Danny Kaye

Here Comes Peter Cottontail (1971), starring Danny Kaye, Vincent Price, Paul Frees

Editorial review of  Here Comes Peter Cottontail courtesy of Amazon.com

 Have you ever wished for a classic Easter special to show your kids? Here Comes Peter Cottontail is a Rankin & Bass production that bears a marked similarity to the beloved Santa Claus Is Coming to Town. Narrator Seymour S. Sassafrass, voiced and sung by Danny Kaye, takes young viewers on a tour of the mythical April Valley and relates the story of how Peter Cottontail almost failed in his quest to become Chief Easter Bunny. Sassafrass peers into his magic egg, and viewers are introduced to Peter Cottontail–a spunky, ingenious young rabbit who is boastful, is prone to fibbing, and lacks a sense of responsibility.

In order to become Chief Easter Bunny, Peter Cottontail must defeat the evil Irontail (Vincent Price) in a contest to deliver the most eggs on Easter Sunday. Through his trials, Peter Cottontail discovers the value of ingenuity, the importance of placing duty before pleasure, and the folly of self-conceit. Here Comes Peter Cottontail features catchy songs, great 1970s stop-motion animation, and a fun Easter tale. Parents will find themselves reminiscing over holidays gone by or wondering how they missed this show in their own childhood. The 2 and up crowd will be begging for another showing long after the Easter candy is a distant memory