This time we dip back into Hanna-Barbera and a look one of their popular characters getting a Christmas special, but wait there's more! Let's more Hanna-Barbera characters in this special and make it a full 98 minute long special. That's what this special is."Yogi's First Christmas" first aired through syndication on November 22 ,1980, the special later would rerun as four 30 minute episodes during the Christmas weeks on stations during the 1980's. It later would rerun on Cartoon Network (until they gave up) and Boomerang (until they gave up).
Funny enough, Yogi is a bear that can talk, mostly stands upright, wears some sort of clothing and
yet, he still does the bear thing of hibernating in winter. That's kind of funny, but I guess we needed a plot device on why a) Yogi is celebrating his first Christmas b) something to give the movie some stakes.
Daws Butler is the voice Yogi Bear here, to be fair the man was pretty much a main staple of Hanna and Barbera productions he did vocies of Elroy Jetson, Huckelberry Hound, actually wait, that last name comes important here. I said that there were more Hanna and Barbera characters in this special so why not have you two main voice staples : Daws Butler and Don Messick just do most of the voices? Butlter was also the voice of Snagglepuss, Huckelberry Hound, and Auggie Doggie, so why not just have them in the special too. Meanwhile, Messick was thevoice of Boo Boo and the Park Ranger, and they gave him a new character to voice for this movie.
The special was written by Willie Gilbert, an author and playwritght and actually this would be the last thing he wrote, as he died about 2 weeks after this special aired in 1980. Animator, Ray Patterson, directed this special, (he's the guy who animated the segment in the "Fantasia" called "Dance of the Hours" )
It starts with the park ranger Smith, Hucklebery Hound, Snagglepuss, Auggie Doggie, and Doggie Daddy singing a re used Christmas song. I like to mention this here, Hanna and Babera in their Christmas specials so some songs here were used in past specials they did like "A Christmas Story" , A Flinstone Christmas,and Casper's First Christmas. (I'm confused on how Casper's having a first Christmas, but I'm going in to that here)
rrrrrrr/ Copyright Warner
At Jellystone Lodge, because there's a lodge now, the non Ranger Smith characters are celebrating Christmas there, and hoping nothing strange happens there like the year before. (This is important pay attention) There's a man named Herman , the hermit, who is a hermit (smooth writing there) and he doesn't like Christmas (or taxes). There's also hotel manager, Mr. Dingwell and Otto the chef.
Why did you wake us up? /Copyright Warner
There is some news important to the plot, because the lodge might be shutting down; the owner Sophie Throckmorton is considering selling and letting a freeway be built there, instead. This is because of those strange things mentioned earlier from the year before causing people not want to come back. There is good news, Throckmorton is coming for a week and maybe they could impress her. 5 minutes in, we finally see Yogi. He's awoken by loud drumming somehow above his cave. (if there were people there last year, their loud noise should have woken him up before.)
He goes through a tunnel and ends up inside the hotel lodge kitchen. (Because Yogi likes food, get it?) The chef thinks the two bears are waiters because sure, and that's what they do. They get to see their friends. Yogi finds out he woke up just in time for Christmas, and Auggie Doggie drops the title of the movie.
they came dressed casually /Copyright Warner
Ranger Smith wants to have Yogi and Boo Boo go back to their cave because he thinks they'll mess up the chances of the Mrs. Throckmorton being happy and causing the place to close down. There's a chase scene (action!) Meanwhile, Mrs. Throckmorton and her nephew, Snively are coming by. Snively doesn't like Christmas. (Maybe he's mad is parents named him Snively) This Yogi using a snow plow chase action proves useful to the plot because Hermin was going to stop Throckmorton from making it but due to Yogi's dumb luck, he helped them out. She's appreciative of Yogi and Boo Boo and promotes them to bellhops. Most of the movie is Yogi's dumb luck helping him out.
\I maybe rich but I drive my own car/ Copyright Warner
more after the jump
The other part of the special is Yogi and Boo Boo trying to not hibernate. Their friends try to help them no fall asleep to make sure Yogi has his first Christmas. Herman wants to ruin the ice skating competition but again, Yogi's luck helps stop the problem before a crisis and anyone, even Yogi, knows about it.
Snivley convinces Yogi to wear his aunt's skates, so she thinks they were stolen. The contest starts and the competition is not tough. Sophie wants her nephew to lose to ease is big ego somewhat. Since this movie is Yogi's dumb luck moves the plot along, he wins the skating competition. They also cleared up that Yogi not stealing the skates plot.
He's not cold some how?/ Copyright Warner
Up next, there's a skiing competition, once again Sophie doesn't want her nephew to win and her nephew does something to mess with Yogi. This makes Yogi win again because of course. Sophie gets Yogi into a new job of being a ski instructor. Later, we find out that Yogi can do soprano singing voice. Meanwhile, Boo Boo goes to get another character into this movie, Cindy Bear, who is in love with Yogi and would do anything for him. More stuff working for Yogi, but he seems to have fallen a sleep. Meanwhile, there' s a song by Cindy Bear, which was interesting. Uh... Later, she tries to cover everything in mistle toe because she really wants a kiss from him. (calm down)
Ha ha Ha, I'm in danger/ Copyright Warner
If you think that doesn't help the plot , then where have you been? Yogi runs and ends up knocking out a monster played by Herman to scare the lodge go-ers.(This movie should be called "How Yogi's dumb luck worked) Yogi gets promoted to chief of security. I kind of wonder about Snively and Sophie because they have a strange relationship really. Later when Yogi stops one of his schemes, Sophie thanks Yogi for teaching her nephew a lesson and this causes Snively to run away, and he actually does get lost. Ending up meeting Herman.
Back at the hotel, everyone forms a search party to find the boy. Meanwhile, the boy and the hermit get along with their hate over Christmas. In case you couldn't figure it out, Herman was the one they mentioned earlier that did that strange things the year before. Also, Snivley attempted murders Boo Boo and Cindy. l also like how dumb everyone is, not recognizing Snivley in a elf costume, except for the Ranger. Also, Yogi helps recuse, Boo Boo and Cindy. Thanks to Yogi's dumb luck (ding!) He also helps stop Snively and Herman. Sophie decides to welcome Herman to their party but, he says no and Snively gets into trouble.
How may I help you?/Copyright Warner
Sophie promotes Yogi to hotel manager.(Dang he's moved up quick) Sophie not letting Herman get arrested meant they gave us more plot for him and Snively to do something. Yogi and Sophie help with orphan kids to have a nice Christmas and she's not selling the place, but donating it ot the Jellystone foundation. Yogi is the new Christmas director.
Bemore Christmas! /Copyright Warner
Snivley feels sad and cold, and he and Herman are brought in by Yogi, and now after everyone shows them kindness, they are converted to love Christmas. Also we get another song with Cindy being happy the Yogi kissed her and she wants more kisses all through the year. (What?) I think the real Santa shows up too, and Yogi doesn't think it is the real Santa.
Which one s the real one? / Copyright Warner
The writers are like, we can't give Yogi a picnic basket so when Santa gives him he falls back into hibernation, because the writers were mean. Anyway, that's the movie.
Bake him on 350 for 8 hours/ CopyrightWarner
I mentioned this a lot in the writing here, but this special's plot is mostly Yogi lucking out in different ways. It's kind of funny just to see how the accelerate that. Most of the special is just a bunch of stuff that happened, and hoping we just accept that. It's fine. I really do like this movie, mostly you are there for the fun Yogi Bear and the other Hannah and Barbera characters, even the antagonists were more just kind of there more than anything of actual function.
Do check it out if you like Yogi Bear, and need something added to your Christmas viewing.
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