A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa is a 2008 American television special directed by Kirk R. Thatcher featuring The Muppets in a Christmas mission to personally deliver three letters to Santa Claus, accidentally diverted by Gonzo, to the North Pole. The special was produced by The Muppets Studio and aired on NBC on December 17, 2008. The special, shot in Brooklyn and Midtown Manhattan, was released by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment on DVD in 2009.
Contents
Plot
On Christmas Eve in New York City, the Muppets aren't planning to spend Christmas together, because Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy are heading for the Caribbean for a romantic date, Gonzo the Great is going to Hawaii, and Fozzie Bear is embarking on a comedy road tour. Before they go, however, they go to the post office to deliver each of their letters to Santa Claus with Mayor Michael Bloomberg denying Piggy's offer to move the line along as people in New York should be polite. The Muppets deliver their letters as Gonzo accidentally speeds up the letter conveyor belt as a postal worker (Jesse L. Martin) has the Muppets delivered back to their apartment building. When they head back to their apartment, Gonzo discovers that three letters wound up in his coat from a mishap there. One of those letters he recognizes as being written by his best friend, a neighbor girl named Claire (Madison Pettis).
With the post office closed early and Sam Eagle warning Gonzo and Fozzie about the pitfalls of opening someone else's mail, the Muppets try different attempts like a pigeon delivery service and the enlistment of two Mafia members (Steve Schirripa and Tony Sirico). Finally, after Piggy leaves to the Caribbean herself, Gonzo suggests that Kermit, Fozzie, Rizzo the Rat, and Pepe the King Prawn would come with him to the North Pole and deliver the letters personally. They get there in a taxi while scavenging money to pay the taxicab driver (Whoopi Goldberg). The Muppets end up getting tickets from a North Pole Airlines clerk named Joy (Uma Thurman) and getting caught by a bitter security guard Officer Frank Meany (Nathan Lane) who, for being a bully in his youth, perpetually ended up on Santa's naughty list. It's also because of his appearance that people often fear him. He and Bobo the Bear allow the Muppets to pass through.
They eventually reach the North Pole, only to find out from the Chief Christmas Elf (Paul Williams) that Santa has already left to deliver the presents. The real Santa (Richard Griffiths) overhears their grieving and returns. While on a sleigh ride after being helped by Joy, they hand him Claire's letter and the other two which are revealed to have come from Pepe and Frank. Pepe wanted to become an expert opera singer which Santa grants. Frank wanted to be taken off the naughty list. Santa grants this wish enabling Frank to finally get that red tricycle he wanted as it appears before him and Bobo. Santa brings them home to New York in time to spend the rest of the holiday with Claire and her mom (Jane Krakowski), which was all Claire wanted in the first place. All the Muppets, along with Piggy (who has surprisingly returned from the Caribbean for the party), show up after cancelling their vacations where they celebrate Christmas with Claire and her mom as they decorate her apartment.
Cast
Madison Pettis - Claire
Jane Krakowski - Claire's Mom
Richard Griffiths - Santa Claus
Nathan Lane - Officer Frank Meany
Uma Thurman - Joy
Muppet performers
Steve Whitmire - Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat (most scenes), Beaker, Statler
Dave Goelz - Gonzo the Great, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot, Waldorf, Beauregard
Bill Barretta - Pepe the King Prawn, Bobo the Bear, Rowlf the Dog, Swedish Chef, Dr. Teeth (most scenes), Pigeon Dad
Eric Jacobson - Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Animal, Sam the Eagle
David Rudman - Scooter, Janice
Matt Vogel - Floyd Pepper, Camilla the Chicken, Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry, Robin the Frog, Pigeon Son
Noel MacNeal - Sweetums
Tyler Bunch - Pigeon Mom, Snail, Rizzo the Rat (one scene)
Leslie Carrara-Rudolph - Penguin
Martin P. Robinson - Penguin, Snail, Dr. Teeth (one scene)
Additional Muppets performed by Pam Arciero, Heather Asch, Stephanie D'Abruzzo, James Godwin, Jim Kroupa, Tim Lagasse, Peter Linz, Jim Martin, and Paul McGinnis
Cameo guest stars
Mayor Michael Bloomberg - Himself
Whoopi Goldberg - Cab Driver
Jesse L. Martin - Postal Worker
Petra Němcová - Beaker's Girlfriend
Steve Schirripa - Mafia Guy
Tony Sirico - Mafia Guy
Paul Williams - Chief Christmas Elf
Music
This is the fourth time that songwriter Paul Williams has contributed songs to the Muppets. A version of "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" by The Crystals was also used during the opening credits but was not available on the soundtrack itself.