BELL SYSTEM FAMILY THEATRE: THE TINY TREE (TV)
Summary
One in this series of programs presented by the Bell System. This episode is about a wheelchair-bound girl and the forest animals that try to make her Christmas a merry one. The program begins with Squire Badger decorating his house for Christmas. He is visited by two “young’un” bunnies excited about the holidays, wanting to hear a “different” Christmas story. Squire tells a tale from some time ago where, out in the meadow, a tiny tree was growing -- a whispering pine. Nearby, at the vacant farm, it was “Groundhog Day” and the groundhog did not see his shadow, meaning spring was coming early and delighting the animals. The turtle goes to tell Mr. Frog, singing “Tell It to a Turtle.” Ultimately, he finds Mr. Frog asleep. The vegetarian Horace Hawk also hears the news, then shares some onions with his pal, the mole. Spring has soon arrived and the birds are back from wintering in South America. Then, beaver tells a rumor that someone is finally moving into the farmhouse. The family has a little girl that is temporarily disabled from an accident. The “members of the meadow” decide to try and cheer her up and even wheel her to see the tiny tree. The little girl loves the tiny tree, immediately singing “To Love and Be Loved.” As summer arrives, the little girl watches as the meadow animals picnic under the tiny tree at night. The animals sing “The Minuet for Clarinet” in revelry. Eventually, summer is gone and “When Autumn Comes,” the animals sing about the fall. The woodsmen begin removing all the big trees but they leave behind tiny tree, noting that it would only be appropriate as a Christmas tree. In winter, the village gets buried by snow. On Christmas Eve, the little girl’s father is forced to set out in a blizzard to try and get his daughter’s presents and a tree. Meanwhile, the starving hawk goes mad and thinks the mole is a berry, wanting to eat it. The little girl is summoned to stop the hawk from consuming his friend. Then, the little girl falls out of her wheelchair and into the snow. The animals work together to get her back in her chair. That night, the animals gather at the little girl’s window, learning that the girl’s father was unable to reach the village that day and get her any presents or a tree. The animals want to find her a present and finally realize that the little tree loves the girl so much that he wants to be her Christmas tree. The mole digs up the tree and roots, before the animals move him underneath the girl’s window and decorate him. The animals sing “A-Caroling We Go.” The field mouse notices that they still lack a star atop the tiny tree. Then, the Morning Star appears and wondrously adds some sparkling light to the tree, the first light of Christmas day. As the little girl wakes up and looks out her window, the animals sing “Have a Joyous Christmas.” Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: December 14, 1975 7:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:27:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:17761
- GENRE: Animation; Children's
- SUBJECT HEADING: Animation; Children's
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1970-1976
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- David H. DePatie … Executive Producer
- Friz Freleng … Executive Producer
- Chuck Couch … Producer, Director, Created by
- Johnny Marks … Music by
- Roberta Flack … Music by
- Leon Pendarvis … Music by
- Buddy Ebsen … Cast, Voice, Squire Badger
- Paul Winchell … Cast, Voice, Turtle
- Frank Welker … Cast, Voice, Father, Groundhog, Beaver, Mole
- Allan Melvin … Cast, Voice, Hawk
- Janet Waldo … Cast, Voice, Little Girl, Lady Bird
- Cherilyn Parsons … Cast, Voice, Girl Bunny
- Stephen Manley … Cast, Voice, Boy Bunny, Girl Raccoon
- Hettie Lynne Hurtes … Cast, Voice
- Lucille Bliss … Cast, Voice