Raggedy Ann and Andy in The Pumpkin Who Couldn't Smile
Raggedy Ann and Andy in The Pumpkin Who Couldn't Smile (a.k.a. simply The Pumpkin Who Couldn't Smile) is a 1979 animated television special featuring Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy. Produced by Chuck Jones Enterprises, it was first televised October 31, 1979 on CBS.[1] The special was a sequel to the 1978 Christmas special, Raggedy Ann and Andy in The Great Santa Claus Caper.[2]
Raggedy Ann and Andy in The Pumpkin Who Couldn't Smile | |
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Written by | Chuck Jones |
Directed by | Chuck Jones |
Starring | Daws Butler June Foray Mrs. Hobart Donavan (June Foray) Steven Rosenberg Les Tremayne |
Theme music composer | Earl Robinson |
Country of origin | USA |
Original language | English |
Production | |
Producer | Chuck Jones |
Running time | 30 min. |
Release | |
Original network | CBS |
Original release | October 31, 1979 |
Synopsis
Raggedy Ann (June Foray) and Andy (Daws Butler) and their dog Raggedy Arthur noticed how cruel their neighbor Aunt Agatha (Foray) is and how sad her nephew Ralph (Steven Rosenberg) is on Halloween but realized that Aunt Agatha had a Scrooge like attitude towards the holiday. The Raggedies at first, seem really annoyed with how Aunt Agatha treats her nephew and think that she's really mean to treat him in such a way by not allowing Ralph to go trick or treating with the rest of the children in the neighborhood. However, they come-up with an idea on how to make Ralph happy. Raggedy Ann reasons that if there's an unhappy little boy where they live, than there must be an unhappy pumpkin somewhere out there waiting for a little boy. The Raggedies set out to find the pumpkin who's just right for Ralph. The abandoned pumpkin in the pumpkin patch (Les Tremayne) is very gloomy and emits pumpkin seeds as tears every time he weeps. The only way to cheer up the sad pumpkin is to bring it to Ralph to give and then convince Aunt Agatha to change her Scrooge like ways on Halloween by recalling to her in her sleep that Agatha or Aggie as she was known as a child and a witch costume that Agatha wore and loved as a child. Agatha wakes up realized that she was wrong on not allowing Ralph to go trick or treating and discovering Ralph and the now smiling pumpkin in his room greats the pumpkin. The movie ends with Aunt Agatha putting on a witches' hat and carrying a broom while Ralph wears a pirate's costume with the now smiling pumping in tow surprising the neighbors as both Aunt Agatha and Ralph merrily go trick or treating together and Aunt Agatha finding a newfound joy for the Halloween season.
Voice Cast
- June Foray as Raggedy Ann/Aunt Agatha/Neighbor
- Daws Butler as Raggedy Andy
- Steven Rosenberg as Ralph
- Les Tremayne as The Pumpkin
Reception
The special brought in a 14.4/24 rating/share, ranking third in its timeslot, behind NBC's Real People (20.0/33) and ABC's Eight Is Enough (18.0/30) [3]
References
- Woolery, George W. (1989). Animated TV Specials: The Complete Directory to the First Twenty-Five Years, 1962-1987. Scarecrow Press. p. 328. ISBN 0-8108-2198-2. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
- Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. p. 313. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
- http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1979/BC-1979-11-12.pdf