My grandfather told me numerous times that ‘Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas‘ was likely the greatest animation production he and his team created because all the elements came together at the right time.

First, this team had worked together for the better part of 25 years at Warner Bros. making short films with the Looney Tunes characters. The team consisted of Maurice Noble for Art Direction, Benny Washam as animator and co-director, Ken Harris and Lloyd Vaughn as lead animators, and, of course, Chuck Jones himself directing his 251st film.

Additionally, they were able to use the new Xerox process to translate the incredible production drawings hand-created by the animators and assistant animators onto the cels to preserve their original “sketchy” quality, which could never have been done before this process because everything had to be hand-inked.

They also had over a year to create the production and the largest budget ever mounted for a television half-hour animated special.

Other elements came together as well including Chuck’s selection of Boris Karloff to narrate, Albert Hague to write the music, and an old friend, Thurl Ravenscroft to sing.

On multiple occasions, I would sit with him with some Grinch production drawings and he would identify specific drawings done by each animator and revel in the details of each work of art. His personal enjoyment of the drawings caught my attention.

Although most of the Warner Bros. production art was destroyed around this time (unbeknownst to Chuck or anyone else on the team), most of this production was kept by Chuck at MGM until he left there in the early 1970s to become the head of Children’s programming at ABC.

Because Chuck was so dedicated to educating the next generations of animators coming into the industry, he lent the production material to the UCLA animation school so that its brilliance could be studied one frame and one scene at a time. Unfortunately, when the production material was at UCLA, a flood occurred in the vault that the material was kept in, and much of the material was damaged or destroyed. (Sadly, we found out later that students stole some of the material during this time as well.)

Although I never heard him or my mother, Linda, ever begrudge the decision to lend the materials to the school, they decided to retrieve the production in its new condition and attempt to preserve and protect what was left.

I believe that Chuck’s admiration for what the entire team produced for this production and the material’s circuitous history makes this a truly unique part of the Chuck Jones animation legacy.

~ Craig Kausen

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Back by popular demand, watch the YouTube Premiere ‘The Making of the Grinch’ Recap on December 7, 2023, at 6:30 PM PT.

Enjoy the historic conversation featuring Chuck Jones and Boris Karloff’s daughters, Linda Clough Jones, and Sara Karloff along with the Grinch’s grandsons, Craig Kausen and Ben Washam. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to get exclusive insights into the behind-the-scenes magic with a touch of nostalgia of The Grinch with firsthand stories from those who were part of its creation.

Acquire rare, original production and limited-edition art from the archives of the whimsical Grinch world—whether it’s a festive masterpiece for yourself or a gift that promises to elevate any space. Contact your consultant or email [email protected] for more details.

Watch Dr. Seuss’s “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” in its entirety HERE