The Christmas That Almost Wasn't_
"A more wonderful...more magical...more musical entertainment than this - there just isn't!"
Sam Whipple, an attorney in once-upon-a-time-land, is startled to receive a visit from Santa Claus shortly before Christmas. It seems that when he was a child, Sam wrote a letter thanking Santa for the presents he'd received, and offering to return the favor someday. That day is now - a mean old soul named Phineas Prune, who holds the deed to the North Pole, is demanding back rent. Otherwise, he's going to evict Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves and take all the Christmas toys. It's up to Sam and Santa to find a way to pay off Prune and prevent Christmas from being canceled.
Starring
Paul Tripp, Lydia Brazzi, Alberto Rabagliati
Updated Feb 16, 2026
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Year context
The Christmas That Almost Wasn't was released 60 years ago in 1966.
Overview
Sam Whipple, an attorney in once-upon-a-time-land, is startled to receive a visit from Santa Claus shortly before Christmas. It seems that when he was a chil...
The Christmas That Almost Wasn't is a Fantasy, Family film with a runtime of 1h 29m.
CAST (12)
PT
Paul Tripp
Sam Whipple
LB
Lydia Brazzi
Mrs. Claus
Alberto Rabagliati
Santa Claus
Rossano Brazzi
Phineas T. Prune
SF
Sonny Fox
Mr. Prim
Mischa Auer
Jonathan, the Elf Foreman
John Karlsen
Blossom
Salvatore Furnari
Elf
Antonio De Martino
Elf
Adriano Cornelli
Elf
FD
Franco Doria
Elf
AF
Arnaldo Fabrizio
Elf
DETAILS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is The Christmas That Almost Wasn't about?
Sam Whipple, an attorney in once-upon-a-time-land, is startled to receive a visit from Santa Claus shortly before Christmas. It seems that when he was a child, Sam wrote a letter thanking Santa for the presents he'd received, and offering to return the favor someday. That day is now - a mean old soul named Phineas Prune, who holds the deed to the North Pole, is demanding back rent. Otherwise, he's going to evict Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves and take all the Christmas toys. It's up to Sam and Santa to find a way to pay off Prune and prevent Christmas from being canceled.
How long is The Christmas That Almost Wasn't?
The Christmas That Almost Wasn't has a runtime of 89 minutes (1h 29m).
Who stars in The Christmas That Almost Wasn't?
The cast of The Christmas That Almost Wasn't includes Paul Tripp, Lydia Brazzi, Alberto Rabagliati, Rossano Brazzi, Sonny Fox.
What is the rating of The Christmas That Almost Wasn't?
The Christmas That Almost Wasn't has a rating of 2.9 out of 10 based on 31 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (2)
Fantasy
Family