These siblings — the sons of Mother Nature, of course — represented the extremes of weather, with Heat Miser controlling all things warm (against a hot background of red, orange and yellow) and Snow Miser (with a chilly blue and white backdrop) governing the cold and snowy.
The moody twosome starred in the popular Rankin/Bass stop-motion animated Christmas special The Year Without a Santa Claus back in the 70s.
In the 1974 holiday classic TV movie, the brothers — voiced by actors George S Irving (as Heat Miser) and Dick Shawn (playing Snow Miser) — memorably performed their signature musical showdown, with their minions as backup singers.
The bros that blow hot and cold
Each brother has a distinct personality that perfectly complements his domain. Heat Miser, with his fiery red hair and a temperament to match, rules over the warmer climates with a hot-headed passion.
On the flip side, Snow Miser, cool and collected with a head of hair as white as snow, presides over the frosty weather with a chill demeanor.
Their juxtaposed songs are as different as summer and winter, and both are infectiously memorable and practically beg you to sing along.
Can you hear them in your head now? “He’s Mister Icicle / He’s Mister Ten Below” and “He’s Mister Heat Blister / He’s Mister Hundred and One.”
The brothers, despite their differences, are an important part of the story’s resolution, showcasing the theme of compromise and cooperation. Their playful rivalry and the silly way they personify their respective temperature ranges make them unforgettable.
Still popular — even in the internet age
The legacy of Heat Miser and Snow Miser continued to flourish long after their first appearance in the 1970s television classic. Thanks to the magic of reruns, these characters have danced and earnwormed their way into the hearts of new generations each holiday season.
For decades, TV networks included “The Year Without a Santa Claus” in their holiday programming schedules, making sure that families could enjoy the bickering siblings year after year.
With the advent of the internet and the rise of video sharing platforms like YouTube, the reach of Heat Miser and Snow Miser has only grown. Clips of their iconic songs and scenes from the special are readily available online — for example, you can see the songs performed below — allowing fans to re-watch their favorite moments on demand. (No more waiting for network TV schedules!)
That kind of accessibility has helped the nostalgic characters stay relevant even decades later, and over the years, the brothers’ memorable songs have been covered, parodied, and celebrated, solidifying their status as Christmas icons.
They’re a bright spot in holiday entertainment, offering a fun and fantastical take on the powers behind our weather, with some catchy musical numbers that have become synonymous with the show.
About Heat Miser & Cold Miser in” The Year Without a Santa Claus”
From the News Leader (Staunton, Virginia) July 28, 1974
Have you been told,
Did you ever hear,
Of that curious, furious fidgety year,
When Santa Claus unhitched his sleigh
And vowed he was taking a holiday?
“The Year Without a Santa Claus,” based on a story by the Pulitzer-Prize-winning author Phyllis McGinley, will be presented as a Christmas special on the ABC television network as an addition to the holiday season schedule.
The program will be presented in Animagic, the unique three-dimensional process, created by Rankin-Bass Productions, which combines stop-motion photography with animation. The show will feature the vocal talents of Shirley Booth, Mickey Rooney, Dick Shawn and George S. Irving.
When old Santa takes a year off
The musical tale tells of the year Santa Claus woke with a cold and decided that instead of climbing into his sleigh and delivering gifts to people who didn’t believe in him anyway, he would just stay in bed and catch up on his sleep.
Mrs. Claus is distressed about this bit of news and sends Santa’s head elf, Jingle Bells, and his number two elf, Jangle Bells, “down there” to find an example of Christmas spirit to bring back and thereby convince Santa that all is right with the world. They hop aboard the littlest reindeer of Santa’s team, Vixen, for the long journey.
Santa is very upset when he learns where the two elves are headed, because he is worried about them getting into a mess of trouble with Snow Miser and Heat Miser.
Snow Miser controls the northern part of the world, and attempts to turn everything into icicles; and Heat Miser, his nasty brother, tries to keep the south so hot that there are never any snowflakes. Santa, disguised in ordinary civilian clothes, goes after them.
For a while, things look very grim for Santa and the elves, but eventually, he does run into some people who haven’t lost the Christmas spirit. That changes his mind about taking a holiday on Christmas much to everyone’s joy.
Shirley Booth, winner of an Academy Award for “Come Back Little Sheba” and a Tony Award for “Time of the Cuckoo,” narrates the story, and steps into the cast as Mrs. Santa Claus. Mickey Rooney stars as the tired and disillusioned Santa Claus.
Ms. Booth was incredulous, but Jules Bass, who coproduced and codirected the animation film along with Arthur Rankin, Jr., offered a simple explanation.
According to him, Ms. Booth sang “The Year Without a Santa Claus” in their New York studios where it was recorded on a 16-track. It was then shipped to Chicago where Mr. Rooney’s voice (as Santa Claus) was added. Later, the Wee Winter Singers, the choir, contributed their part on another tape with was combined with Mr. and Mrs. Claus’ duet.
Ms. Booth hopes that children will be delighted with the show. She views Christmas as “a very wonderful thing as long as it is not a mechanical affair motivated by the wrong reasons, such as money.”
Her involvement with “The Year Without a Santa Claus” was motivated largely by her great respect for Phyllis McGinley, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author who wrote the story upon which the special is based. “I was very impressed with much of her writing, and was carried away with her when I read ‘Saint-Watching.’ I wanted to be associated with her work and was anxious to do the show,” said Ms. Booth.
‘It was a very pleasant and painless procedure. It was all over before I knew it,” she sighed, as she explained that like Santa she was a bit weary and wanted a rest.
“Have a happy holiday,” she added.
The Year Without a Santa Claus: Rankin-Bass TV special production notes
There will be six original songs in “The Year Without a Santa Claus”, plus three favorite Christmas tunes — “Here Comes Santa Claus”, “Blue Christmas” and “Sleigh Ride”. The original music was written by Maury Laws, with lyrics by Jules Bans. The script is adapted by William Keenan and the production was designed by Paul Coker, Jr.
Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass, who will co-produce and co-direct the special, have created many perennial holiday programs for television, including “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “The Drummer Boy,” “Frosty the Snowman” and the ABC special, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” which encores for the fifth season on Friday, December 6.
Heat Miser: He’s Mister Hot
The man behind the voice of Heat Miser: voice actor George S Irving
The “Heat Miser Song” lyrics
I’m Mister Green Christmas
I’m Mister Sun
I’m Mister Heat Blister
I’m Mister Hundred and One
They call me Heat Miser.
Whatever I touch
Starts to melt in my clutch.
I’m too much!
He’s Mister Green Christmas
He’s Mister Sun
He’s Mister Heat Blister
He’s Mister Hundred and One
They call me Heat Miser.
Whatever I touch
Starts to melt in my clutch.
He’s too much!
I never want to know a day
That’s under sixty degrees.
I’d rather have it eighty, ninety —
One hundred’s a breeze!
(spoken) Oh, some like it hot, but I like it REALLY hot!
He’s Mister Green Christmas
He’s Mister Sun
Sing it!
He’s Mister Heat Blister
He’s Mister Hundred and One
They call me Heat Miser.
Whatever I touch
Starts to melt in my clutch.
I’m too much!
Too much!
Snow Miser: He’s Mister Snow
The man behind the voice of Snow Miser: voice actor Dick Shawn
The “Snow Miser Song” lyrics
I’m Mister White Christmas
I’m Mister Snow
I’m Mister Icicle
I’m Mister Ten Below
Friends call me Snow Miser.
Whatever I touch
Turns to snow in my clutch.
I’m too much!
He’s Mister White Christmas
He’s Mister Snow
He’s Mister Icicle
He’s Mister Ten Below
Friends call me Snow Miser.
Whatever I touch
Turns to snow in my clutch.
He’s too much!
I never want to know a day
That’s over forty degrees.
I’d rather have it thirty, twenty —
then five, then let it freeze!
He’s Mister White Christmas
He’s Mister Snow
He’s Mister Icicle
He’s Mister Ten Below
Friends call me Snow Miser.
Whatever I touch
Turns to snow in my clutch.
Too much.
Too much!
Mister Snow Miser & Mister Heat Miser’s song
Take a look back at the video here — and you can sing along with the lyrics above!
And there’s even a happy ending…
Spoilers ahead!
As “The Year Without a Santa Claus” reaches its conclusion, the efforts of Mrs. Claus, Jingle, Jangle, and Vixen in Southtown begin to pay off. After successfully negotiating with the Miser Brothers and Mother Nature, snow falls in Southtown for the first time in years. This extraordinary event stirs excitement and rekindles the Christmas spirit among the townspeople.
The children of Southtown, inspired by the arrival of snow, come together to show their appreciation for Santa Claus. They send a wave of heartfelt Christmas letters to Santa, expressing their belief in him and the joy he brings. These letters, filled with love and belief, reach Santa at the North Pole.
Moved by the outpouring of affection and belief from the children, Santa regains his spirit and health. He realizes how much he means to people all over the world. With renewed vigor and purpose, Santa decides to carry out his Christmas duties after all.
The story culminates in a joyous and festive atmosphere as Santa, rejuvenated by the love and belief of children, sets off on his traditional Christmas Eve journey. He delivers gifts across the globe, spreading cheer and goodwill.
“The Year Without a Santa Claus” ends on a high note, emphasizing the themes of belief, the power of community, and the enduring magic of Christmas. This heartwarming ending reinforces the idea that the spirit of Christmas lies in the hearts and actions of people — a message that resonates with audiences of all ages.
One Response
If you were a kid in the ’70s, you knew the lyrics to the Heat Miser/Cold Miser song by heart, even if you forgot that it came from “The Year Without a Santa Claus”, or thought that it came from another Christmas special.