User Reviews

This was my father's last role before he died in December 1978. He was very ill when this was filmed and actually died before it was originally aired. I believe he died and it was aired the night before his funeral. I would love to obtain a VHS copy of this presentation. There is a story he and good friend Strother Martin traded roles at the last minute so that Chill could use the janitor's broom to hold himself up. He would never stop working or admit he was to sick to work. I don't remember much of the story because of the situation I was in. I do remember Chill flying to Denver to film this. He was in and out of the Motion Picture Hospital during this time.

Well, I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only person who was delighted by the movie and disgusted that copies aren't readily available. If anyone finds a source please alert me as well. I watched it, was enchanted, waited to see it offered again over the years, and I am annually disappointed. I was at a Christmas gathering today and one of the questions asked of each individual at the party was, "What is your favorite Christmas movie"? I replied "Stubby Pringle's Christmas". Nobody else at the party had seen or heard of this movie. I can't believe that it wasn't popular enough to be released every holiday season. In fact it isn't even listed at google under "movies starring Beau Bridges" !

"Stubby Pringle's Christmas" is a special made for television back in 1978 and if you want to see it, it's been posted to YouTube. It stars Beau Bridges as Stubby as well as Julie Harris. It's set in the American west (probably around Wyoming or Montana) back in the late 19th or early 20th century.

When the story begins, ranch hand Stubby Pringle is talking to the other workers on the ranch (Strother Martin and Edward Binns) about a Christmas party he's going to that night. It seems that last year, he saw a girl at the dance and he's been smitten with her ever since. And, he's excited about seeing her, as he's bought her a box of chocolates.

On the way to the dance, Stubby comes upon a woman in the woods chopping wood (Harris). She's obviously not particularly good at doing this and kind-hearted Stubby offers to chop wood for her after he learns the woman's husband is ill. He later learns that the family is very poor and the lady's kids won't have much of a Christmas...so he takes it upon himself to ensure that they do

This is a sweet tale of self-sacrifice and kindness...the sort of very sentimental picture they seem to rarely make any more. Very well made and very much worth your time.

This movie impressed me so much as a young college student with its message of selfless concern for others. His (Stubby's) only concern was for the happiness and welfare of his friends in the bunkhouse, a family of total strangers, and the woman he never got to meet. Not once did he think of himself, nor express sorrow or regret at missing his long-awaited date with the woman of his dreams. Indeed, his last thought at the dance was for his crusty old bunkmate with a sweet tooth. This is such an outstanding example of the spirit of Christmas in an everyday world that it boggles my mind that it CANNOT be found on the video shelves, for sale OR rent. I've searched for years and scoured the TV Christmas specials with no success. Please, whoever has the power to control such things, MAKE IT AVAILABLE!!!

What a wonderful movie, too bad that it is not available for people like me who have tried to get a copy of it for over 20 years. I saw the movie in 1978 and have looked for it ever since! With so much garbage on television and in the theaters these days, what a treat it would be to be able to share this movie with my children and grandchildren. To be this devoted to a movie I have only seen one time and searching for it for more than 20 years, you can be assured I was impressed!

My husband and I were enjoying a wonderful Christmas in 1984. It was wonderful because our "special" little daughter age 2 and born with severe problems was able to be home with us. Her other Christmas' were spent at Primary Children's Medical Center. It was quite late and we were setting up our oldest daughter's Santa Claus gifts, when we started watching this wonderful movie. We were extremely moved by this movie and now, hind sight being 20/20 vision, wished we would have thought to tape it. I think it's a shame that this movie can't be shared with everyone on a regular basis because in my opinion it's right up there with "It's a wonderful Life" which seems to be the only older Christmas movie that the networks seem to be able to find. I have searched all the various cable and local channels each holiday season to see if it will magically appear, but to my disappointment it never does. We just found this web-site last night because once again, we thought about it and expressed our desire to see it again. I don't understand why it hasn't aired again - at least to my knowledge it hasn't, and I would love to have it in our video collection. It would be nice to show our children what "quality" Christmas movies are - because each year they get more rare. If someone has the power - please contact whomever has the ability to make this movie available. Thank you for creating this web-site.

Mrs. Shaw

Like others before me I saw this beautiful movie alone in 1978. I have searched for years to find a way to get a copy and encourage replaying it at the Christmas season. It was the most enchanting movie in the best Hallmark tradition of unselfishness and the best of human nature. I've enjoyed all the comments from random people out there who years ago experienced this movie. When I first saw this movie in 1978 I was a newly married young woman over half my lifetime ago. Now 27 years later and nearing 60 with two grown children I look back on that night near Christmas when I first saw "Stubby". I wish this year as every year since that I could watch with my family and close friends.

Just as a few others have commented, this Christmas special made a big impact on me when I saw it in 1978. Not available on video, it is a shame it is not shown every year with the other traditional Christmas movies. There is a lot of talent associated with it. In addition to the talent of the two main players Beau Bridges and Julie Harris, some great character actors make brief appearances - Strother Martin, Kim Hunter, Chill Wills and Edward Binns. This movie aired on December 17, 1978 on NBC.

There is more true Christmas spirit in this movie than in anything else I've ever seen. It really is as good as the ratings indicate.

I saw this show, I believe, back in the early 1980s and something about it stuck with me. I've never been able to find it again, or until recently, even mention of it. At the time I watched it alone, and have always wanted to share it with my family. Everybody keep there eyes open in case it turns up.

I have also been waiting for 22 years for Stubby Pringle's Christmas to be re-released to television or made available on video. It is the best Christmas show ever made as far as I am concerned. Along with the other comments made by others on this website, I would like to jog memories and ask if you recall how Old Hollander was obsessed with the wish for "just one piece of chocolate for an old man at Christmas time". Stubby had a box full but it was to give to the girl at the dance. I fear that this production may be one of the kind that gets tied up with ownership disputes or other legal problems and may never be released. I hope I am wrong. Glen-Warren Productions,Ltd. is probably a Canadian company but I am unable to find it on internet searches or the Gates Bros either. Let's all keep searching. Paul S.

Sorry, but I obviously did not return to the IMDb site in quite a while. I apologize as if I had, I would have answered these posts much sooner. I was able to obtain a copy of Stubby Pringle's Christmas from a person nice enough to make me a copy. I in turn made copies for several people, but don't recall who they were. If you still want a copy of the film let me know. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Update: December 2010 Almost that time of year again to watch "Stubby Pringle's Christmas". Still think it's one of the best films made to portray the meaning of the season. This film is beautiful.

I first read the short story version of "Stubby Pringle's Christmas" in a discontinued school anthology in study hall in the 1960s. I soon forgot the title and author's name, but I never forgot the story. Then, in 1978, I was staying home from church one Sunday morning because my one-year-old daughter was ill. While looking for something inspirational on television, I found "Stubby Pringle's Christmas" being televised that morning, and immediately I recognized it as the short story I had read in high school. In time I forgot the exact wording of the title, but I remembered the story and most of the cast.

More than 20-years later, I recalled the story and cast but still could not remember the exact title. In desperation, I wrote to the publicists of Beau Bridges and Julie Harris to ask if they could tell me more about the film and if they would encourage someone to make it into a DVD and a holiday classic to air on TV every Christmas. I never received a reply.

At last I asked an area librarian to look for the story and film. She had a directory of story plots, through which one could find titles and authors. She found it for me, and I never again will forget the title, "Stubby Pringle's Christmas," or the author's name, Jack Schaefer.

The librarian was astonished that I had read the story in a high school anthology so long ago. According to her records, the story had been published in Boys Life magazine in 1955 and then in book form, which she was able to find for me. Her records did not mention any publication in a school anthology in the late 1950s to early 1960s or the 1978 film version.

I have enjoyed reading other contributors' touching remarks about the story and its special meaning to each of them. To me, it is a heartwarming western story of 1880 Montana, and yet it is much like "The Gift of the Magi," which O'Henry set in the same era in New York City. Both stories convey the same message: "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

I agree that this film should be televised each Christmas and that it should be available on DVD.

We really loved this movie and consider it one of the best Christmas movies. Stubby worked on a ranch and met a girl at a dance. He knew she wanted some calico to make a dress so he saved up the money and sent away for the material to give to her. The story is about all of the situations he encounters on his ride to give her the present on Christmas Eve.

Finally, after the first and only time I watched Stubby Pringle's Christmas way back in December 1978, I was able to watch it again tonight. Thank you Nathan Mass who actually posted it on YouTube on December 24, 2015. And the good news is, even after 41 years, it's as good as I remember it! Here's the link, so sit back and enjoy timeless (and very rare) Christmas classic.

This movie is what the true meaning of christmas really is. We have been looking for years for a copy. Can anyone help? The networks are really missing out by not showing this touching story of a cowboy who goes out of his way to help a down and out family on christmas eve. Please, help me find a copy.

A small cast appears in this TV Christmas special movie of just under one hour. It's a Western in that it was set in the West, probably around the turn of the 20th century. Based on a short story by Jack Schaefer, this is a film, as others have noted, about the real meaning of Christmas.

Beau Bridges plays Stubby Pringle, Julie Harris is Georgia Henderson, Edward Binns is Red, Strother Martin is Old Hollander, Kim Hunter is Mrs. Harper, and Chill Wills is the janitor. All are very good in their roles that bring this Christmas-time film to life. Well worth watching and a movie to own and bring out for the holidays. It's just different enough from other Christmas films – and good enough -- that it has a place in my film collection. An excellent film for family about unselfishness, kindness and consideration of others before oneself.

I saw this as a kid with my parents and we all loved it. We have all tried to find it EVERYWHERE and have never seen it replayed on TV. It was a long time ago, and I don't remember a lot of details, but this was a warm, family Christmas movie that really touched our hearts. I would purchase a copy in DVD or VHS if it were available. We need more family fare that is GOOD.

The value of a well made movie with a timely message. May the powers to be value showing it every year during the Christmas season like they do for It's A Wonderful Life. Not sure when this aired on our local tv, but I believe there was a brief scene when an old man is shaved with an electric razor by a younger man while the old man is in the hospital, or nursing home. Later in life, when I returned home to care for my Dad, I would shave him, and bath him when he could no longer care for himself. Dad had advancing dementia. He always gave me a loving look of gratitude throughout each day as I guided him along. Now he walks with Jesus in heaven as I miss him everyday. God Willing we will be together again someday.

Again, may this move be released to encourage others to care unconditional for others.