Get In The Christmas Spirit And Learn These 10 Facts About "The Muppet Christmas Carol"

by N/A, 10 years ago | 2 min read

There's countless renditions of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol telling the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his run-ins with the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet To Come. The Muppet Christmas Carol stayed very true to the original work while adding in all the zaniness audiences love from the cast of The Muppets, while it was also one of the first Muppet movies to focus more on the human characters involved in the production–a brilliant performance by Michael Caine as Scrooge lead the way.

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1. It took a lot to pull off a full-bodied Kermit strolling through London singing "'Tis The Season"

In fact, it took 10 puppeteers and a rotating drum of fake snow in front of a blue screen. The puppeteers were swapped out in post for lit-up London homes (of course).

2. Steve Whitmire says that Jim Henson passed the Kermit torch to him in a dream

He explained:

"He stopped, and there was a thoughtful gesture Jim would do where he would take both of his index fingers and put them under his chin, and he did that and thought and he said, 'It will pass.' Which is exactly what Jim would have said. You would have to really know Jim to know this, but that’s exactly what he would have said. Then he turned and he said, 'I’ve really got to run …' and he took off out the door. I woke up and I felt great."

3. Caine and other human co-stars had to really be careful of their footing on set

The set of The Muppet Christmas Carol was built specifically so Muppeteers could move in and out of the scenes, so there were elevated floors for them to walk beneath. Planks and platforms were in place for actors to step on in the "London" streets, but this was still a very tricky maneuver to pull off.

4. Michael Caine's given name, Maurice Micklewhite, is referenced near the end of the film

Scrooge's 19th-century London has a little shop named Micklewhite's near the finale of the film, thanks to the production design team.

5. The shooting star pays homage to Jim Henson during the song "One More Sleep 'Til Christmas"

You can listen to it here, and notice as the song ends and Kermit nods the shooting star passes over as a nod to Henson. The shooting star is now a recurring theme with Kermit seeing one in a number of films since.

6. Jim Henson's son Brian got his directorial debut from this film

Brian Henson began performing as a Muppeteer with 1981's The Great Muppet Caper, but his involvement with the Muppets dates back even further to his childhood with on camera appearances on Sesame Street.

7. This was the first Muppet movie made without the work of Jim Henson

The Muppet Christmas Carol debuted December 11, 1992. Henson had passed away May 16, 1990, at just 53 years of age. This film saw the work of Steve Whitmire as Kermit the Frog.

8. Gonzo was cast as Dickens to stay true to his graceful narration

Screenwriter Jerry Juhl saw Gonzo as the perfect fit for the role of Charles Dickens. Aside from the typical wackiness of the Muppets, The Muppet Christmas Carol is very true to the original work by Dickens, beginning with Gonzo.

9. Despite what viewers may think, Fred Scrooge didn't lose his wife

The actress playing his wife Clara (Robin Weaver) was simply unavailable to shoot on the day of this scene. Letters from fans demanded Henson explain what happened to her, and in a DVD commentary he explains it has nothing to do with the story and is simply a behind the scenes question of availability.

10. "When Love Is Gone" didn't make it into the theatrical release

Belle (Meredith Braun) sings this melancholy melody to a young Ebenezer Scrooge, but test audiences proved it didn't hold the attention of young viewers. The song has been included in several TV airings of The Muppet Christmas Carol however.