"IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE...

...Christmas"...?!?

Well, maybe if you're nearsighted. Another new book worth checking into is THE MAKING OF MR. MAGOO'S CHRISTMAS CAROL, a project spearheaded by Darrell Van Citters, head honcho at Renegade Animation. This was a one hour Christmas special that is near and dear to many a baby boomer, but was also somewhat historic: it was one of the first of many network animated holiday specials, paving the way for Rudolf, Charlie Brown and Frosty; and it was also one of the early adaptations of Dickens' classic story to feature a well known character as the lead. There have been many more as time has passed, everybody from Fred Flintstone to Disney's Mickey gang and Warner Bros' LOONEYs have done it by now (I think the Looney Tunes have done it twice). This UPA entry, however is considered one of the best, and although I admit I haven't seen it since I was a kid, I can still clearly remember several of the songs, which are sung by Jim Backus and Jack Cassiday, among others.

Look for the book to debut at the San Diego ComicCon July 23-26 and general publication in the fall.