The Santa Claus Brothers is a 2001 animated Christmas television special created by Michael Bedard. Co-produced by Nelvana, Sitting Ducks Productions, and Film Roman, for YTV and the Disney Channel, this comic Christmas tale features the voices of Bryan Cranston, Caroline Rhea, Richard Kind, Kevin McDonald, Harland Williams, and Joe Flaherty. It premiered on December 13, 2001.
In 2002, it won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual in Animation.
Contents
Summary
Santa Claus has three sons, Roy, Daryl, and Mel, and all of them are talented. They share their father's gift for toy making and scientific genius, but they have little understanding of the true meaning of Christmas. Santa would like to retire and have the sons take over, so he proposes a contest: whichever one of his triplets can first understand the true meaning of the holiday can inherit the family business.
Cast
Bryan Cranston as Santa "Nick" Claus
Caroline Rhea as Bernice Claus, Santa's wife
Richard Kind as Roy Claus, the eldest of Santa's sons
Kevin McDonald as Mel Claus, the youngest of Santa's sons
Harland Williams as Daryl Claus, the middle of Santa's sons
Joe Flaherty as Snorkel, the head elf
Scott McCord as Busby, Snorkel's assistant
Stephanie Beard as Luisa, a little girl who Roy befriends
Noah Reid as Christopher, a 13-year old boy who Daryl befriends
Ronnie Burkett as Bert, a hobo who Mel befriends
Reception
A review in The Globe and Mail lauded The Santa Claus Brothers for "[using] satire to tell a not-too-heavy-handed lesson about the true meaning of Christmas", saying that "Bedard's touch gives the characters a goofy charm".
Broadcast and Streaming
In addition to the United States, Disney Channel also secured pay broadcast rights to the special in Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia.
In January 2002, Nelvana International secured a European home video deal with British distributor Momentum Pictures.
The film can be viewed in YouTube and Amazon Prime Video.