By Michael Lyons
They’re the Studio that has become so closely associated with Christmas that the Yuletide Season would seem like a “Blue Christmas” without them. However, they have also done their part to put some “Spring” into Easter.
Rankin/Bass, the Studio whose versions of Rudolph and Frosty, among many, set the standard for TV Christmas specials, has also done the same for Easter. Their tales of the season of bunnies and colored eggs may not be as numerous and also may not have had the lasting, pop culture impact of their Christmas specials. But, like their wintry, holly jolly counterparts these specials are filled with their own special Rankin/Bass brand of seasonal magic and are still the perfect way to celebrate Easter time.
“Here Comes Peter Cottontail” (originally broadcast April 4, 1971)
Taking a cue from a number of their Christmas specials, Rankin/Bass took a hit, seasonal pop song and expanded it into an hour long special. Combining the Gene Autry song with the book, “The Easter Bunny That Overslept,” “Here Comes Peter Cottontail” tells an origin story-like plot that was utilized in specials like “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” and “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town.”
In the special, we meet Peter, who lives in April Valley (some of the best and coziest world building Rankin/Bass has ever done!) and is about to be named the new Easter Bunny, when the current bunny, Colonel Wellington B. Bunny decides to retire.
However, the resident villain, Irontail the Bunny (an example of wonderful character design, paired with Vincent Price’s amazing and distinct voice) also wants to be the Easter Bunny and talks the Colonel into holding a contest: whoever can deliver the most Easter Eggs will become the Easter Bunny.
When Peter oversleeps for the contest, he must do whatever he can to save Easter and April Valley from the clutches of Irontail. This involves Peter racing through all of the other holidays on the calendar (St. Patrick’s Day, Fourth of July, Halloween) to try and deliver all of his colored eggs.
This plot essentially turns “Here Comes Peter Cottontail” into an EVERY holiday special and an extremely fun and original one at that!
Using the usual Rankin/Bass trope of a celebrity as a narrator, “Peter Cottontail” features Danny Kaye as the voice (and caricature) of Seymour S. Sassafras who relays the tale. Listen closely and you will also hear him providing the voices for the Colonel and Antoine the caterpillar.
Another familiar voice in the Cast is none other than Shaggy (“Zoinks!”) himself, Casey Kasem as Peter.
All of these talents are coupled with another strong story by Rankin/Bass’ talented writer Romeo Muller, who had an uncanny ability to create a mythology from our pop culture.
Brought to life through the stop motion “AniMagic” Animation that was a hallmark of the Rankin/Bass studio, “Here Comes Peter Cottontail,” like most of the Studio’s efforts, has rightly become a holiday classic of its own handed down through the generations.
Plus, this one hour trip to April Valley simply makes it feel like Easter!
“The First Easter Rabbit” (originally aired April 9, 1976)
Another origin-like story, this time brought to the screen through the equally comforting Rankin/Bass 2D animation, “The First Easter Rabbit” adds the also comforting voice of Burl Ives (Sam the Snowman from “Rudolph”) as the Rabbit who narrates the story.
The special focuses on Stuffy (Robert Morse), a stuffed rabbit who is given to a young girl named Glinda, as a Christmas present. In a dark turn, Glinda is diagnosed with Scarlet Fever and all of her belongings, including Stuffy, need to be burned, in order to stop the sickness from spreading.
Stuffy is rescued by a sprite named Caliope, who takes him to Easter Valley (which is oddly at the North Pole and none other than Santa himself watches over it).
Here, Stuffy and the other rabbits of Easter Valley square off against the villainous ice wizard named Zero and his sidekick Bruce the Snowball, who are trying to capture the Lily of Easter Valley. If they do, there will be no Easter.
“The First Easter Rabbit” plays almost like a Rankin/Bass Best of: there is artist Paul Coker, Jr’s familiar character designs; the voice of actor Paul Frees (a part of so many of the Studio’s specials) as a number of characters, including Santa and a popular holiday song featured in the special.
This time, that song is “Easter Parade,” sung by Ives at the end of the special.
While “The First Easter Rabbit” has been relegated to a tier of forgotten Rankin/Bass specials, it’s definitely worth a viewing. If for nothing else than that opportunity to watch “Easter Parade” played out in lovely, pure’70’s, spring time animation.
“The Easter Bunny is Comin’ to Town” (originally aired April 6, 1977)
Tossing out the Peter Cottontail story in favor of a different Easter Bunny origin story, crossed with a shared universe tale, “The Easter Bunny is Comin’ to Town” copies and pastes the “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” script, almost beat for beat.
This is fitting, because the Studio brings back the character of S.D. Kluger, (voiced again by Fred Astaire) the mailman who narrated “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town,” to once again relay the story. This time S.D. Is driving a train and telling the story of another holiday icon.
In the town of Kidville (yup, populated all by kids), the young residents find a baby rabbit one Easter morning and name him Sunny. Sunny grows up to assist the kids of Kidville and in the process becomes the Easter Bunny.
Along the way, we learn how coloring, rolling and hiding eggs came to be; how the first jelly beans were made and even how the Easter Lilly got its name.
If it all seems a little familiar...it is. The plot of “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” has essentially been transposed here (Romeo Muller had penned both specials). In place of the Winter Warlock is Gadzooks the Bear; the Queen takes the place of the Burgermeister and a town called simply Town takes the place of Sombertown from “Santa Claus.” Additionally, there are all of the explanations behind how standards of the holiday came to be.
While it gets no points for originality, “The Easter Bunny is Comin’ to Town” captures the spirit of the season and is as bright and, yes, Sunny, as its title character.
So, while they haven’t entered the popular stratus that their Christmas specials have, the Rankin/Bass Easter specials are like Easter eggs themselves: hidden treasures that are worth hunting for!
Sources: “The Enchanted World of Rankin/Bass” by Rick Goldschmidt
Wikipedia
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