Simple Gifts
Synopsis
A collection of animated Christmas shorts: An original Maurice Sendak piece about a boy with nothing to give for Christmas -- An excerpt from the early part of Virginia Woolf's "Orlando" set in a time of extreme cold in Tudor England -- A short based on the Toonerville Trolley -- A bittersweet excerpt from Moss Hart's autobiography "Act One" narrated by Jose Ferrer -- A reading from the Christmas day entry from the diary of 11-year-old Teddy Roosevelt -- A reading of a letter by Captain Edward James Hulse describing the surprising Christmas Truce of 1914 -- An animated version by R.O. Blechman of his own book "Tutto Esaurito" (No Vacancy) about the travels of Mary and Joseph.
Top Cast
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Colleen Dewhurst
Self - Host
Hermione Gingold
Narrator (segment "The Great Frost") (voice)
José Ferrer
Narrator (segment "A Memory of Christmas") (voice)
Dean Wareham
Narrator (segment "My Christmas") (voice)
David Jones
Narrator (segment "December 25, 1914") (voice)
Paul Dooley
(segment "Lost & Found") (voice)
Claudette Sutherland
(segment "Lost & Found") (voice)
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- R.O. Blechman, Phillip Schopper
- Screenplay & Story
- Maurice Sendak, Theodore Roosevelt, Virginia Woolf, Edward Hulse, R.O. Blechman, Moss Hart, Fontaine Fox
- Original Score
- Arnold Black
- Original Title
- Simple Gifts
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 0m
- Production Studios
- Thirteen, Educational Broadcasting Corporation
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
R.O. Blechman, Phillip Schopper
Maurice Sendak, Theodore Roosevelt, Virginia Woolf, Edward Hulse, R.O. Blechman, Moss Hart, Fontaine Fox
Arnold Black
Joe Canestro
R.O. Blechman
Department Leadership Roster
R.O. Blechman
Director
Maurice Sendak
Writer
Joe Canestro
Editor
R.O. Blechman
Writer
Phillip Schopper
Director
R.O. Blechman
Producer
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Simple Gifts.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Simple Gifts
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Simple Gifts about?
A collection of animated Christmas shorts: An original Maurice Sendak piece about a boy with nothing to give for Christmas -- An excerpt from the early part of Virginia Woolf's "Orlando" set in a time of extreme cold in Tudor England -- A short based on the Toonerville Trolley -- A bittersweet excerpt from Moss Hart's autobiography "Act One" narrated by Jose Ferrer -- A reading from the Christmas day entry from the diary of 11-year-old Teddy Roosevelt -- A reading of a letter by Captain Edward James Hulse describing the surprising Christmas Truce of 1914 -- An animated version by R.O. Blechman of his own book "Tutto Esaurito" (No Vacancy) about the travels of Mary and Joseph.
Who directed Simple Gifts?
Simple Gifts was directed by R.O. Blechman, Phillip Schopper.
Who stars in Simple Gifts?
The principal cast of Simple Gifts includes Colleen Dewhurst, Hermione Gingold, José Ferrer, Dean Wareham, David Jones.
When was Simple Gifts released and how long is it?
Simple Gifts was released in 1977 with a total runtime of 1h 0m.
Who composed the musical score for Simple Gifts?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Simple Gifts was composed by Arnold Black.
Is Simple Gifts based on a book or true story?
Simple Gifts is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Virginia Woolf", Novel: "Moss Hart".