100 Fun Facts About The Grinch

What is the name of the Grinch's loyal dog?

Chuck Jones set the dog up as observer and victim, in the mould of Porky Pig opposite Daffy Duck.

Which publisher released the book in 1957?

The manuscript was finished and in the post to the publisher's New York office by mid-May 1957.

Where does the Grinch live?

The book never says where Whoville itself is; Horton Hears a Who! puts it on a speck of dust.

What town do the Whos live in?

The town first appeared three years earlier in Horton Hears a Who!

What happens to the Grinch's heart at the end of the story?

The narrator adds that he then found 'the strength of ten grinches, plus two'.

What does the Grinch dress up as to sneak into Whoville?

The 1966 special frames the raid as a reversal of Santa's visit: same chimney, opposite intent.

Who played the Grinch in the 2000 live-action movie?

Carrey later said he would only return to the role through motion capture after the 'extremely excruciating' makeup.

Complete the opening line of the 1966 special's insult song: 'You're a ___ one, Mr. Grinch'

Seuss wrote the lyrics himself; the singer went uncredited and Seuss later wrote to columnists nationwide to correct the omission.

What is the Grinch's primary color?

He is also pot-bellied, pear-shaped and snub-nosed, with a cat-like face.

What role does the Grinch's dog play in the raid on Whoville?

A single horn tied to the dog's head is the whole disguise.

What does the Grinch carve at the end of the story?

Seuss said the 'roast beast' pun let him end the story without a moral lecture.

Who voiced the Grinch in the 2018 animated film?

Benedict Cumberbatch voiced the Grinch in Illumination's 2018 animated film 'The Grinch,' using an American accent for the role.

In what year was 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas!' first published?

'How the Grinch Stole Christmas!' was first published in 1957 by Random House, the same year Dr. Seuss published 'The Cat in the Hat.'

How old is the little Who girl who catches the Grinch stealing her Christmas tree?

The 2000 film aged her up to six and made her the story's second lead.

What excuse does the Grinch give Cindy Lou Who for taking the Christmas tree?

He then pats her head, gets her a drink and sends her to bed.

What was the real surname of the author who wrote as Dr. Seuss?

Seuss was his mother's maiden name; he added the 'Dr.' as a nod to the doctorate his father had hoped he would earn.

Who narrated and voiced the Grinch in the 1966 animated TV special?

Boris Karloff, famous for playing Frankenstein's monster, both narrated and voiced the Grinch in the classic 1966 animated TV special directed by Chuck Jones.

Who directed the 2000 live-action Grinch movie?

Howard's film grossed about $351 million and won the Oscar for Best Makeup.

In Dr. Seuss's original book, the Grinch's heart is described as how many sizes too small?

Two sizes, which the narrator offers as 'the most likely reason of all' for his mood, ahead of tight shoes and a badly screwed-on head.

Who sang 'You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch' in the 1966 animated special?

He was left out of the credits; Seuss apologised by phone and wrote to columnists nationwide to set the record straight.

How long did the Grinch put up with the Whos' Christmas celebrations before deciding to steal Christmas?

Seuss was 53 himself when he wrote and published the book, and asserted the connection in a 1957 Redbook article.

In the 2000 movie, who plays Cindy Lou Who?

Taylor Momsen, who later became the lead singer of the rock band The Pretty Reckless, played Cindy Lou Who in the 2000 live-action film at age seven.

What animation studio produced the 2018 'The Grinch' film?

The Despicable Me studio's version took $553 million, the most ever for a Christmas film.

What about the Whos' Christmas grates on the Grinch above all?

Ironically it is a sound, the Whos singing without any presents at all, that finally changes his mind.

What is the Grinch's description in the song: 'You have garlic in your ___'?

The same verse says his brain is full of spiders; Jim Carrey sings the number himself in the 2000 film.

Who directed the 1966 animated TV special of 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas!'?

Jones called the Grinch the best Christmas villain since Ebenezer Scrooge and drew more than 1,500 sketches for the special.

In the 2000 film's backstory, what does the young Grinch try to do after being mocked for his hairy face?

The botched shave sends him fleeing to Mount Crumpit; the bully grows up to be the town's mayor.

Read aloud, the book ran only about how many minutes, forcing the 1966 special to add scenes?

The padding included the songs and Max's extended antics on the sleigh run.

In the 2000 live-action film, how old is Cindy Lou Who?

Ron Howard built the film around an expanded role for her after being intrigued by the character in the book.

Over the 2000 shoot, how many days did the star spend in full Grinch makeup?

He complained the suit itched, he could not breathe through the prosthetic nose, and the yellow contact lenses hurt.

What famous character did Thurl Ravenscroft also voice for decades in commercials?

He also sang for Disney attractions such as the Haunted Mansion; the Grinch song went uncredited until Seuss set the record straight.

What other Dr. Seuss book was published in the same year as 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas!'?

Random House published the trade edition of The Cat in the Hat while Houghton Mifflin sold the school edition.

The Grinch's green colour first appeared in which adaptation?

Director and author agreed it was 'the only choice that made sense'.

What was the reported budget of the 2000 live-action Grinch movie?

It was the highest-grossing film of 2000 in North America and stayed at number one for four weekends.

In the 2000 movie, who plays the Mayor of Whoville?

Eight-year-old Augustus, played by Ben Bookbinder, is the bully who drives the young Grinch out of town.

Which magazine printed the story in December 1957, at about the same time the book came out?

The same magazine had run a 1955 Seuss poem, 'The Hoobub and the Grinch', that first used the name.

Most of the Who prosthetics in the 2000 film attached to which part of the actors' faces?

Noses, ears, dentures and wigs completed the Who look; the studio originally wanted its star simply painted green.

In the song 'You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,' the Grinch's heart is described as being full of what?

The verse ends with the three words that best describe him: 'Stink, stank, stunk!'

Who composed the music for the 1966 animated Grinch special?

Hague also acted, playing music teacher Benjamin Shorofsky in the TV series Fame.

How did Rick Baker talk the studio out of simply painting the star green?

Baker went on to win the Oscar for the film, one of seven he has collected.

In the 2018 animated film, what is the name of the Grinch's pet reindeer?

Fred turns out to have a family, so the Grinch lets him go and the dog ends up pulling the sleigh instead.

Dr. Seuss reportedly based the Grinch's appearance on which person?

He said he wrote about 'my sour friend, the Grinch' to see if he could rediscover something about Christmas he had lost.

Which network first aired the 1966 Grinch TV special?

The network gave it a $315,000 budget, more than four times what A Charlie Brown Christmas got.

Which rapper recorded the updated 'You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch' for the 2018 film?

Danny Elfman supplied the orchestral arrangement behind it.

The 2000 film won its only Academy Award in which category?

It was nominated in the other two design categories but lost both.

According to the narration, the Grinch even took the Whos' last can of what?

The Who pudding and the roast beast go the same way, leaving a crumb 'even too small for a mouse'.

What was the worldwide gross of the 2018 animated 'The Grinch' film?

That made it the highest-grossing Christmas film ever, on a $75 million budget.

Grinchmas launched alongside the 2000 film at Universal Studios Hollywood and which other park?

The event has run every holiday season since, with Whoville sets and character meet-and-greets.

In the 2018 film, from whom does the Grinch steal his sleigh?

Bricklebaum is the relentlessly cheerful Who who considers the Grinch his best friend.

In the 2000 movie, what is the name of the Grinch's love interest from his childhood?

Baranski's socialite secretly loathes the mayor who is courting her.

Since Dr. Seuss's book, 'grinch' has entered dictionaries as an informal noun meaning what kind of person?

A killjoy or spoilsport. The name first appeared in 1953's Scrambled Eggs Super and a 1955 Redbook poem before the Christmas story made it famous.

Which actor lent his voice to the Grinch in the 2018 animated movie?

Pharrell Williams narrated that version, which became the highest-grossing Christmas film ever at $553 million.

Whoville had already appeared in which earlier Dr. Seuss book, published in 1954?

In that book the whole town sits on a speck of dust that Horton the elephant places on a clover.

The name 'Grinch' first appeared in which 1953 Dr. Seuss book?

That book was one of six titles the Seuss estate withdrew from publication in 2021; a 1955 Redbook poem then used the name for a fast-talking salesman.

Which mountain does the Grinch live atop, overlooking Whoville?

The book never says where Whoville is; what geography it gives is a several-thousand-foot peak and an overlook just north of town.

By how much does the Grinch's heart grow once he understands Christmas?

The narrator adds that he then found 'the strength of ten grinches, plus two' and hauled the sleigh back from the brink.

Disguised as Santa Claus, how does the Grinch travel down to Whoville?

His dog does the pulling, with a single horn tied to its head to pass as a reindeer.

Besides the presents and the feast food, what large item does the Grinch haul out of every Who house in Whoville?

Even the Christmas tree goes up the chimney. He starts at the first house on the square and works through the whole town before dawn.

How does the Grinch turn his dog Max into a 'reindeer' for the Christmas Eve raid on Whoville?

A single tied-on horn on top of his head does the job for poor Max, a dog 'that no one could like'.

What is the name of the young Who girl who encounters the Grinch during his theft?

She is 'no more than two' in the book; the 1966 special redrew her to look like the Grinch's great-granddaughter, and June Foray voiced her.

What emotion primarily drives the Grinch's initial hatred of Christmas?

The narrator refuses to give a firm reason: maybe his shoes were too tight, maybe his head wasn't screwed on just right.

What popular Christmas dish does the Grinch famously carve at the Whos' feast after his change of heart?

Seuss said the pun let him end the story without preaching; in the 1966 special the first slice goes to the dog.

After stealing everything from Whoville, what does the Grinch expect to hear from the Whos on Christmas morning?

He waits for cries of despair with a hand cupped to his ear, expecting the Whos to sob 'Boo hoo', and instead hears them singing.

Expecting sobs from Whoville on Christmas morning, the Grinch instead heard what?

The carol in the 1966 special is 'Welcome Christmas', written in what the director called 'Seussian Latin' so it would sound as authentic as 'Adeste Fideles'.

What does the Grinch conclude about Christmas after his morning of puzzling?

He 'puzzled and puzzed till his puzzler was sore' before deciding it 'doesn't come from a store'.

What does the Grinch do right after his change of heart?

He then joins the Whos at their table and is handed the carving knife.

After lying about fixing a light, what does the Grinch fetch for Cindy Lou before sending her to bed?

His fib is that a light on the tree won't work, so he is taking it to his workshop to fix.

Which award did the 1966 special's narrator win once the soundtrack went on sale?

The award was for Best Recording for Children; the horror star was chosen for his 'beautiful, rhythmic, caring' reading voice.

Which actor auditioned for the Grinch in the 2000 film but withdrew over a prosthetics allergy?

The eventual star spent 92 days in the makeup and later said he would only return to the role via motion capture.

The 1966 director modelled Max on his own childhood dog, which was what breed?

Jones set Max up as an observer and victim, in the mould of Porky Pig opposite Daffy Duck.

What was the Grinch's primary goal at the beginning of the story?

Under his logic, no presents, no feast and no decorations should mean no Christmas at all.

How does the Grinch get into the Whos' houses?

It is a deliberate reversal of Santa's visit: same entrance, opposite intent.

Which network funded the 1966 special with a $315,000 budget, over four times that of A Charlie Brown Christmas?

Jones and MGM promised Seuss there would be 'no limit of quality' on the animation.

The Grinch strips a Who house bare save one speck of food. What is it?

The narration specifies it was 'even too small for a mouse'.

Where does the Grinch plan to dump the stolen goods from the mountaintop?

He pauses at the summit at dawn to savour the Whos' misery, which is where the plan unravels.

The book is best known as a critique of what?

Seuss said he felt 'very Grinch-ish' looking in the mirror on 26 December 1956 and wrote the story to rediscover what he had lost about Christmas.

In the 2000 film, how many dogs in total played Max?

The lead dog, Kelley, was rescued from a pound by director Ron Howard; the others were clipped and dyed to match.

Which of these is NOT one of the three songs featured in the 1966 animated special?

'Where Are You Christmas?' was written by Mariah Carey, James Horner and Will Jennings for the 2000 film and released by Faith Hill.

Who designed the prosthetic makeup for the 2000 film, which won the Oscar for Best Makeup?

The studio originally just wanted the star painted green; Baker leaked a test video of himself in full Grinch makeup to win them over.

What literary device is Dr. Seuss primarily known for using in his books, including the Grinch story?

One 1957 reviewer said readers are 'swept along by the ebullient rhymes and the weirdly zany pictures'.

At the start of Dr. Seuss's book, how does the narrator measure the Grinch's heart?

Two sizes too small is 'the most likely reason of all' for his hatred of Christmas, the narrator says, ahead of tight shoes.

In the 2000 film, which character is NOT part of the Lou Who household?

Jeffrey Tambor's mayor is the Grinch's childhood bully; Bill Irwin plays the postmaster father and Molly Shannon the mother.

Which voice actress played the little Who girl in the 1966 special?

Foray was uncredited, as was Dallas McKennon as the dog; the narrator did every voice on the later record release.

Who narrates the 2018 animated film The Grinch?

Kenan Thompson and Angela Lansbury are in the cast; Tyler, the Creator recorded a new version of the theme song for it.

The 1966 special's director called the Grinch the best Christmas villain since which character?

Seuss was reluctant to allow an adaptation at all until Jones, a former Army colleague, talked him round.

Who voiced the Grinch in the 1977 prequel special Halloween Is Grinch Night?

It aired on ABC on 28 October 1977 and won an Emmy, though it never matched the original's popularity.

Seuss said he was moved to write the story after spotting 'a very Grinch-ish countenance' where?

It was the morning after Christmas 1956; the book was finished and in the post to Random House by mid-May.

Which Murder, She Wrote star voices Mayor McGerkle in the 2018 animated film?

Rashida Jones voices Cindy Lou's overworked mother Donna, and Kenan Thompson plays the jolly neighbour Bricklebaum.

Which Glee star was the Grinch in 2020's The Grinch Musical Live!?

Matthew Morrison led a musical that began at Minneapolis's Children's Theater Company in 1994 and reached Broadway in 2006, with Denis O'Hare as old Max.

Which studio green-lit the 1982 TV film The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat?

Bob Holt voiced the Grinch in that crossover, which, like Halloween Is Grinch Night, won an Emmy despite not matching the 1966 original's success.

Which actor narrates the 2000 live-action film?

Anthony Hopkins recorded the entire narration in a single day.

Who composed the score for the 2000 live-action film?

Horner, fresh off Titanic, scored the film; Faith Hill sang its big ballad 'Where Are You Christmas?'.

Which SNL alum plays Betty Lou Who in the 2000 film?

Her Betty Lou is locked in a Christmas-lights arms race with neighbour Martha May, played by Christine Baranski.

The 2000 film's Whoville set was built behind which famous Universal backlot set?

Most of Whoville went up on the backlot behind the Bates Motel, a short walk from where Hitchcock shot Psycho.

To help Jim Carrey endure the makeup, producer Brian Grazer hired a veteran of which unit?

Former SEAL Team Six officer Richard Marcinko coached Carrey in techniques for 'enduring torture'.

Who voices Cindy-Lou Who in the 2018 animated film?

Seely had just played Helen Barnum in The Greatest Showman; her Cindy-Lou is on a mission to catch Santa.

Who composed the score for the 2018 animated film?

Elfman, best known for his Tim Burton scores, also scored Illumination's Grinch.

In the 2018 film, what is the only reason the Grinch ever goes into Whoville?

He has eaten through his emergency food supply, which forces the grumpy shopping trip that opens the film.

Who wrote the lyrics to the songs in the 1966 animated special?

Geisel wrote every lyric himself, including all the insults hurled in the Grinch's theme song.

In the 2018 film, what does Cindy-Lou scheme to do with her friends on Christmas Eve?

She wants to ask Santa face to face to help her overworked single mother, Donna.