and they must have dreamt the events of the previous 'day'. However, Dan tells the kids that the trees have miraculously stopped being cut down. He reads a newspaper article to them which says that thousands of seedlings were planted overnight, but the identity of the one responsible is unknown. Suddenly, Schaeffer alerts the kids to the window again and they can see the Raccoons and a new re-planted tree not far from the cabin. The Raccoons wave goodbye to the kids and Schaeffer and climb into the tree to settle into a new home.
Television special
A television special is a television program which interrupts or temporarily replaces programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Sometimes, however, the term is given to a telecast of a theatrical film, such as The Wizard of Oz or The Ten Commandments, which is not part of a regular...
before the main animated television series succedding it, The Raccoons
The Raccoons
The Raccoons is a Canadian animated television series which was originally broadcast from 1985 to 1991 with four preceding television specials beginning in 1980. The series was created by Kevin Gillis, and produced at Atkinson Film-Arts first-hand from 1984 to 1985, then at Hinton Animation Studios...
, took place. It was first broadcast on December 17, 1980.
Plot
The story takes place in the Evergreen Forest, home of the forest ranger Dan, his children Tommy and Julie, and their pet sheepdogOld English Sheepdog
The Old English Sheepdog is a large breed of dog which was developed in England from early herding types of dog. The Old English Sheepdog has very long fur covering the face and eyes...
, Schaeffer. It's the day before Christmas Eve, and Ranger Dan receives a call that all the trees in the forest are disappearing. Tommy and Julie are concerned, but Dan tells them that he'll get to the bottom of this. That night, Tommy, Julie, and Schaeffer go to sleep and start to dream of playing in the snow. Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, a trio of raccoons
Raccoon
Procyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are...
(married couple Ralph and Melissa and their friend Bert) prepare their home, The Raccoondiminium, for Christmas. Suddenly, Ralph reads in the paper that all the trees in the forest are disappearing, and he and Melissa worry that their home is next. Not too far away from the Raccoondiminium, local aardvark millionaire Cyril Sneer is revealed to be the tree thief. His plan is to cut down every tree in the forest and make a profit out of the lumber. His college-educated son Cedric tries to talk him out of his crazed plans to destroy the whole forest, reasoning that they already have enough trees. Cyril ignores Cedric and chops down a whole line of trees, including the Raccoondiminium. However, Cyril loses the Raccoons' tree and Tommy, Julie, and Schaeffer find it and take it home.
Left without a home, the Raccoons try to find who's behind the destruction of the forest. Ralph sees the kids and Schaeffer dragging it to the cabin and deduces that they are the ones responsible for stealing all the trees and they follow the kids to get their home back. Tommy and Julie go to town to collect presents for their dad, leaving Schaeffer alone in the cabin. The Raccoons make their way inside where they find the Raccoondominium decorated with ornaments, tinsel, and lights. As Melissa tries to get their Christmas stockings back, Schaeffer wakes up from his nap and chases the Raccoons through the forest. The chase leads the four animals to Cyril's lumber headquarters, where Schaeffer finds out the truth about his family's Christmas tree, as do the Raccoons about his innocence. The animals then team up to plan to catch the real tree thief. As Cyril and Cedric head out to cut down the rest of the trees in the forest, the Raccoons and Schaeffer catch the two Sneers. After some convincing that there's a profit in planting trees, Cyril eventually promises to replant all of the trees. Schaeffer hears the kids calling for him in the distance and he and the Raccoons leave in triumph.
The animals are pleased that they have saved the forest, but the Raccoons are upset that they are left without a home. The four walk back to the cabin, wish each other a Merry Christmas, and Schaeffer returns to the cabin, where Julie and Tommy wait for him. Just then, Julie and Tommy see the homeless Raccoons in the cold and realize that their Christmas tree must be the Raccoons' home. Julie phones their father to ask him to find a new home for them. Dan agrees and the group celebrate. The next day, the kids rush to open their presents, but are surprised that it's only Christmas Eve and they must have dreamt the events of the previous 'day'. However, Dan tells the kids that the trees have miraculously stopped being cut down. He reads a newspaper article to them which says that thousands of seedlings were planted overnight, but the identity of the one responsible is unknown. Suddenly, Schaeffer alerts the kids to the window again and they can see the Raccoons and a new re-planted tree not far from the cabin. The Raccoons wave goodbye to the kids and Schaeffer and climb into the tree to settle into a new home.
Cast
- Len CarlsonLen CarlsonLen Carlson was a Canadian voice actor on many animated television series from the 1960s onward, an occasional live-action TV actor, and a Kraft Canada TV pitchman during the 1970s and 1980s...
- Bert Raccoon - Michael MageeMichael MageeMichael Magee was a Canadian actor and author. He was known for voicing the antagonist Cyril Sneer and his pet dog Snag in the Canadian animated series The Raccoons....
- Cyril Sneer - Carl BanasCarl BanasCarl Banas is a Toronto born radio personality and actor. As a TV actor he appeared in the series Wojeck as police detective Byron James, and provided voices for numerous TV series and features. He was also known as a radio personality on Toronto radio station CKFM-FM, later and more famouly known...
- Schaeffer - Rita CoolidgeRita CoolidgeRita Coolidge is a multiple Grammy Award-winning American vocalist. During the 1970s and 1980s, she charted hits on Billboard's Pop, Country, Adult Contemporary and Jazz charts.-Career:...
- Melissa Raccoon - Bob DermerBob DermerBob Dermer is a children's entertainment actor who first made his contributions to Canadian television starting with the 1976 series Readalong....
- Ralph Raccoon - Fred Little - Cedric Sneer
- Rupert HolmesRupert HolmesRupert Holmes is an American-British composer, singer-songwriter, musician and author of plays, novels and stories. He is best known for his number one pop hit "Escape " and the song "Him", which reached the number 6 position on the Hot 100 U.S. pop chart in 1980...
- Dan the Forest Ranger - Tammy Bourne - Julie
- Hadley KayHadley KayHadley Kay is a Canadian-born voice actor who appeared in the first two Care Bears movies: as the voice of magician Nicholas in The Care Bears Movie and as the villain Dark Heart in Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation. He also voiced P.C...
- Tommy - Rich LittleRich LittleRichard Caruthers "Rich" Little is a Canadian-American impressionist and voice actor. He has long been known throughout the world as a top impersonator of famous people, resulting in his nickname, "The Man of a Thousand Voices"....
- Narrator
Songs And Performers
- Rita CoolidgeRita CoolidgeRita Coolidge is a multiple Grammy Award-winning American vocalist. During the 1970s and 1980s, she charted hits on Billboard's Pop, Country, Adult Contemporary and Jazz charts.-Career:...
- "Lost Angels", "Lake Freeze" - Rupert HolmesRupert HolmesRupert Holmes is an American-British composer, singer-songwriter, musician and author of plays, novels and stories. He is best known for his number one pop hit "Escape " and the song "Him", which reached the number 6 position on the Hot 100 U.S. pop chart in 1980...
- "Shake The Sun", "Perfect Tree"
External links
- The Christmas Raccoons on Christmas Specials Wiki
- The Christmas Raccoons on Raccoon wiki