A Garfield Christmas
| A Garfield Christmas | |
|---|---|
| Created by | Jim Davis |
| Written by | Jim Davis |
| Directed by | Phil Roman George Singer (co-director) |
| Starring | Lorenzo Music Thom Huge Gregg Berger Julie Payne Pat Harrington Jr. David L. Lander Pat Carroll |
| Theme music composer | Ed Bogas and Desiree Goyette (music and lyrics) Lou Rawls, Thom Huge, Gregg Berger, Desiree Goyette and Lorenzo Music (vocals) |
| Country of origin |  USA |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Phil Roman |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Film Roman United Media Paws, Inc. |
| Release | |
| Original network | CBS |
| Original release | December 21, 1987 |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | Garfield Goes Hollywood |
| Followed by | Happy Birthday, Garfield |
A Garfield Christmas Special is a 1987 American animated television special based on the Garfield comic strip. It once again featured Lorenzo Music as the voice of Garfield. The special was first broadcast December 21, 1987 on CBS and was rebroadcast on CBS every year thereafter until 2000. It was only recently rebroadcast again in 2008 and 2009 on ABC Family. It has been released on both VHS and DVD home video.
TV Guide ranked the special number 10 on its 10 Best Family Holiday Specials list.[1]
Plot
In a brightly decorated house, Garfield is awakened by Jon dressed as an elf, who says it is Christmas and Garfield must be treated to a large amount of lasagna before opening his gift, which consists of a robotic Santa Claus which reads minds and produces whatever Garfield wants, pleasing him until Jon actually wakes up Garfield, who realizes he was dreaming. Jon tells Garfield that it is Christmas Eve and Jon, Garfield, and Odie are going to the countryside to celebrate Christmas with Jon's family on their farm. Garfield wonders why they always go to the farm and wonders why they never come to their place instead. During his drive to the farm, Jon talks about Christmas he had when he was a boy. Making their animated debuts are the sweet and always cooking Mom, hard working farmer Dad, the silly younger brother Doc Boy, and the loving, tough as nails Grandma. Grandma and Garfield quickly grow a special bond. Jon, Garfield, and Odie take a walk, while Grandma spikes Mom's sausage gravy by adding chili powder. Jon and Garfield return for dinner, while Odie works on something secretive and then sneaks back into the house. During dinner, Grandma sneaks some food to Garfield and Odie.
After dinner, they decorate the tree. Jon has Garfield to put the star on, as no one else can reach the top of the tree. Next, Mom asks Doc Boy to play a song on the piano. Grandma shoves Doc Boy aside, as he cannot sing and plays her version of "O Christmas Tree". Mom plays "Christmas In Your Heart", while Grandma tells Garfield about her beloved and deceased husband. Mom asks Dad to read a book called Binky: The Clown Who Saved Christmas. Dad is reluctant, as he is tired of reading it every year, but later reluctantly reads it anyway. While he slept that night, Garfield finds out about Odie's suspicious activity and follows him to the barn and sees him make something out of a piece of wood, some wire, a plunger handle, and a hand rake. While there, Garfield stumbles upon some old letters and soon finds out that it must be fifty years old. Meanwhile, Jon and Doc Boy unexpectedly wake Dad up at around 1:30 a.m. and ask him if it is time to open presents. However, Dad angrily tells them to go to bed in which Jon and Doc Boy ends up arguing with each other that it is technically Christmas morning. The next Christmas morning, just when it seems like all the presents have been opened, Garfield gives Grandma the letters he found in the barn. These letters were love notes written to Grandma by her husband from when they first met with each other and married. Garfield also finds out that Odie has been busy making his ultimate Christmas gift: a homemade back scratcher. This is a rare glimpse at Garfield's other side, as Garfield learns one of the true meanings of Christmas - "It's not the giving, it's not the getting, it's the loving!" - and gladly thanks and embraces Odie for the gift he made. The episode ends with the whole family singing an up-beat country-style song and enjoying "a good old-fashioned Christmas".
Voice cast
- Lorenzo Music as Garfield
- Thom Huge as Jon Arbuckle
- Gregg Berger as Odie
- Julie Payne as Mom
- Pat Harrington Jr. as Dad
- David L. Lander as Doc Boy
- Pat Carroll as Grandma
- Lou Rawls as Garfield's singing voice
Songs
- "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, Gimme" performed by Lou Rawls
- "Can't Wait Till Christmas" performed by Thom Huge and Lorenzo Music
- "O Christmas Tree" performed by Pat Carroll
- "Christmas in Your Heart" performed by ensemble and Desirée Goyette
- "You Can Never Find an Elf When You Need One" performed by Lou Rawls and Desirée Goyette
- "A Good Old-Fashioned Christmas" (ending song) performed by ensemble
This special is available on the DVD Garfield's Holiday Celebrations.
References
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