The Mean ol' Grinch from Dr Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas Courtesy of Linda Jones.

On December 18, 1966,38 million people tuned in to CBS-TV to witness the birth of what would become one of the most watched holiday specials in the history of American television--Dr.Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas. It was a show that was to become a vivid part of my TV watching childhood. I was troubled by the mean ol' Grinch who was trying to stop Christmas Day and felt sorry for his cute little dog, Max, who endured his cruelties. Yet, the Grinch taught me a valuable lesson, at an early age, that Christmas was not about the most presents I could get, but the amount of love I carry in my heart and about giving it to others.

And here we are 30 years later celebrating the Grinch's anniversary at a benefit to raise funds for the Motion Picture and Television Fund, the service organization designed to promote the well-being of the entertainment community. It was a natural choice for Chuck Jones, who has been an intimate supporter of the Fund since the 30s, through his good friend Roger Mayer, who is the Chairman of the Fund's Board of Trustees.

Chuck Jones and veteran animator Maurice Noble.

Old Friends Celebrating 30 Years
At the Four Seasons Hotel in Newport Beach, California, the evening's supporters cocktailed around a silent auction while soaking in an array of original artwork from the show. Patrons were then were welcomed to Whoville with the merriment of the Southern California Children's Chorus singing "Welcome Christmas" along with a festive feast and tribute to our old friend "The Grinch."

The event's attendance was a clear indication that to this day it is a classic favorite among many. Seeing dear friends gathered together reminiscing on how it all came about was the sparkle of the evening--Chuck Jones (director), Linda Jones, Roger Mayer (President, Turner Entertainment Company), June Foray (voice of Cindy Lou Who), Albert Hague (composer), Maurice Noble, Phil Roman (lead animators), and narrator Boris Karloff's daughter, Sara.

Animating the Book
Translating Dr. Seuss' book into animation was not a easy as it looks. With great tenacity and a little charm, director and co-producer, Chuck Jones, had finally convinced his old friend Ted Geisel to give him a shot at How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Linda Jones commented, "Ted Geisel and my father were always fans of each other's work. Ted was reluctant to have anyone animate his books, so he wanted it done carefully and well." Chuck Jones and Ted Geisel first met doing the Private Snafu cartoons about a goof-up soldier made by Warner Bros. for the Army between 1943 and 1945. Linda remembers as a little girl that Helen and Ted Geisel became devotedly attached to her because they had no children of their own. Linda recalled that, "At the age of 10, I would color with my crayons all over dedicated Dr. Seuss books, not realizing that at the time these books were first editions."