The Thanksgiving That Almost Wasn't

This is one of my favorite Thanksgiving TV specials, and also one of my favorite TV specials from animation team Hanna-Barbera. At first I had never seen it before, but I did and I love it. And the next time it came on TV, I taped it, and thank goodness because after that I didn't show anymore. Well anyway, this special is about a father squirrel (voiced by Hanna-Barbera regular Vic Perrin) telling his son (voiced by the wonderful June Foray) about their ancestor Jeremy Squirrel (voiced by Hal Smith, who voiced Owl in Disney's "Winnie the Pooh" featurettes) who made friends with a Pilgrim boy named Johnny Cooke and Little Bear, the son of Indian chief Massasoit. Jeremy helps the boys, who got lost in the woods on the eve of the first Thanksgiving, find their way back to the settlement before the Thanksgiving feast could begin.

So anyway, this special is another favorite holiday TV special, and I love Jeremy Squirrel.

Watched for the first time in 2020, a period of re-considering and re-imaging Thanksgiving, even more than usual. This short is interesting as it is the only TV special to directly engage with the standard foundational myth of the pilgrim's first Thanksgiving in 1921. Instead of focusing on the meal itself, the plot is centered on two young boys, an English settler and a Native American, who have a rivalry based on developing hunting skills. They (and their communities) bond when they both get lost in the woods and are in danger of being killed by the natural environment (rapids) and wild animals (wolves).

In this special, made by Hanna-Barbera, a squirrel father, whose family is about to have Thanksgiving dinner, tells his son the story of his great, great grandfather, Jeremy Squirrel, who lived back when the pilgrims and Indians are about to have the first Thanksgiving, which is in danger of not happening when two boys, Johnny Cook, a pilgrim, and Little Bear, an indian, get lost in the forest.

This is an interesting special, as it's a fictional re-telling of the first Thanksgiving. It has the great charm Hanna-Barbera is known to put in its cartoons, and the story and voice acting are good.

I watched it with my daughter, and it is great for kids. It's informative and interesting.

On Thursday,November 25, 1972,Hanna-Barbera debuted the half-hour holiday special "The Thanksgiving That Almost Wasn't",that was originally shown in national syndication through Hanna-Barbera Productions in association with Avco Broadcasting Corporation(which was a subsidiary of Avco-Embassy Pictures Corporation). Produced and Directed by the animated team of William Hanna and Joesph Barbera along with the story idea that was written by the team of Ken Spears and Joe Ruby(who were actually the main writers for a lot of Hanna-Barbera produced cartoons including "The Flintstones","Scooby Doo,Where Are You?",and "Josie and the Pussycats" to name a few). This was a holiday special that reminded everyone that there is always a reason to give thanks at this joyous and precious time of the year. And Hanna-Barbera delivers this beautifully.

Featuring a cast of Hanna-Barbera's best vocal talent which includes the wonderful June Foray(of "Looney Tunes","Merrie Melodies" and "Bullwinkle and Rocky"),the brilliant and innovated Don Messick ("Yogi Bear","The Flintstones","The Jetsons","Jonny Quest","Scooby Doo", and other classic Hanna-Barbera characters),along with Vic Perrin(another great regular of the Hanna-Barbera stockplayers),and Hal Smith (who was the voice of the Owl in the Disney theatrical Winnie the Pooh featurettes,but also was the voice-over for a lot of animated cartoons and was also if you didn't know....Otis Campbell on The Andy Griffith Show),Bobby Riha and another Hanna-Barbera stockplayer John Stephenson along with musical supervision and lyrics by the great Hoyt Curtin.

The story,set in 1621 at the time of the pilgrims landed on the new world,"The Thanksgiving That Almost Wasn't" is a great story about the joys of friendship that was also full of great excitement and adventure. The story is about Father Squirrel(Vic Perrin),telling his son(voiced by June Foray)about their ancestor Jeremy Squirrel(voiced by Hal Smith)who made friends with a young pilgrim boy named Johnny Cooke,and Little Bear,an Indian boy who was the son of the Indian chief Massasoit. Jeremy helps the boys,who get lost in the woods on the eve of Thanksgiving and are discovered to be missing. The first Thanksgiving feast cannot start without them,and when their friend Jeremy Squirrel hears they are in great danger and peril,he goes on a daring rescue mission to save them. He braves waterfalls and snarling vicious timberwolves to save his friends and succeeds in saving them and Thanksgiving itself. At the end of the story,the little hero is then invited to be the guest of honor at this very special feast as Johnny and Little Bear thank Jeremy for saving their lives.

Since 1972,this holiday special has been shown one or twice annually until the mid-to-late 1980's where it disappeared forever. In 1999,Cartoon Network's sister station Boomerrang re-aired this classic on an annually basis and it is shown twice every Thanksgiving. A must see classic for a whole family from the studios of Hanna-Barbera.