Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalHispanic Heritage MonthIMDb Stars to WatchSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Ziggy's Gift

  • TV Short
  • 1982
  • Unrated
  • 24m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
404
YOUR RATING
Ziggy's Gift (1982)
Ziggy gets a job to be a street Santa on Christmas Eve from a crooked boss, but the magic of the season allows the lovable loser to do more good than anyone expects.
Play trailer0:42
1 Video
3 Photos
Hand-Drawn AnimationHoliday AnimationAnimationComedyFamilyShort

Ziggy gets a job to be a street Santa on Christmas Eve from a crooked boss, but the magic of the season allows the lovable loser to do more good than anyone expects.Ziggy gets a job to be a street Santa on Christmas Eve from a crooked boss, but the magic of the season allows the lovable loser to do more good than anyone expects.Ziggy gets a job to be a street Santa on Christmas Eve from a crooked boss, but the magic of the season allows the lovable loser to do more good than anyone expects.

  • Director
    • Richard Williams
  • Writers
    • Tom Wilson
    • Jim Andrews
  • Stars
    • David Arias
    • Perry Botkin Jr.
    • Katrina Fried
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.8/10
    404
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Richard Williams
    • Writers
      • Tom Wilson
      • Jim Andrews
    • Stars
      • David Arias
      • Perry Botkin Jr.
      • Katrina Fried
    • 8User reviews
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Primetime Emmy
      • 1 win total

    Videos1

    Trailer: Ziggy's Gift
    Trailer 0:42
    Trailer: Ziggy's Gift

    Photos2

    View Poster
    View Poster

    Top cast21

    Edit
    David Arias
      Perry Botkin Jr.
        Katrina Fried
          Natasha Tabori Fried
            John Gibbons
            • Announcer
            • (voice)
            Tony Giorgio
            Tony Giorgio
            • Butcher
            • (voice)
            Jack Hanrahan
              Linda Harmon
              Linda Harmon
                Tom McGreevey
                Tom McGreevey
                • Officer O'Conner
                • (voice)
                Anna Ostelson
                  Latoya Prescod
                    Gloria Grace Prosper
                      Andy Raus
                        Terry Stillwell-Harriton
                          Lena Tabori
                            Frank Welker
                            Frank Welker
                            • Ziggy's Dog
                            • (voice)
                            • (as Frank W. Welker)
                            • …
                            Holly Williams
                              Richard Williams
                              Richard Williams
                              • Crooked Santa
                              • (voice)
                              • Director
                                • Richard Williams
                              • Writers
                                • Tom Wilson
                                • Jim Andrews
                              • All cast & crew
                              • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

                              User reviews8

                              7.8404
                              1
                              2
                              3
                              4
                              5
                              6
                              7
                              8
                              9
                              10

                              Featured reviews

                              9northernpine

                              🎄A lost Christmas gem🎄

                              🎄Wonderful Christmas tale...with a delightful Harry Nilsson tune🎄
                              103_Beekman_Place

                              A True Classic!!!

                              This is a classic Christmas cartoon that deserves to be watched every year. Why it's not shown anymore is beyond me, but I bought this on video YEARS ago. It's a typical feel good story, like Charlie Brown or The Grinch... but it's simpler. Ziggy wants to help others during the holiday season. He takes a job ringing a bell, dressed like Santa and collect for the poor. But the man who hired him is running a scam and keeping the money. There's also a thief, who's after Ziggy and his money. And a cop... who's after the phony Santas. But more than the money, the thief wants the kettle, for it seems to have magical powers. The thief reaches in for something for himself and finds the kettle empty. Ziggy uses it to help others. It will make you feel great and want to watch it every year!
                              6Prismark10

                              Ziggy keeps on giving

                              Ziggy is is a silent character who always tries to do the best that he can but always comes across trouble. Ziggy gets a job working as a street Santa for a crooked fly by night who plans to take all the money raised from the fake Santas.

                              Ziggy goes out with his dog and collects money in his donation pot and hands money out to a Salvation Army band, buys Christmas turkeys and sets them free. He also keeps a vagrant warm by giving him his clothes, takes in a cat.

                              However there is also a thief who is after his pot and a cop who is rounding up all the phoney Santas. They all realise the value of giving when they end up in an orphanage.

                              The animation is rather average, some of the voice work is annoying in fact it seemed to be ethnic caricatures but yet there is something heartwarming about the story and I liked Ziggy's dog doing his best to protect his master from the thief.
                              10gwalsh1

                              Holiday Fun and Ziggy Humor

                              Such a nice film. Great for any age. The storyline is typical Ziggy. The guy always wants to do good for people, and he has the same life troubles as the rest of us. The perfect icon of everything that is every person. Ziggy's Gift is the perfect date movie, especially in early courtship with someone. The holiday theme only adds to the heartfelt sentiments that are soooo Ziggy. It's a great film for the whole family to watch too. I can see grandparents and kids as young as 3 or 4 watching this together. Ziggy is great and Mr. Wilson deserves a lot of credit for taking the chance to extend him beyond the print pages. He created a classic flick to be enjoyed every holiday season.
                              10carlosleyequienabarca

                              One of, if not the best christmas special ever

                              This has it all, nostalgia, comedy, kindness, an incredible animation and the bestmessage ever

                              The song, that song is the best, and fits the special perfectly

                              This follows the misshaps of Ziggy and kis dog while attempting to work as a Santa, and there comes the first funny bit, Ziggy's obliviousness to all the evil that is there but cannot corrupt him

                              No matter what happens to him, he keeps his kind spirit and behaviour, and teaches a great lesson to a crook and a police officer, and brings christmas joy to what I assume is an orphanage, making christmas a very merry christmas for a bunch of kids, who, as the caretaker says, are never visited by anyone

                              This is a must see in the christmas season, I could watch it every single day in the season and not tire.

                              Best Emmys Moments

                              Best Emmys Moments
                              Discover nominees and winners, red carpet looks, and more from the Emmys!

                              More like this

                              Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas
                              8.1
                              Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas
                              A Garfield Christmas Special
                              7.9
                              A Garfield Christmas Special
                              A Christmas Carol
                              7.6
                              A Christmas Carol
                              Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure
                              6.7
                              Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure
                              Mickey's Christmas Carol
                              8.0
                              Mickey's Christmas Carol
                              The Thief and the Cobbler
                              7.1
                              The Thief and the Cobbler
                              A Chipmunk Christmas
                              7.1
                              A Chipmunk Christmas
                              Faeries
                              7.2
                              Faeries
                              Jetsons: The Movie
                              5.5
                              Jetsons: The Movie
                              Tiny Toon Adventures
                              7.5
                              Tiny Toon Adventures
                              A Charlie Brown Christmas
                              8.3
                              A Charlie Brown Christmas
                              A Wish for Wings That Work
                              7.6
                              A Wish for Wings That Work

                              Related interests

                              Jodi Benson, Jason Marin, and Samuel E. Wright in The Little Mermaid (1989)
                              Hand-Drawn Animation
                              Boris Karloff in How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
                              Holiday Animation
                              Daveigh Chase, Rumi Hiiragi, and Mari Natsuki in Spirited Away (2001)
                              Animation
                              Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
                              Comedy
                              Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
                              Family
                              Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)
                              Short

                              Storyline

                              Edit

                              Did you know

                              Edit
                              • Trivia
                                The first and only Ziggy special.
                              • Connections
                                Featured in Familiar Faces: Familiar Faces #72: The Next 12 Forgotten Christmas Specials (2013)
                              • Soundtracks
                                Give, Love, Joy
                                Written by Harry Nilsson

                                Performed by Harry Nilsson

                              Top picks

                              Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
                              Sign in

                              Details

                              Edit
                              • Release date
                                • December 1, 1982 (United States)
                              • Countries of origin
                                • United States
                                • United Kingdom
                              • Language
                                • English
                              • Also known as
                                • El regalo de Ziggy
                              • Production companies
                                • Welcome Productions
                                • Universal Press Syndicate (UPI)
                                • British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
                              • See more company credits at IMDbPro

                              Tech specs

                              Edit
                              • Runtime
                                • 24m
                              • Color
                                • Color
                              • Sound mix
                                • Mono
                              • Aspect ratio
                                • 1.33 : 1

                              Contribute to this page

                              Suggest an edit or add missing content
                              • Learn more about contributing
                              Edit page

                              More to explore

                              Recently viewed

                              Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
                              Get the IMDb App
                              Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
                              Follow IMDb on social
                              Get the IMDb App
                              For Android and iOS
                              Get the IMDb App
                              • Help
                              • Site Index
                              • IMDbPro
                              • Box Office Mojo
                              • License IMDb Data
                              • Press Room
                              • Advertising
                              • Jobs
                              • Conditions of Use
                              • Privacy Policy
                              • Your Ads Privacy Choices
                              IMDb, an Amazon company

                              © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.