October 29, 1977
Halloween Is Grinch Night (titled It's Grinch Night for the 1992 videocassette release and Grinch Night for the sing-a-long videocassette release) is a 1977 children's animated Halloween television special and is a prequel to the 1966 television special How the Grinch Stole Christmas! It premiered on ABC on October 28, 1977. The original voice actor for the Grinch, Boris Karloff, by then deceased, was replaced by Hans Conried, though Thurl Ravenscroft, who sang on the original special, again provided singing vocals. The songs and score were written by Sesame Street composer Joe Raposo.
The special won the 1978 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program.
Storyline[]
In Whoville each Halloween, a "Sour-Sweet Wind" blows and a chain of events causes the Gree-Grumps and Hakken-Krakks to arouse the Grinch into descending to Whoville in his paraphernalia wagon and wreaking havoc in the town on "Grinch Night". All of Whoville dreads the smell of the wind as an omen, and everyone retreats to their home as the whole village goes into lockdown.
Euchariah, a young Who with astigmatism, goes out to the "euphemism" and blows away. He runs into the Grinch as he is picking brickles out of his fur, the result of a failed attempt to hunt down the last Wuzzy Woozoo. After giving Euchariah a brief spook, the Grinch decides the young boy is too small to waste time on and resumes his trek to Whoville.
Euchariah decides that he must stall the Grinch in order to save Whoville. Catching up to the Grinch's wagon, the irritated Grinch decides to give Euchariah the "spook's tour", and Euchariah is drawn in to a surreal nightmare with spooks and monsters in all directions. Euchariah endures the spooks just long enough for the Sour-Sweet Wind to die down, forcing the Grinch to abandon the trek and return home. His dog Max, visibly depressed and nostalgic throughout the special, refuses to return with the Grinch and follows Euchariah home where he is greeted as a hero; the Grinch laments that he will "miss that Grinch Night Ball" but finds solace in "that wind will be coming back, someday; I'll be coming back, someday!" and then ends this promise with a sinister laugh.
Sound Effects Used[]
- DePatie-Freleng Lightning
- DePatie-Freleng Lip Licking Sound
- Joel Valentine Whip Crack Sound
- Looney Tunes Big Wind Sound
- Looney Tunes Cartoon Fall Sound
- Sound Ideas, BITE, CARTOON - BIG CHOMP
- Sound Ideas, BITE, CARTOON - BIG CRUNCH
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, DOG - EXCITED DOG BARKING
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, DOOR - DOOR SLAM
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, ELEPHANT - ELEPHANT TRUMPETING
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, FALL - LONG CONTINUOUS FALL DOWN STAIRS
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, POP - BIG POP 01
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, POP - BIG POP 02
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, POP - BIG POP 03
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, POP - BIG POP 04
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, SKID - SHORT, HIGH SKID (high pitched)
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, SPIT - SINGLE BIG SPIT
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, STRETCH - GUITAR BEND: LONG STRETCH
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, TELEPHONE - PICK UP RECEIVER
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, WHISTLE - POLICE WHISTLE: SHORT
- Sound Ideas, HIT, CARTOON - FLAT PEEONG 01
- Sound Ideas, HIT, CARTOON - HEAVY TIMP RISE
- Sound Ideas, STRETCH, CARTOON - RUBBER STRETCH, SHORT 02
- Sound Ideas, SWISH, CARTOON - SINGLE ROPE SWISH 01
- Sound Ideas, THUNDER - BIG THUNDER CLAP AND RUMBLE, WEATHER 04
- Sound Ideas, ZIP, CARTOON - QUICK WHISTLE ZIP OUT, HIGH
- Valentino Chinese Bell Tree 01
- Valentino Wind Blowing
- WB BOING, CARTOON - WOOD BOING 01
- WB BOULDER CRACK
- WB CARTOON, STRETCH - WIDELY BEND STRETCH
Image Gallery[]
Audio Samples[]