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Drama

The Man in the Santa Claus Suit (1979): Cast & Plot

The Man in the Santa Claus Suit (1979) movie poster

The Man in the Santa Claus Suit is a 1979 drama directed by Corey Allen, starring Fred Astaire as Santa Claus, Gary Burghoff and Tara Buckman. It runs 1 hour 44 minutes.

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Read the plot summary
The Man in the Santa Claus Suit (1979) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 44m (104 min)
Director
Corey Allen
Genre
Drama
Original language
English
Studio
Dick Clark Productions
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Man in the Santa Claus Suit About?

The premise of The Man in the Santa Claus Suit without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A reclusive costume‑shop owner lends a Santa suit to three strangers—a timid math teacher yearning the courage to propose, a down‑and‑out restaurateur on the run from the mob, and a frazzled political speechwriter who arrives with his estranged wife and son. Wearing the red outfit forces each man to confront his hopes and fears, altering their lives in unexpected ways.

The Man in the Santa Claus Suit Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • love triangle
  • poverty and wealth
  • manhattan skyline
  • scene during opening credits
  • new york city
  • santa claus suit
  • outdoor ice skating rink
  • character says merry christmas
  • christmas eve
  • horse drawn sleigh
  • central park manhattan new york city
  • christmas carolers
+38 more
  • homeless man
  • criminal dresses as santa claus
  • reference to scrooge
  • ex vaudevillian
  • reference to astaire and rogers
  • musical number
  • santa claus character
  • santa claus
  • christmas
  • character name in title
  • grandparents
  • twin towers
  • boy in pajamas
  • salvation army
  • rockefeller center
  • cadillac limousine
  • chauffeur
  • car phone
  • reference to copernicus
  • reference to albert einstein
  • reference to isaac newton
  • jeweler
  • engagement ring
  • reference to the hope diamond
  • math teacher
  • fur coat
  • brother sister relationship
  • girl wearing pigtails
  • reference to george washington
  • home invader
  • held at gunpoint
  • marriage proposal
  • father son relationship
  • separated parents
  • aspiring novelist
  • gangster
  • reference to the andrews sisters
  • fashion model
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Cast & crew

The Man in the Santa Claus Suit Cast & Characters

Fred Astaire leads the cast as Santa Claus, with Gary Burghoff as Bob Willis and Tara Buckman as Polly Primer. Directed by Corey Allen; 23 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in The Man in the Santa Claus Suit

· 19 more
Show all 23 cast members
From the director

More from Corey Allen

More films directed by Corey Allen: Moment of Truth: Stalking Back, The Ann Jillian Story, Star Trek: The Next Generation - Encounter at Farpoint and The Last Fling.

Full filmography
Plot

The Man in the Santa Claus Suit Plot Summary

What happens in The Man in the Santa Claus Suit from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

The mysterious owner of a New York City costume store, Fred Astaire, rents Santa suits to three men and then appears in a string of disguises—chauffeur, policeman, jeweler, hot dog vendor, taxi driver, floor walker and choral director—to help them change their lives, weaving a gentle thread of holiday miracles through the city scenery.

Full summary

The whole story of The Man in the Santa Claus Suit, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Man in the Santa Claus Suit?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Which actor plays the mysterious owner of the costume shop who is later revealed to be Santa Claus?
Details

The Man in the Santa Claus Suit Also Known As

Also known as “Un hombre vestido de Santa Claus”.

Also known as
  • Un hombre vestido de Santa Claus

Seen The Man in the Santa Claus Suit?
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Movies Like The Man in the Santa Claus Suit

Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Santa Claus vs. Cupid, Santa Claus: The Movie and Mrs. Santa Claus.

FAQ

The Man in the Santa Claus Suit FAQ: Cast & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of The Man in the Santa Claus Suit, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Man in the Santa Claus Suit?

The Man in the Santa Claus Suit runs 1 hour 44 minutes (104 minutes).

When was The Man in the Santa Claus Suit released?

The Man in the Santa Claus Suit was released on December 23, 1979.

Who directed The Man in the Santa Claus Suit?

The Man in the Santa Claus Suit was directed by Corey Allen.

More films by Corey Allen

Who is in the cast of The Man in the Santa Claus Suit?

The Man in the Santa Claus Suit stars Fred Astaire as Santa Claus, Gary Burghoff as Bob Willis and Tara Buckman as Polly Primer, among 23 credited actors.

Does The Man in the Santa Claus Suit have a post-credit scene?

No. The Man in the Santa Claus Suit has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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