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A Christmas Carol Trivia

By Paula Green


“I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year.”

-Charles Dickens ~ A Christmas Carol


Charles Dickens first published the classic holiday tale A Christmas Carol on December 19, 1843. Five days later, the first edition sold out by Christmas Eve. To this day, the novella continues to be a robust seller.


The story chronicles the life of wealthy, cold-hearted Ebenezer Scrooge, who despises Christmas and treats his staff deplorably. Scrooge is shown the errors of his ways when the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come visit him. The spirits show him stories of his past, present, and future. The ghosts also introduce him to people he has neglected such as his clerk, Bob Cratchit, and his nephew, Fred. 


Additionally, the crotchety Scrooge also sees the appearance of the ghost of his deceased business partner Jacob Marley. Spending the frightening evening with four ghosts puts things in perspective for him. As a result, Scrooge changes his surly, spendthrift ways and learns the value of kindness and generosity. 


Under financial pressure, Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol in just six weeks. He wrote the story while taking hour-long nighttime walks around London. Over the years, A Christmas Carol has been retold in various ways, shapes, and forms. We’ll look at some famous Ebenezer-themed tales.  


MGM introduced us to A Christmas Carol, a 1938 film starring Reginald Owens as Ebenezer. Other actors that shined in the role of Scrooge are Seymour Hicks, Alastair Sim, Lionel Barrymore, Michael Caine, Jim Bakus, Albert Finney, George C. Scott, Patrick Stewart, Kelsey Grammar, Bill Murray, Henry Winkler, Guy Pearce, and Jim Carrey.


In the 2009 A Christmas Carol film starring Carrey, there’s a portrait of Charles Dickens hanging on the wall at the Cratchit house. In addition to Scrooge, Carrey also plays the role of the three ghosts: Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet to Come.


A few animated cartoons that launched their versions of A Christmas Carol are Mister Magoo, Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny, and The Flintstones. In the 1997 musical animated film A Christmas Carol, Tim Curry shined as Ebenezer.  

               

Did you know that actress June Lockhart started her career at age 13 when she had a bit-part in A Christmas Carol? June played Belinda Cratchit, and her real-life parents, Gene and Kathleen Lockhart, portrayed Mr. and Mrs. Bob Cratchit.

 

Since we’ve explored the many faces of Scrooge, we must now delve into this Ebenezer query. Bah-humbug! Let’s put on those thinking caps because it’s time to get a little trivial.


1. What is the name of Bob Cratchit’s ailing son who famously says, “God bless us, everyone!”


2. In 1978, this comedian directed and starred in his version of A Christmas Carol on HBO.  

  

3. What was the name of the animated Scrooge show starring Basil Rathborne, Tom Bosley,

and Walter Matthau?

  

4. In the 1979 Looney Tunes animated short, Bug Bunny’s Christmas Carol, who portrays Scrooge?

  

5. Jason Alexander played which character in the 2004 live-action program A Christmas Carol: The Musical?

  

6. What character does Mickey Mouse play in Mickey’s Christmas Carol?

  

7. In 2022, an animated musical fantasy comedy-drama about Ebenezer was released what was it called?

  

8. Name the actor who co-starred in the 2022 movie Spirited with Will Ferrell.

  

9. Who played Scrooge in The Muppet’s Christmas Carol?


10. Scrooged stars Bill Murray as Frank and Karen Allen as his true love Claire. When they were dating, Claire gave Frank this nickname.


11. What time does the Ghost of Christmas Past visit Scrooge?


12. In 2006, Looney Tunes released another Christmas Carol video; this time, Daffy Duck portrays the Scrooge character. What’s it called?


13. What was Ebenezer Scrooge’s occupation?


14. Henry Winkler starred in this 1979 holiday tale.


15. What was the name of Scrooge’s young love?

 


Answers: 1. Tiny Tim 2. Rich Little 3. The Stingiest Man in Town 4. Yosemite Sam 5. Jacob Marley 6. Bob Cratchit 7. Scrooge: A Christmas Carol 8. Ryan Reynolds 9. Michael Caine 10. Lumpy 11. One O’clock (am) 12. Bah, HumDuck! 13. Moneylender 14. An American Christmas Carol 15. Belle



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