Countdown to Christmas: Santa & the Three Bears (1970)

If it looks like a Hanna-Barbera cartoon, that doesn't mean it is.

Some H-B staffers, including Tony Benedict and Walt Peregoy, spun off on their own to produce Santa & the Three Bears, which was released to theatres in 1970. Two of the voice actors also were on the H-B payroll, particularly Hal Smith (ex-The Andy Griffith Show) and Jean VanderPyl (ex-The Flintstones, The Jetsons).

A park ranger (Smith) is recruited by a kindly mother bear (VanderPyl) to play Santa to entertain her cubs and teach them about Christmas.

Edit, 12/14/23: We've located a new print that includes a live-action sequence that was not used in syndicated broadcasts in recent years. Hal Smith also appears in this segment---clean shaven, yet----as a father.

To think that 10 years later, we'd see H-B try out Yogi Bear wearing Santa's garb........

Rating: B.