The Little Drummer Boy



""Drummer boy, you may not believe me, but this... is the luckiest day... of your... life!'"

- Ben Haramed (José Ferrer), The Little Drummer Boy

The Little Drummer Boy was a Rankin/Bass Stop Motion puppet animated (called "Animagic") Christmas Special first aired in 1968.

The script is by Rankin/Bass's favorite writer, Romeo Muller; the music follows the favored R/B formula, starting with a classic Christmas tune and adding original songs by Maury Laws and co-producer Jules Bass. A touch of distinction is added by the choral work being performed by the Vienna Boys Choir.

A television sequel entitled The Little Drummer Boy: Book II was produced in 1976, also narrated by Greer Garson, but this time featuring Zero Mostel as the voice of Ben Haramed.

This story has inspired several imitations and variations; for example one Puerto Rican TV Christmas Special was about a little boy who wanted to visit the Nativity to ask Baby Jesus to cure his dying father (in the apparent belief that the event repeats itself every year). A Christmas Miracle happens, of course. Similarly, the Spanish Christmas song Burrito Sabanero is about a boy riding a burro to reach the Nativity.

This Christmas Special provides examples of:

 * Anachronism Stew: Though set in first century Judaea, the kings wear costumes more suggestive of 15th century European paintings of the Adoration of the Magi.
 * Ass in a Lion Skin: During the song "Why Can't the Animals Smile?," Baba the lamb pretends to be a lion, a frog, and a hog; Joshua the camel pretends to be an alligator and an elephant; and Samson the donkey pretends to be a caribou.
 * As the Good Book Says...: The show begins with Greer Garson reading from the beginning of the second chapter of Luke, with further readings from the infancy narratives throughout, ending with Matthew 5:8.
 * Slightly subverted in the fact that the Bible itself contains no mention of anyone remotely resembling The Little Drummer Boy; It started as a song in 1949, based loosely off a French legend only two centuries older than that.
 * Christmas Special
 * Family-Unfriendly Death: The main character's father being scene stabbed to death on screen, and his mother being burnt alive.
 * Friend to All Living Things: Aaron is friend to all living things -- except humans.
 * Heel Face Turn: Aaron, who realizes when the Child smiles at him that his hatred for humanity has been wrong.
 * Humans Are Bastards: What Aaron is convinced of, after his family is murdered by bandits.
 * Money Song: In Book Two.
 * Narrator: Miss Greer Garson (a classic English Rose), as Our Storyteller.
 * Karma Houdini: The two bandits who rob then murder Aaron's parents go unpunished for their crime.
 * Ben Haramed kidnaps a child, forces him to work against his will, sells a camel that doesn't belong to him... and ends up getting quite well paid for his efforts.
 * Non-Human Sidekick: Joshua the Camel, Samson the Donkey, and Baba the Lamb.
 * The Power of Music: How Aaron taught his animals to dance.
 * Star of Bethlehem: How Aaron knows where to find Joshua.
 * Surrounded by Idiots: The members of Ben Haramed's show caravan are all completely inept.
 * Talking to Himself: The Three Kings and their servant discussing how to replace their weary camel -- are all Paul Frees.