1982 From TV Times : A snowman comes alive on Christmas Eve and treats the little boy who built him to an incredible adventure. That's the story behind an animated film called The Snowman which has it's first public showing on Channel Four on Christmas Sunday.
The 25 minute film was based on a picture book by Raymond Briggs and was made by London-based animators TVC, the company responsible for the Beatles cartoon Yellow Submarine. It took 100 people some 10 months to finish.
The Snowmanwas due to be released in British cinemas as support film to Steven Spielberg's current blockbuster E.T. , until the American director decided the two stories were too alike for comfort.
In The Snowman, there is no dialogue and just one song, which accompanies the highlight of the film, a flying sequence in which the little boy and the snowman travel to the North Pole to visit Santa Claus.
Producer John Coates explains : "Spielberg saw the film shortly before it was completed. He liked it very much but felt the story bore too many similarities to E.T."
Now Coates hopes The Snowmanwill compete for an Academy Award in the Best Animated Film category following a cinema release next year. Victory would be a fitting end to TVC's Silver Anniversary, for Coates was a founder partner of the company back in 1957.
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The Snowmanwas first shown on Channel 4 in 1982 and 1983 , then shown every year from 1985 to date.
1982 Christmas Sunday (26th December) 6.15pm 1983 Thursday 29th December 7.30pm 1984 Not Shown 1985 Christmas Eve 6.30pm 1986 Christmas Day 5.50pm 1987 Christmas Day 5.25pm 1988 Christmas Day 5.30pm 1989 Christmas Day 5.30pm 1990 Christmas Day 6.00pm 1991 Christmas Day 5.25pm 1992 Christmas Day 6.20pm 1993 Christmas Day 4.25pm 1994 Christmas Day 7.00pm 1995 Christmas Day 6.30pm 1996 Christmas Day 12.55pm 1997 Christmas Eve 5.15pm 1998 Christmas Eve 4.30pm 1999 Boxing Day 4.10pm 2000 Christmas Eve 3.55pm 2001 Christmas Eve 4.45pm 2002 Christmas Eve 3.10pm 2003 Christmas Eve 2.20pm 2004 Christmas Day 2.30pm 2005 Christmas Day 2.30pm 2006 Christmas Day 2.30pm 2007 Christmas Eve 1.50pm 2008 Christmas Eve 3.00pm 2009 Christmas Eve 1.35pm 2010 Christmas Eve 1.20pm 2011 Christmas Day 2.30pm 2012 Sunday 23rd December 6.25pm 2013 Sunday 22nd December 6.25pm 2013 Christmas Day 1.40pm 2014 Tuesday 23rd December 7.30pm 2014 Christmas Day 12.45pm 2015 Christmas Eve 7.40am & 4.55pm 2015 Christmas Day 12.40pm 2016 Saturday 18th December 4.10pm 2016 Christmas Eve 4.45pm 2016 Christmas Day 11.50pm
In 2012 Channel 4 started showing a sequel to The Snowman entitled The Snowman and the Snowdog.
The Snowman and the Snowdog
2012 Christmas Eve 8.00pm 2012 Christmas Day (Repeat) 1.55pm 2013 Christmas Eve 7.30pm 2013 Christmas Day 2.10pm 2014 Christmas Eve 7.55pm 2014 Christmas Day 1.20pm 2015 Christmas Eve 5.25pm 2015 Christmas Day 1.15pm 2016 Christmas Eve 5.15pm 2016 Christmas Day 4.55pm
CHANNEL 4 HAVE NOW STARTED SHOWING THESE SEVERAL TIMES IN THE BUILD UP TO CHRISTMAS AND THEN AGAIN ON CHRISTMAS EVE, FOR THIS REASON i WILL NO LONGER BE UPDATING THIS PAGE