The Christmas Star Review: Ed Asner Wears the Red Suit Like a Legend
My Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 4.5/5
A convict in a Santa suit.
Two kids who believe with their whole hearts.
A pile of stolen money hidden somewhere in a department store.
And only a few days left until Christmas.
Welcome to our The Christmas Star Review. This 1986 Disney television movie stars the great Ed Asner as Horace McNickle, a crusty counterfeiter who breaks out of prison dressed as Santa Claus. It first aired on December 14, 1986.
After the homemade chaos of our last holiday review, this one is a welcome breath of fresh, snowy air. It has a real script, a real cast, and a real heart.
Most of all, it has Ed Asner. He did a great job here, and he carries this movie like a sack full of toys.
The Christmas Star blends a crime caper, a family comedy, and an old fashioned Christmas fable. It is a little rough around the edges, the way TV movies of the era often were. But it is warm, funny, and surprisingly moving.
This The Christmas Star Review stays spoiler free. The best gifts in this one are worth unwrapping on your own.
The Christmas Star Review: A Santa Suit and a Great Escape
Horace McNickle is a two time felon serving time for counterfeiting. He is only about six months from parole.
But Horace has unfinished business. Years ago, he pulled a job at Worthington’s department store. The money was never recovered.
Horace believes the loot is still hidden inside the store’s big holiday display. There is just one problem. That display is about to be given away after Christmas.
So Horace makes his move. Thanks to his snowy white beard and round, jolly build, he slips out of prison in a Santa suit.
Outside the walls, it is Christmastime, and there are Santas on every corner. A runaway Santa blends right in.
Horace soon ends up hiding in a city neighborhood. That is where two young kids, Billy and Trudy Jameson, spot him.
They do not see an escaped convict. They see Santa Claus.
Horace is happy to play along. He needs help, and these kids will do just about anything for Santa. Before long, the children are helping him hunt for the hidden money, with no idea what they are really doing.
Meanwhile, the detective who put Horace away years ago is pulled off his holiday break to bring him back in.
Where it all goes from there stays under the tree.
Ed Asner Owns the Movie
Let’s get this out of the way. This is Ed Asner’s movie, and he is wonderful in it.
Asner was already a television legend by 1986. He made his name as gruff newsman Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. He then carried the character into his own dramatic series, Lou Grant.
Along the way, he won seven Primetime Emmy Awards. That is more than any other male performer in the history of the Emmys.
In The Christmas Star, Asner uses that famous gruffness perfectly. Horace is grumpy, sarcastic, and selfish. He is a crook, and he does not pretend otherwise.
Yet Asner never lets him become a cartoon villain. You can see a twinkle under the scowl, even early on. That makes his slow change feel believable.
Watch his face when the kids share their Christmas hopes with him. Asner says a lot without saying a word. It is a masterclass in quiet television acting.
And yes, he looks the part. With that beard and that build, it is easy to see why two kids might mistake him for the real thing.
This role kicked off a long Christmas career for Asner. He later starred in Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus and played Santa himself in The Story of Santa Claus. Many younger viewers know him as Santa in Elf, or as Carl Fredricksen in Pixar’s Up.
Ed Asner passed away in 2021 at age 91. Watching him here is a lovely reminder of what a gift he was.
The Cast: A Neighborhood Full of Characters
Asner gets terrific support from a cast full of familiar faces.
Fred Gwynne plays Waters, the police detective who sent Horace to prison years earlier. Waters just wants to spend Christmas at home with his family. Gwynne is forever Herman Munster to classic TV fans. Movie lovers also know him as Judge Chamberlain Haller in My Cousin Vinny.
René Auberjonois plays Mr. Sumner, a heartless landlord who is evicting families right before Christmas. Auberjonois was a master at playing prickly characters. TV fans know him as Clayton on Benson and Odo on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He also voiced the frantic Chef Louis in Disney’s The Little Mermaid.
Nicolas Van Burek plays Billy Jameson, the hopeful boy who never doubts that Santa is real.
Vicki Wauchope plays Trudy Jameson, Billy’s little sister and a devoted My Little Pony collector. She is a scene stealer.
Jim Metzler plays Stuart Jameson, and Karen Landry plays Clara Jameson, the kids’ parents.
Alan North plays Captain Whittaker. Comedy fans will recognize North as Captain Ed Hocken from the cult TV series Police Squad!
Susan Tyrrell appears as Sara. Tyrrell earned an Oscar nomination for the boxing drama Fat City.
Philip Bruns plays Lucky, and Zachary Ansley plays John Sumner, the landlord’s son.
The adult cast is full of pros, and it shows. Even small roles feel lived in.
Behind the Scenes of a Disney Christmas
The Christmas Star was directed by Alan Shapiro. He also co wrote the teleplay with Carol Dysinger, from a story by Shapiro.
Shapiro already had Disney television experience. He directed Tiger Town in 1983, the Disney Channel’s very first original movie.
The film was produced by Shapiro and Jeffrey White. It was a co production between Canada and the United States, with Walt Disney Television and Lake Walloon Productions behind it.
The original score came from Ralph Burns. Burns was a heavyweight, having won Oscars for his work on Cabaret and All That Jazz. He mixes his own music with familiar holiday tunes to give the film a warm seasonal glow.
The movie premiered on a Sunday night in December 1986. Families gathered around the set for Disney’s television films back then. For many viewers, The Christmas Star became a seasonal memory.
Walt Disney Home Entertainment released it on DVD on September 7, 2004.
A Christmas Caper With a Heart of Gold
What makes The Christmas Star special is the way it mixes genres.
On the surface, it is a heist story. Horace wants his money, and he is willing to use a couple of trusting kids to get it. That premise is a bit darker than you might expect from Disney.
But underneath, it is a classic Christmas transformation tale. Think of Ebenezer Scrooge, then give him a prison record and a Santa suit.
Horace makes promises to the kids that he has no intention of keeping. The longer he spends with them, the harder those promises become to ignore.
The neighborhood around them is struggling, too. A greedy landlord is pushing families out right before the holiday. That gives the story real stakes and a strong sense of right and wrong.
There is also a memorable change of heart sequence that feels almost dreamlike. It is one of the most striking moments in the film, and it stays with you.
The movie never gets preachy. It lets the message sneak up on you, the way the best Christmas stories do.
Humor and Holiday Spirit
The Christmas Star is often very funny.
Much of the humor comes from Horace trying to stay grumpy while the kids treat him like the real Santa. They trust him completely. They expect miracles.
Asner’s reactions are priceless. Horace has to keep the act going like a con man thinking on his feet. Which, of course, he is.
Fred Gwynne adds his own dry comedy as the weary detective. Waters has finally earned a Christmas off, and now he is chasing a fugitive Santa through the city. Gwynne plays his frustration beautifully.
There is a dog subplot, too, which adds both sweetness and a little sadness. Keep the tissues handy.
Underneath the laughs, the holiday spirit runs strong. Lights, carols, and department store displays fill the frame. It feels like Christmas from start to finish.
Why 1980s TV Christmas Movies Still Work
There is something special about holiday movies made for television in the 1980s.
They were built for one night only. Families planned around the broadcast, made popcorn, and watched together. If you missed it, you might have to wait a whole year for the rerun.
That gave these movies a different kind of weight. They were events, not background noise.
Many of them also relied on veteran actors rather than flashy effects. Stories were simple, dialogue did the heavy lifting, and the message came through loud and clear.
The Christmas Star is a perfect example. There are no big explosions or digital snowstorms. There is just a great actor, a clever premise, and a whole lot of heart.
Today, collectors hunt down old VHS tapes of these broadcasts, sometimes complete with original commercials. Those tapes are little time capsules of 1980s Christmas, from the toys to the sweaters to the shopping mall decorations.
Watching The Christmas Star now feels a bit like opening one of those time capsules. The fashions are dated and the pace is gentler. But the feeling holds up beautifully.
If you grew up with Sunday night Disney movies, this one may bring back a flood of happy memories. If you did not, it is a charming window into how families used to celebrate the season on screen.
Where It Stumbles
No movie is perfect, and The Christmas Star has a few lumps of coal in its stocking.
The plot leans heavily on coincidence. Obstacles pop up right when the story needs them, and solutions arrive just in time.
The production values are clearly made for television. Some sets look a little stagey, and the budget shows in places.
Some of the child performances are big and broad, in classic 1980s fashion. A few viewers may find them over the top.
Fred Gwynne is terrific, but he deserved more screen time.
And the ending leans sweet. If you are allergic to sentiment, you may roll your eyes once or twice.
But these are small complaints. The heart of the movie is strong enough to carry it right past them.
Is The Christmas Star Worth Watching?
Absolutely. This is one of the underrated gems of 1980s holiday television.
It is a perfect pick for families. The story is clean, the humor is gentle, and the message is timeless. Kids will love the idea of finding Santa in the neighborhood. Adults will appreciate Asner’s layered performance.
Fans of classic TV will have a blast spotting familiar faces. Lou Grant, Herman Munster, Odo, and Captain Hocken all in one Christmas movie? That is a holiday treat.
It also fits beautifully alongside classics like Miracle on 34th Street and A Christmas Carol. It shares their belief that kindness can change even the hardest heart.
If you only know Ed Asner as Santa from Elf, this film shows what he could do with a full leading role.
The Kilroy Verdict on The Christmas Star
The Christmas Star is a warm, funny, and genuinely touching holiday film.
What works best is simple. Ed Asner gives one of his finest television performances. He makes Horace gruff, funny, and lovable, often in the same scene.
The supporting cast adds plenty of flavor. Fred Gwynne and René Auberjonois are always a pleasure, and young Vicki Wauchope steals every scene she can.
The story balances crime caper fun with real Christmas heart. Ralph Burns’ music and the holiday city setting wrap it all up with a bow.
What could have been better? A tighter script, fewer coincidences, and more Fred Gwynne would have pushed it even higher.
Still, the recommendation is easy. Put The Christmas Star on your December watch list. Gather the family, make some cocoa, and let Ed Asner work his magic.
Final Thoughts 4.5/5
This one earns a 4.5 out of 5 from Kilroy. Wrapping up this The Christmas Star Review, it is clear this little Disney TV movie deserves far more love than it gets. Ed Asner did a great job, and he turns a simple premise into something special.
“Ed Asner shines in a wonderful, warmhearted Christmas caper that families will treasure.”
ML Lamp, Kilroy Was Here Shop
It is funny without being silly and sweet without being syrupy. Most of all, it believes that the Christmas spirit can find anyone, even a counterfeiter on the run.
After a season of killer toys and puppet aliens, this one feels like coming home for the holidays.
So this December, if a gruff old Santa turns up in your basement, hear him out. He just might be the real thing.
