How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
Chuck Jones, Boris Karloff, and three sizes too small.
The Grinch schemes to steal Christmas from Whoville by taking every present, tree, and roast beast — and learns the holiday means a little bit more. Dr. Seuss supervised, Chuck Jones directed, and Boris Karloff narrates and voices the Grinch. Twenty-six perfect minutes, right down to the Whos singing anyway.
Chuck Jones, the genius behind the great Warner Bros. cartoons, directed Dr. Seuss's book almost panel for panel, and cast Boris Karloff — Frankenstein's monster himself — to narrate and voice the Grinch with velvet menace. The growling theme song was sung by Thurl Ravenscroft, who went uncredited in the original broadcast; Seuss was so embarrassed he wrote letters to columnists nationwide to set the record straight. At 26 minutes it says everything the bigger adaptations strain to add: the Grinch's heart grows because the Whos sing without any presents at all.
From the Film
The Facts
- Year
- 1966
- Director
- Chuck Jones and Ben Washam
- Runtime
- 24 minutes
- Genres
- Animation, Family, Comedy, Classic
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Boris Karloff | The Grinch / Narrator |
| June Foray | Cindy Lou Who |
| Thurl Ravenscroft | Singer of 'You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch' |
| Dallas McKennon |
Good to know: Directed by Chuck Jones, the special features Boris Karloff as both narrator and the voice of the Grinch.
Where to watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
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More from the 1960s — or browse the full A–Z catalog.
