Main Cast: Whoopi Goldberg, Nigel Hawthorne, Victor Garber, Jasmine Guy, Brian Stokes Mitchell
Release Year: 2001
Country: US
Run Time: 90 minutes
MPAA Rating: NR
Plot
As a child, Lucy Cullins asked Santa Claus to bring her father home from Vietnam. But when her dad returned in a pine box, the embittered Lucy decided that Christmas -- and every other holiday for that matter -- was a humbug. Now all grown-up (and played by Whoopi Goldberg), Lucy is the hard-as-nails producer for the Shop-A-Lot Channel, a home-shopping cable service. While auditioning actors to play Santa Claus for a hokey Yuletide informercial series, Lucy hires a twinkly eyed old gentleman named Nick (Nigel Hawthorne), who, unbeknownst to everyone but the audience, is the genuine, bonafide "Ho Ho Ho" man himself. Facing mandatory retirement at age 200, Nick must find someone to take his place as Santa Claus for the next two centuries. The person he chooses in none other than Lucy Cullins -- and if she doesn't accept the job, the North Pole will melt, wreaking havoc upon everyone in the world, whether they're "naughty" or "nice." Originally conceived as a vehicle for a black man, Call Me Claus was reshaped as a showcase for Whoopi Goldberg when the actress signed on as co-executive producer. Also in the production lineup was country & western singer Garth Brooks, who penned a handful of new songs for the occasion. Call Me Claus debuted over the TNT cable network on December 2, 2001. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Jasmine Guy - Iesha; Brian Stokes Mitchell - Cameron; Taylor Negron - Ralph; Bruce Vilanch; Alexandra Wentworth; Masasa; Tinashe Kachingwe - Young Lucy
Credit
Peter Werner - Director, Garth Brooks - Executive Producer, Whoopi Goldberg - Executive Producer, Lisa Sanderson - Executive Producer, Garth Brooks - Composer (Music Score), Van Dyke Parks - Composer (Music Score), Neil Roach - Cinematographer, Jay Benson - Producer, Tom Leonardis - Producer, Paul Mooney - Screen Story, Gregory Bernstein - Screen Story, Sarah Bernstein - Screen Story, Brian Bird - Screenwriter
