It’s easy to forget that before The Grinch or Charlie Brown, there was a nearsighted, bumbling guy named Quincy Magoo. In 1962, television history changed forever when UPA produced the first-ever animated holiday special created specifically for the small screen. But honestly, the animation isn't even the best part. The real magic? It's the cast of Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol. This wasn't just some Saturday morning cartoon crew. These were Broadway titans and Hollywood legends who treated a "cartoon" like it was a high-stakes opening night at the Shubert Theatre.
The unexpected Broadway pedigree of the voices
When people talk about the cast of Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol, they usually start and end with Jim Backus. That’s a mistake. While Backus is the soul of the show, the depth of the ensemble is what makes you cry during "Alone in the World."
The production brought in Jule Styne and Bob Merrill to write the music. If those names sound familiar, it’s because they wrote Funny Girl. Think about that. The same people who wrote "People" and "Don't Rain on My Parade" were writing songs for a cartoon character who mistakes a cane for a pool cue. Because they had Broadway royalty behind the scenes, they attracted Broadway royalty behind the microphones.
Jack Cassidy voiced Bob Cratchit. He was a Tony Award winner and the father of 70s teen idols David and Shaun Cassidy. His voice has this specific, velvet-smooth quality that makes the humble clerk feel dignified rather than just a victim of Scrooge’s greed. Then you have Morey Amsterdam as Brady, a character added for the "frame story." Most people knew him as Buddy Sorrell from The Dick Van Dyke Show, and he brings that exact same fast-talking, vaudeville energy to the mix.
Jim Backus: More than just a punchline
Jim Backus was everywhere in the 60s. He was Thurston Howell III on Gilligan's Island. He was James Dean’s dad in Rebel Without a Cause. But Quincy Magoo was his most enduring creation.
The genius of the cast of Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol is how Backus balances two roles simultaneously. He isn't just playing Ebenezer Scrooge. He is playing Magoo playing Scrooge. It’s a performance within a performance. You hear the crusty, cynical edge of Scrooge, but it's always filtered through Magoo’s trademark oblivious optimism.
When Scrooge sees his own grave, Backus drops the comedy. His voice cracks. It’s a genuine moment of pathos that shouldn't work in a show where a man thinks a bear is a coat rack, yet it does. He anchors the entire special in a way that feels human.
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The ghostly trio and their theatrical weight
The ghosts are often where these adaptations fall flat. They can be too scary or too silly. In this version, the voice actors find a middle ground that feels spooky but stage-theatrical.
Royal Dano voiced Marley’s Ghost. Dano was the go-to guy for "haunted" roles in Hollywood. He even provided the voice for the animatronic Abraham Lincoln at Disneyland. His Marley isn't just a collection of clanking chains; he sounds genuinely exhausted by his eternal wandering. It's a heavy, resonant performance.
Then there’s Les Tremayne as the Ghost of Christmas Present. Tremayne was a radio legend, once voted one of the three most famous voices in America alongside FDR and Bing Crosby. He brings a boisterous, almost overwhelming joy to the role that contrasts perfectly with Backus’s shriveled Scrooge.
- The Ghost of Christmas Past: Voiced by Joan Gardner. She gave the spirit a delicate, almost ethereal quality that felt miles away from the creepy versions seen in live-action films.
- Tiny Tim: Also voiced by Joan Gardner. Using the same actor for the spirit of the past and the symbol of Scrooge’s failing future was a subtle, perhaps accidental, masterstroke of casting.
Why this specific ensemble worked where others failed
Most modern animated specials use "stunt casting." They grab whoever is topping the Billboard charts or the latest Marvel star. It dates the material instantly.
The cast of Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol worked because they were all trained in the era of radio and stage. They knew how to convey emotion through nothing but vocal inflection. You don't need to see the "acting" on the character's face—though the UPA animation is surprisingly expressive—because you can hear it in the breath and the timing.
Look at Paul Frees. He’s arguably the most important man in the history of voice acting. In this special, he plays several roles, including the charity man and the Fezziwig-esque figure (Old Joe/various). Frees was the voice of the Ghost Host at Disney’s Haunted Mansion and Boris Badenov. His versatility provided the "glue" that filled out the world of 19th-century London.
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The forgotten impact of the "Frame Story"
A lot of viewers forget that this isn't a direct adaptation of Dickens. It’s a play within a show. Magoo arrives at a theater on Broadway to star in a musical version of A Christmas Carol.
This allowed the cast of Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol to lean into the theatricality. When they sing "We're Despicable," it's a show-stopper. It’s meant to be a musical number on a stage. This meta-layer gave the actors permission to be "big." They weren't trying to be "realistic" Londoners. They were playing actors playing characters. That layer of separation is why the special feels so unique and why it hasn't aged as poorly as some of the more literal adaptations from the same era.
The soundtrack's secret weapon
You can't discuss the cast without mentioning the musical direction of Walter Scharf. He worked with the vocalists to ensure the songs didn't feel like "cartoon music."
"Alone in the World" is perhaps the saddest song ever written for an animated special. When Jim Backus sings it, he isn't a great singer. He's a bit gravelly. He misses the center of the note sometimes. But that’s why it’s perfect. It feels like an old man reflecting on a lost life. If they had hired a perfect session singer, the heart would have vanished.
Surprising facts about the recording sessions
The recording wasn't done like modern animation where actors are isolated in booths.
Because many of these performers came from the world of old Hollywood, they often worked together in the room. This allowed for the natural overlapping dialogue and the "kinda" messy, realistic interactions between Scrooge and the Cratchits.
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- Joan Gardner did her roles in remarkably few takes.
- Jack Cassidy reportedly treated the recording sessions with as much prep as he would a Broadway opening.
- Jane Kean, who played Belle (Scrooge’s lost love), brought a Broadway-caliber belt to "All Alone in the World" (reprise) that gave the special its emotional climax.
Honestly, the chemistry is palpable. Even when the animation is simple or the lip-syncing is a little off, the performances carry the weight. You believe the relationships.
How to appreciate the special today
If you're going to revisit this classic, don't just watch it for the nostalgia. Watch it for the craft.
Pay attention to how Morey Amsterdam and Jack Cassidy play off each other in the opening scenes. Notice the way the cast handles the lyrics of Styne and Merrill. These are complex, sophisticated rhymes that would be at home in a Sondheim show.
Actionable ways to dive deeper into the legacy:
- Listen to the Original Cast Recording: It was released on Decca Records and highlights the orchestrations that sometimes get buried in the mono TV mix.
- Compare the Voices: Listen to Paul Frees in this special and then go listen to him in The Hobbit (1977) or at the Haunted Mansion. His range is staggering.
- Watch for the "Director" Cameos: The frame story features "directors" and "stagehands" who were often caricatures of the actual UPA staff.
The cast of Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol proved that animation could be a medium for high art. They didn't talk down to the audience. They didn't make it "just for kids." They told a ghost story with the help of some of the best voices to ever grace a microphone.
To truly understand why this special still airs over sixty years later, look past the red coat and the squinting eyes of the lead character. Listen to the ensemble. They are the ones who turned a gimmick into a masterpiece.
The next time you see it scheduled on a random December night, sit down and really listen. You aren't just hearing a cartoon; you're hearing the last gasp of the Great American Songbook era meeting the dawn of the television age. It’s a rare alignment of talent that we probably won't ever see again in the world of holiday specials.