76 Fun Facts About Jingle All the Way

Which action star plays Howard Langston, the dad hunting for a Turbo Man doll?

Arnold Schwarzenegger plays Howard Langston, following his earlier comedy leads in Twins, Kindergarten Cop and Junior.

Who plays Myron Larabee, the postal worker competing with Howard for the toy?

Sinbad plays postal worker Myron Larabee; the stand-up comic improvised much of his dialogue, with his co-star ad-libbing replies.

Which actor was originally considered for the role of Myron?

Joe Pesci was originally considered for Myron Larabee; the part went instead to a 6-foot-5 stand-up comic who could physically match the film's star.

What is Turbo Man's catchphrase in the film?

Turbo Man's signature line is 'It's Turbo Time!', heard in his TV show and spoken by the talking doll itself.

Which real US metro area is the film set in?

The film is set in Minneapolis-Saint Paul; it was shot there in spring 1996, with artificial snow dressing the Christmas-time streets.

Who directed Jingle All the Way?

Brian Levant directed Jingle All the Way, his fourth feature; he later made Snow Dogs and Are We There Yet?

Where does the film's title come from?

The title is a line in 'Jingle Bells' — the carol's chorus runs 'Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way'.

Which producer rewrote the script and steered the film to 20th Century Fox?

Chris Columbus produced the film and rewrote the script; he had directed Home Alone and Mrs. Doubtfire for Fox.

Which real toy craze swept US stores the same Christmas the film was released?

Tickle Me Elmo, Tyco's giggling doll, sold out nationwide in late 1996 and shoppers fought over it — a real-life echo of the film's toy hunt.

What delayed Fox project freed up the film's star to make it in early 1996?

Fox's long-delayed Planet of the Apes remake, which the film's producer was to direct with the same star, stalled, and both moved on to Jingle All the Way instead.

Who plays Ted Maltin, the smug neighbour with a crush on Howard's wife?

It was the last film released in Hartman's lifetime, and his third with the film's co-star after Coneheads and Houseguest.

Who plays Howard's wife, Liz Langston?

Rita Wilson plays Liz Langston; Wilson, who is married to Tom Hanks, had appeared in Sleepless in Seattle and Now and Then.

Which child actor plays Jamie Langston, later famous as young Anakin Skywalker?

Jake Lloyd plays Jamie Langston; three years later he was young Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999).

Which TV veteran plays Officer Hummell, the cop who keeps crossing Howard's path?

Robert Conrad plays Officer Hummell; the veteran of 1960s and '70s TV action series had also led Baa Baa Black Sheep.

Who plays the radio DJ running the Turbo Man giveaway contest?

Martin Mull plays the radio DJ; the comic actor had starred as Barth Gimble in the 1977 talk-show parody Fernwood 2 Night.

What must the first caller do to win the radio station's Turbo Man contest?

Howard and Myron both know the answer and race from Mickey's Diner to the station.

Which future WWE giant plays the Giant Santa in the warehouse fight?

Paul 'Big Show' Wight, then wrestling in WCW as The Giant, plays the Giant Santa who squares off with Howard in the warehouse.

Which Saturday Night Live alumnus plays the Mall Santa?

Jim Belushi, an SNL cast member from 1983 to 1985, plays the Mall Santa; he is the younger brother of the late John Belushi.

What is the name of Turbo Man's archenemy, whom Myron dresses up as at the parade?

Richard Moll plays the actor who normally wears the Dementor suit; Booster is Turbo Man's sidekick.

How does Howard end up in the Turbo Man costume at the parade?

He then presents the special-edition doll to Jamie from the float.

What does Jamie ultimately do with the Turbo Man doll?

Jamie gives the doll to Myron for his son, saying he doesn't need it because his own dad is the real Turbo Man.

What is Howard's job?

Howard is a mattress salesman; the film opens with him closing a sale late at the office, which makes him late for Jamie's martial-arts class.

What is the name of the downtown Christmas parade in the film?

The climactic procession is the Wintertainment Parade, a daytime downtown event with a Turbo Man float and a giveaway of a special-edition doll.

Where was the bulk of the climactic parade sequence filmed?

The climactic parade was staged on the Universal Studios Hollywood backlot in Los Angeles, with its street sets dressed as a snowy Minnesota downtown.

Which famous Minnesota shopping centre appears in the film and hosted its world premiere?

The Mall of America appears in the toy-store scenes and hosted the film's world premiere in November 1996, which the film's star attended.

At which real Saint Paul landmark do Howard and Myron hear the radio contest announced?

Mickey's Diner, the landmark art-deco dining-car restaurant in downtown Saint Paul, is where Howard and Myron share coffee and hear the radio contest.

What was the film's production budget, in millions of dollars?

The budget was $75m, a hefty figure for a 1996 comedy; a large share of it went to the star's salary.

Which film was number one the weekend Jingle All the Way opened fourth with $12.1 million?

Star Trek: First Contact topped that weekend with about $30 million, ahead of Space Jam and Ransom; Jingle All the Way took fourth.

What was the $19 million lawsuit Fox lost over the film in 2001 about?

The $19 million verdict came from a copyright suit over a rival Christmas script: a Michigan publisher said Fox copied its submission, but an appeals court overturned it in 2004.

What was the extended director's cut released on DVD in 2007 called?

The 2007 Family Fun Edition DVD carried the extended director's cut, adding several minutes of footage to the theatrical version.

Who starred in the 2014 straight-to-DVD sequel, Jingle All the Way 2?

Larry the Cable Guy stars in Jingle All the Way 2 (2014), a WWE Studios production with wrestler Santino Marella as the rival dad.

Before this film, its director had made which two family hits?

Beethoven (1992) and The Flintstones (1994) were his two earlier family hits; he had started out writing for TV's Happy Days.

Which public figure led the March 1996 Bosnia trip that Myron's actor joined as an entertainer?

Hillary Clinton's March 1996 visit to US troops in Bosnia brought along entertainers including Myron's actor; the trip resurfaced in 2008 over her 'sniper fire' recollection.

Before comedy, what job did Myron's actor do in the US Air Force?

Myron's actor served in the US Air Force as a KC-135 tanker boom operator, refuelling aircraft in flight, before turning to stand-up comedy.

Roughly how much did Jingle All the Way gross worldwide?

Jingle All the Way grossed about $129 million worldwide, roughly $60 million of it in the US and Canada.

How much was Howard's actor reportedly paid for the role?

Howard's actor was reportedly paid $20 million, the same star fee he commanded for Eraser earlier in 1996.

Who wrote the original screenplay after seeing his in-laws queue at dawn for a Power Ranger?

Randy Kornfield wrote the original screenplay; the film's producer then rewrote it, and Kornfield kept the sole writing credit.

Which animal does Howard punch, then share a beer with, at Ted's house?

During his break-in at Ted's house Howard is attacked by Ted's live reindeer; he punches it, then makes peace by sharing a beer with it.

Which musician joined Myron's actor on the March 1996 USO trip to Bosnia?

Sheryl Crow performed for US troops at Tuzla, Bosnia, in March 1996 on the same goodwill trip as Myron's actor.

Who composed the score for Jingle All the Way?

David Newman composed the score; his other 1990s comedy scores include The Sandlot and Matilda.

Which swing band contributed new tracks to the film's soundtrack album?

The Brian Setzer Orchestra, the big band led by former Stray Cats frontman Brian Setzer, cut new swing tracks for the soundtrack album.

What rating did the MPAA give Jingle All the Way?

Jingle All the Way carries a PG rating from the MPAA, pitched as a family comedy for the holiday audience despite its slapstick brawls.

Which martial art is Jamie learning at the class Howard is late for?

Jamie takes karate; the film opens with Howard stuck at work and arriving too late for his son's karate class, the first of many broken promises.

How long before Christmas Eve had Liz first asked Howard to buy the toy?

Liz had asked Howard to buy the doll two weeks earlier; he forgot, and by Christmas Eve every store is sold out.

In the film's final gag, what does Howard realise he has forgotten?

Howard has forgotten a present for Liz: in the film's last moments she asks 'What did you get me?' and his face freezes.

What does Liz catch Howard doing on Christmas Eve, leaving him home alone?

Liz catches Howard trying to take Johnny's doll at Ted's house; disgusted, she leaves for the parade with Ted and the boys while Howard stays behind.

Which Revenge of the Nerds star plays a chain-smoking actor in the sidekick costume?

Curtis Armstrong, Booger in Revenge of the Nerds, plays the jaded, chain-smoking actor inside Turbo Man's sidekick costume who helps Howard suit up.

Which Seinfeld actor, Mickey Abbott on that show, plays Tony the Elf?

Danny Woodburn, Seinfeld's Mickey Abbott, plays Tony the Elf, the pint-sized brawler who takes on Howard in the counterfeit-toy warehouse.

Which Carol Burnett Show veteran plays the actor portraying the President?

Harvey Korman plays the President in the Turbo Man TV show; he won four Emmys on The Carol Burnett Show and was Hedley Lamarr in Blazing Saddles.

The actor inside the real superhero suit later voiced which video-game dragon?

Daniel Riordan, credited as the Turbo Man actor, later voiced Alduin, the World-Eater dragon, in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011).

The actor inside the villain suit was famous as bailiff Bull on which sitcom?

Night Court ran on NBC from 1984 to 1992 with Richard Moll as bailiff Bull Shannon; Moll later voiced Two-Face in Batman: The Animated Series.

Which production company co-produced the film with 20th Century Fox?

1492 Pictures, the producer's company named for the year of his explorer namesake's first Atlantic voyage, co-produced the film with 20th Century Fox.

What is the film's running time?

The theatrical cut runs 89 minutes; the 2007 extended cut stretched it to about 94 minutes.

On what date did the film open in US cinemas?

Jingle All the Way opened in US cinemas on November 22, 1996, the Friday before Thanksgiving, taking about $12 million on its first weekend.

Which of these lines does Howard shout in the film?

Howard barks 'Put that cookie down!' at Ted, who is helping himself to Liz's Christmas cookies; the line became one of the film's most-quoted moments.

What was the title of the rival screenplay at the centre of the copyright lawsuit?

The rival script was 'Could This Be Christmas?', a comedy about a father's Christmas Eve hunt for a hot toy that a Michigan publisher said Fox had copied.

Which company sued Fox claiming the film's idea was stolen?

Murray Hill Publishing, a small Michigan company, claimed Fox lifted the film from a script it owned; a jury sided with it in 2001 before an appeals court reversed.

Which downtown Saint Paul park was a filming location for the parade scenes?

Rice Park, ringed by the Landmark Center, the Saint Paul Hotel and the Ordway Center, stood in for the parade's downtown setting during the Minnesota shoot.

The film's composer is the son of which Hollywood composer?

Alfred Newman, who wrote the 20th Century Fox fanfare and scored more than 200 films, was the father of the film's composer and of Thomas Newman.

Before the film, Jamie's actor played Jimmy Sweet on which TV series?

Jamie's actor played Jimmy Sweet in a 1996 recurring role on NBC's ER, the hospital drama then in its second season.

Myron's actor lettered in which sport at the University of Denver?

Myron's actor played basketball at the University of Denver on an athletic scholarship before joining the Air Force.

Officer Hummell’s actor played a gadget-toting Secret Service agent in which 1960s series?

On The Wild Wild West (CBS, 1965–69) Hummell's actor played Secret Service agent James West and did most of his own stunts.

The DJ's actor was simultaneously playing Leon Carp, the boss, on which sitcom?

Leon Carp was a recurring character on ABC's Roseanne from 1991 onward, first as Roseanne's boss and later her business partner in the Lunch Box diner.

The film's Saint Paul eatery was prefabricated in which state and shipped there by rail?

New Jersey's Jerry O'Mahony Diner Company built the dining car in 1937 and shipped it by rail to Saint Paul, where it opened in 1939.

The mall that hosted the premiere sits in which Minnesota city?

The mall sits in Bloomington, a suburb south of Minneapolis, on the former site of Metropolitan Stadium, the Twins' and Vikings' old home.

How does the mall toy store decide who gets to buy a scarce doll?

The toy-store manager runs a lottery of numbered bouncing balls, flinging them into the crowd — each ball wins the right to buy one doll — and the shoppers stampede for them.

The 1983 shopping riots that inspired the premise were over which toy?

Cabbage Patch Kids sparked store stampedes in late 1983; Milwaukee DJs even joked a B-29 would drop the dolls on County Stadium, and fans turned up with catcher's mitts.

Who directed the 2014 sequel?

Alex Zamm directed Jingle All the Way 2; he had already directed its star in Tooth Fairy 2 (2012), another direct-to-video sequel.

What is the must-have toy in the 2014 sequel?

Harrison the Talking Bear is the sequel's sold-out toy, which the dad and his daughter's wealthy stepfather race each other to find.

In the sequel, what is the name of the main character's young daughter?

The daughter is Noel; the sequel's toy hunt is her divorced dad's bid to outdo her wealthy new stepfather at Christmas.

Ted's actor's final theatrically released film, out after his death, was which?

Small Soldiers, Joe Dante's 1998 comedy about toy soldiers run amok, came out weeks after his death and is dedicated to his memory.

Liz's actress also appeared in which other 1996 film, directed by her husband?

That Thing You Do! (1996), Tom Hanks's directing debut about the one-hit Wonders, gave Liz's actress a small role; she married Hanks in 1988.

The Giant Santa's actor went on to play Captain Insano in which 1998 comedy?

In The Waterboy (1998) he played Captain Insano, the TV wrestler idolised by Adam Sandler's Bobby Boucher; he later headlined WWE Studios' Knucklehead (2010).

The Mini Santa's actor began as a stunt double for which infant character?

Verne Troyer's first film job was stunt-doubling Baby Bink in Baby's Day Out (1994), three years before Men in Black and five before Austin Powers fame.

What are Howard and Myron reminiscing about over coffee when the radio contest airs?

Over coffee they swap stories of their childhood Christmases and the toys their own fathers failed to deliver, until the radio contest sends them racing off.

What was the director's first feature film?

Problem Child 2 (1991) was his feature debut after years in sitcoms; the sequel reunited John Ritter and Michael Oliver as Ben and Junior.