5 Best Movie and TV Santas of All Time Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again. × Search search POPULAR SEARCHES SUGGESTED LINKS Join AARP for just $9 per year when you sign up for a 5-year term. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Leaving AARP.org Website You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply. Close
The Best TV and Movie Santas of All Time
Put the ho ho ho in your holidays with this must-watch list
(Left to right) Edmund Gwenn in "Miracle on 34th Street" and Tim Allen in "The Santa Clause." Bettmann/Getty Images; Buena Vista/Courtesy Everett Collection , in which everyman-turned-Santa Scott Calvin sets out to find his replacement as he nears retirement age. On the other end of the spectrum, Stranger Things star David Harbour takes on the man in red in , a black comedy action thriller in which he helps a wealthy family defend their compound after mercenaries attack on Christmas Eve. Below, see how Allen stacks up against some of our other favorite movie Santas, then check out Violent Night to decide if Harbour belongs on the naughty or nice list. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. The Santa Edmund Gwenn in Miracle on 34th Street 1947
The premise: In this beloved holiday film, Macy’s special events director Doris Walker (Maureen O’Hara) hires a man to play the department store’s Santa Claus after his predecessor is discovered to be drunk during the Thanksgiving Day Parade. The new guy throws a wrench into Doris’ plans when he claims to be the real Kris Kringle, kicking off a sensational trial in which he defends his sanity — and makes those involved in the case question their own beliefs in the magic of Christmas. Gwenn won the best supporting actor Oscar, and Richard Attenborough earned acclaim for taking on the role in the 1994 remake. Why he belongs on the nice list: In a world full of cynics, Kringle manages to restore faith in the hearts of nonbelievers by something as simple as talking to a little girl in Dutch. Watch it: Miracle on 34th Street on , , The Santa Stan Francis in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 1964
The premise: OK, we know the Rankin/Bass special is a seasonal classic, but we have some complaints about this stop-motion Santa: Reindeer bullying runs rampant at his North Pole workshop, and he’s, well, a bit svelte for our liking. (As Mrs. Claus says, “Whoever heard of a skinny Santa?”) The “king of jing-a-ling” does get bonus points for having a catchy musical number with “Jingle Jingle Jingle,” a feisty partner and a keen fashion sense — we’d definitely wear that plaid hunting cap he dons the first time he meets a newborn Rudolph. Entertainment Access curated AARP entertainment articles, essays, videos, films and more See more Entertainment offers > The Santa Tim Allen in The Santa Clause 1994
The premise: After divorced toy salesman Scott Calvin (Allen) accidentally makes Santa fall off his roof on Christmas Eve, he finds a card that says, “If something should happen to me, put on my suit. The reindeer will know what to do.” Although initially skeptical, he suits up and helps finish delivering the toys, before being whisked back to the North Pole, where head elf Bernard (David Krumholtz) fills him in on some legalese: According to the “Santa Clause,” Scott has formally accepted all of Santa’s duties! The film was such a runaway smash that it launched a trilogy and this fall’s upcoming miniseries. Why he belongs on the nice list: In addition to being a magical entity, Scott/Santa is a dedicated father to son Charlie (Eric Lloyd), and he fights for visitation rights when his ex-wife mistrusts his slide into Santadom. Watch it: The Santa Clause on , , New Line Cinema/Courtesy Everett Collection The Santa Ed Asner in Elf 2003
The premise: The late sitcom legend won five Emmys for playing the curmudgeonly Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and his own spin-off series, but he shows off a decidedly jollier side as Santa. When a human baby crawls into Santa’s sack and is accidentally taken back to the North Pole, he’s raised as Buddy the Elf (Will Ferrell, 55) by Papa Elf (Bob Newhart, 93), who works in Santa’s workshop. Asner’s Santa presides over a winter wonderland populated with Rankin/Bass-inspired polar critters, and much like Lou Grant, he seems like the kind of boss who’d make for an excellent mentor. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. , , The Santa Paul Giamatti in Fred Claus 2007
The premise: An Emmy winner for HBO’s John Adams, Giamatti, 55, stepped into the role of another consequential man with white hair and a belly in this heartwarming comedy written by creator Dan Fogelman. When his brother Fred (Vince Vaughn, 52) is arrested for impersonating a Salvation Army worker, Nick invites him up to the North Pole to earn back the money he gives him to make bail. As they make toys in the run-up to the holidays, a supernatural entity efficiency expert named Clyde Northcutt (Kevin Spacey, 63) — who recently canned the Easter Bunny — threatens to shut down the North Pole. Can Fred and Nick save the holiday and deliver toys in time? Why he belongs on the nice list: Much to the chagrin of the cutup Fred, Nick is not only a bringer of joy to millions of children and a literal saint, but he’s also a heck of a nice brother. How annoying. Watch it: Fred Claus on , , Nicholas DeRenzo is a contributing writer who covers entertainment and travel. Previously he was executive editor of United Airlines’ Hemispheres magazine and his work has appeared in the New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, Travel & Leisure, Sunset and New York magazine. MORE FROM AARP AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Restaurants offers > See more Travel Planning offers > See more Flowers & Gifts offers > See more Groceries offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS