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IMDbPro

Christmas Is

  • TV Movie
  • 1970
  • 30m
IMDb RATING
5.1/10
136
YOUR RATING
Christmas Is (1970)
AnimationFamily

Benji is upset that he is playing the second shepherd in his school Christmas play for the second year in a row. But when Benji falls asleep while practicing his lines, his dream carries him... Read allBenji is upset that he is playing the second shepherd in his school Christmas play for the second year in a row. But when Benji falls asleep while practicing his lines, his dream carries him and his dog Waldo to Bethlehem 2,000 years ago!Benji is upset that he is playing the second shepherd in his school Christmas play for the second year in a row. But when Benji falls asleep while practicing his lines, his dream carries him and his dog Waldo to Bethlehem 2,000 years ago!

  • Writer
    • Don Hall
  • Stars
    • Hans Conried
    • Don Messick
    • Richard Sacino
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.1/10
    136
    YOUR RATING
    • Writer
      • Don Hall
    • Stars
      • Hans Conried
      • Don Messick
      • Richard Sacino
    • 9User reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos3

    View Poster
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    Top cast11

    Edit
    Hans Conried
    Hans Conried
    • Innkeeper
    • (voice)
    Don Messick
    • Waldo
    • (voice)
    • …
    Richard Sacino
    • Benji
    • (voice)
    Vic Perrin
    Vic Perrin
    • Additional Voices
    • (voice)
    • (as Victor Perrin)
    Charles Perrin
    • Additional Voices
    • (voice)
    Jerry Hausner
    Jerry Hausner
    • Additional Voices
    • (voice)
    David Joyce
    • Additional Voices
    • (voice)
    Colleen Collins
    • Mary
    • (voice)
    • (as Coleen Collins)
    Iona Morris
    Iona Morris
    • Additional Voices
    • (voice)
    June Foray
    June Foray
    • Additional Voices
    • (voice)
    Elayne Robbins
    • Additional Voices
    • (voice)
    • Writer
      • Don Hall
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews9

    5.1136
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    Featured reviews

    9Emmjewels

    WONDERFUL memories of a Classic movie!

    I LOVE this movie and miss viewing it every Christmas, the Easter Is version is very well put together too. Just the kind of shows needed for kids today, without the violence so prevalent now.
    1Christmas-Reviewer

    This is the worse special ever made

    Review Date 1/16/2018

    PLEASE BEWARE OF SOME REVIEWERS THAT ONLY HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW. WHEN ITS A POSITIVE THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE PRODUCTION. NOW I HAVE NO AGENDA! I REVIEW MOVIES & SPECIALS AS A WAY TO KEEP TRACK OF WHAT I HAVE SEEN! I HAVE DISCOVERED MANY GEMS IN MY QUEST TO SEE AS MANY " C H R I S T M A S " MOVIES AS I CAN.

    Now Someone keeps reporting my reviews. I guess they are jealous because I do tell the truth. I want to point out that I never make snide remarks about actors weight or real life sexual orientation. If there acting is terrible or limited "I talk about that". If a story is bad "I will mention that" So why am I being "picked on"? IMDB? When one of my reviews gets deleted IMDB will not even tell me what someone found offensive. Well on to this review.

    This program is terrible. The songs are poorly written and the story is on the level that even a 3 year old would find "STUPID AND BORING".

    If the story wasn't bad enough the songs are worse. This is one of those cartoons that SNL loves to make fun of.

    If you hate a child make them watch this
    6gazzo-2

    I remember this.

    They showed it all the time back in the 70s, this and its counterpart 'Easter Is'. It was produced/backed by a Lutheran Church in St Louis Missouri. while the animation was limited and it was kinda treacly, the show's heart was in the right place. I well remember the kid winding up back in time as the 'second Shephard' during the Nativity. And how it made the Romans look like the baddies.

    They also did a good job of showing the Christmas star, a silent night, small town of Bethleham, etc. It's reverent but done w/ some class.

    Basically it's like a sawed off Peanuts special w/out the shine and panache, but it has its moments. Check it out if you are in the mood and you ever get a chance.
    10kurt7825

    I watch it every year

    This is a really good Christmas special.

    Waldo is a good little dog My sister's cat Chloe is sick but I hope she makes it to another Christmas.
    8kwebster-11879

    A nice Christmas Special from the early 70s

    I think "Christmas-Reviewer" misses the point. Benji and Waldo specials were all pretty simple animation. However, as a medium for delivering a message, they were all fairly good and impactful.. Christmas-Reviewer said "This is the worse (sic) special ever made". I'm assuming he meant "worst". He must not see many Christmas specials..or must restrict his (or her) viewing to secular Christmas specials (Rudolph, Grinch, etc). The Benji and Waldo series were all produced by Lutheran Television, and as such, they endeavor to present the actual reasons we celebrate Christmas and Easter. And that alone will keep people wanting to view these year after year. I saw it as a child, and have all the Benji and Waldo shows on DVD today. Why? because I still enjoy them.

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    Related interests

    Daveigh Chase, Rumi Hiiragi, and Mari Natsuki in Spirited Away (2001)
    Animation
    Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
    Family

    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Alternate versions
      Concordia Films issued a 16mm print of this special for school and church showings. It runs 17 minutes and removes all the references/scenes of Benji's Christmas play at school.

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • December 24, 1970 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Production companies
      • Concordia Publishing House
      • Lutheran Television
      • EMC Corporation
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 30m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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