No Humbug Here! Our 10 Favorite Ebenezer Scrooges From Film & TV
A “squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner” of a character has proven irresistible to film and TV actors for decades, as star after star has taken on the role of Ebenezer Scrooge in screen adaptations of A Christmas Carol.
Some of these filmed versions played it faithful to Charles Dickens’ Victorian-era novella; others transferred the action to contemporary times and even turned Ebenezer into Ebbie, Ebony, or Ebenita. But they all gave a miserable misanthrope a crash course in the Christmas spirit. Here are our favorite portrayals.
10. Susan Lucci as Elizabeth “Ebbie” Scrooge in Ebbie (1995)
Soap opera queen Susan Lucci went from All My Children vixen to Dickensian villain in this Lifetime movie, playing a sharply dressed, sharp-tongued department store owner who sells Christmas but doesn’t buy it. “I gave Santa a pink slip this year to go with his red suit — ho ho ho,” Ebbie gloats at one point.
9. Jim Carrey in A Christmas Carol (2009)
Jim Carrey gave a motion-captured performance as Scrooge — and three ghosts — in this Disney production. Due to 2000s-era CGI limitations, the characters are about as lifelike as those of The Polar Express, another Robert Zemeckis film, but Carrey’s animated performance shines through nevertheless.
8. Cicely Tyson as Ebenita Scrooge in Ms. Scrooge (1997)
When we first meet Cicely Tyson’s character in this USA Network movie, she’s stomping on a quarter to stop a kid from picking the coin up. Ebenita is a loan shark and a louse of a landlord who snarls at anyone who asks for compassion, and Tyson seems to relish the role as much as we enjoy her performance.
7. Scrooge McDuck (Alan Young) in Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983)
Who better to star in Mickey Mouse’s take on the tale than the duck named after Ebenezer himself? Voiced by Alan Young, Scrooge McDuck is as mean as ever, but his Scottish brogue makes him charming nevertheless. (And frankly, it’d be odd if this duck did want to eat the “plump goose with chestnut dressing” Donald offers.)
6. Patrick Stewart in A Christmas Carol (1999)
Patrick Stewart actually performed 35 Christmas Carol characters in a one-man Broadway show in 1991, but in this TNT movie, the Royal Shakespeare Company alum scowls and seethes his way through the starring role. He goes from menacing London youth with is gone to playfully pelting them with snowballs, and we love to see the evolution.
5. Vanessa Williams as Ebony Scrooge in A Diva’s Christmas Carol (2000)
VH1 put a musical spin on the story, with Vanessa Williams playing a famous singer with a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone. We got to see Williams go ruthless pre-Wilhelmina, we got to hear her perform Ebony Scrooge’s pop hits, and we even got a faux Behind the Music episode, thanks to the Ghost of Christmas Future.
4. Bill Murray as Frank Cross in Scrooged (1988)
Bill Murray took a turn for the miserly in this film, playing a network executive who undergoes quite a meta mind-trip while mounting a live Christmas Carol special. And Frank Cross’ transformation is dramatic — he even interrupts his own TV production to beg viewers to put a little love in their hearts.
3. Alastair Sim in A Christmas Carol (1951)
Rewinding the clock, we get what many consider to be the definitive Scrooge portrayal. When faced with requests for charity, Alastair Sim’s Scrooge reacts with exasperation and disgust. When shown the error of his ways and given another chance, he dances a happy jig and giggles about his newfound generosity. Sim-ply a joy!
2. George C. Scott in A Christmas Carol (1984)
After editing the aforementioned 1951 film, Clive Donner directed a 1984 version for CBS, casting George C. Scott as a mutton-chopped Scrooge who cracks up at his own crotchetiness. Whether casting a steely eye at beggars or staring wide-eyed at boggarts, Scott conveys Scrooge’s emotional journey impressively.
1. Michael Caine in The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
As The Muppets adapted the Christmas story, Michael Caine played the cold-hearted main character. And though he shares scenes with frog and pigs, Caine treats the role and his costars with due respect, as any straight man of comedy should. Perhaps he, too, believes “there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.”
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R
The 1970 musical version with Albert Finney is always left out of these lists. And don't forget the Mr. Magoo cartoon version from 1962!
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B
Only Alastair Sim and George C. Scott belong on this list. The others, forget about them. You also forgot the 1938 Christmas Carol with Reginald Owen.
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O
Thank you for including some offbeat movies like the ones with Susan Lucci and Vanessa Williams. They were from back in the day when TV holiday movies were not produced en masse like McDonalds french fries. There was also one with Tori Spelling as a Srooge-y talk show host, probably 20 years ago or so. There's also Henry Winkler in American Christmas Carol, set in (I think) the early 20th century. That one is quite touching also.
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O
1938’s A Christmas Carol with Reginald Owen should have been included. Love the old black and white movies. More realistic.
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O
One of my favorites was An American Christmas Carol with Henry Winkler which doesn't get much love.
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C
Scrooge with Albert Finley is my all time favorite!
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P
Top 3 should be Muppet Christmas, Scrooge! and the George C Scott. Honorable mention to Scrooged.
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