The Stingiest Man in Town

This is my first time commenting, so here goes! The music of "the Stingiest Man in Town" was just superb and still gets played at our house every Christmas. My father brought home the movie in the 50's because he worked for Alcoa at the time. The setting of the movie was crude but the actors and their voices were just outstanding. I'd love to hear from anyone who's seen this movie and their comments. (just imagine Basil Rathbone as a singing Scrooge!) I would also ask if anyone can find this movie for me. I have checked everywhere to no avail. I checked both Basil Rathbone's and Vic Damone's website. Vic Damone's voice was so good even as a very young man and anyone who doesn't shed a tear over Johnny Desmond's "Birthday Party of the King" has no heart. I will be grateful for any extra help I can get in having this movie for my family at this year's Christmas. Thanks, meemster32

I bought the recording in 1956 and have been playing it every Christmas since. I still get goose bumps when I hear the wonderful duet "It Might Have Been" and the song with the lyric "every man shall be my brother" Unfortunately my copy is getting a bit worn and I would like to secure another copy. If only they could show it again or provide a video of this program, but Alcoa has refused to do so. The music is so festive and cheerful that it makes me feel happy over the holiday season. I would like to correspond with others who appreciate this program. Basil Rathborn was magnificent as well as Patrice Muncel. The Four Lads were also outstanding.

I, too, have been searching for years for a video (now DVD) release of the original Alcoa Hour production of The Stingiest Man in Town, which I wish I had been able to see when it aired in the 1950's. In the late 1990s, I contacted NBC since the production was aired on that network. They told me they had a policy not to release certain productions, including this one. Hopefully they will change their mind about that policy. My parents had the record album, which I listened to as a child. But good news: A few years ago, the soundtrack/vocals (the original album) was released on CD, so I bought it to replace the scratched album (which I still keep, though). Also, here is a tidbit: One of the original Four Lads lives and was recently performing in the Cleveland (OH) area where I live. In the early 2000s, I went to a Four Lads performance with the album and asked him (Bernie Toorish) to autograph it. I also asked him about the Alcoa Hour production of Stingiest Man, and he gave me a few anecdotes about it. He mentioned that it was done live and that was somewhat stressful but fun, and he talked about how they (the Four Lads were the carolers/narrators) stood on the side of the stage, and it was a bit cramped in order to get it all on television at that time (given the cameras they used, etc.). When we talked, he said he wasn't sure whether a tape had been made of the original production. Mr. Toorish still resides in the Greater Cleveland area, as far as I know. He was really great to discuss the Stingiest Man in Town with me.

In my senior year of high school (1974), we produced this musical. Ummm, yours truly played Scrooge. I had the LP of the original cast recording, but I'm too young to have seen the B&W original live action production on TV (I agree with the other posters who state that the animated version was disappointing compared to the live action production.

Please let me know when and how a DVD or download of the original B&W live action production of "The Stingiest Man in Town" becomes available.

Thank you, Steve Marcus semarcus1@yahoo.com

I remember this TV production well. Even in black and white, it was a magical show. The cast was perfect. The songs are all outstanding. The duet with Patrice Munsell and Vic Damone of "It Might Have Been" is really terrific. The whole cast was just right. There have been other musical versions of "Christmas Carol" but this is definitely the best. The story was narrated by the Four Lads as a group of carolers with the excellent song, "Stingest Man In Town".I am lucky to have the cast recording on an LP and also the stage script with the music. Both are real treasures for me. Many of the old TV shows are making their way to DVD now and this is one that definitely should be released on disc. While the cartoon is nice, it just does not hold the magic of the original live broadcast. This is one of my fondest memories of Christmases long ago.