Upcountry History Museum Showcases Holiday Classic With Behind-the-Scenes Close-Ups

It’s a holiday classic that almost didn’t make it from book to screen but for a friendship forged during World War II. In its Southeastern debut, "A Very Grinchy Christmas," the newest exhibition opening Saturday, Nov. 4 at the Upcountry History Museum outlines the backstory of one of the most watched animated made-for-television specials of all time.

Written in 1957, How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Ted Geisel, otherwise known as Dr. Seuss, gave readers the story of the small-hearted creature who “lived just north of Whoville” and vowed to stop Christmas from coming, only to realize at the end that “maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

Though many had wanted Geisel to turn the story into an animated special, it wasn’t until 1966 that he consented when acclaimed animator Chuck Jones made a personal appeal to him. Geisel and Jones had served together during World War II in the U.S. Army’s First Motion Picture Unit, so Geisel entrusted the project to his friend.

Turning the short book into a 25-minute animated special required the gifted animator of Looney Tunes fame to utilize all of his skills to transform characters, backgrounds and scenes into a moving storyline complete with narration, music and color. On Dec.18, 1966, 3.8 million people tuned in to CBS-TV to witness the birth of this transformation from page to small screen.

Featuring over 150 original animation cels, backgrounds and ephemera from private collections, this exhibition illustrates Jones’ approach to adapting the story for the screen as he unleashed a riotous array of vivid colors to depict settings and characters. On display from Saturday, Nov. 4 through Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, "A Very Grinchy Christmas" offers a behind-the-scenes look at the originality of both Geisel’s and Jones’ talents, as well as their combined skills in telling a story about the spirit of giving and the indomitable power of optimism.

The Upcountry History Museum is located at 540 Buncombe St., in Greenville. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m.

For more information, call (864) 467-3100 or visit our website.