Christmas Carol (1938) - Trailer with Lionel Barrymore

Fireside Chat with Lionel Barrymore (1938) promoting the new movie "A Christmas Carol".

Lionel Barrymore was originally set to play Scrooge, but had to back out due to illness. Barrymore instead suggested his friend Reginald Owen take over the role. Barrymore did not perform the radio version of "A Christmas Carol" in 1938 so that it would not interfere with the success of the picture. He appeared in this special trailer for it called "A Fireside Chat" with Lionel Barrymore (1938), which was produced by Frank Whitbeck and directed by Edwin L. Marin.

John Seitz temporarily replaced cameraman Sidney Wagner during production when Wagner was ill with a bad case of flu, and Marvin Stuart replaced assistant director Dolph Zimmer when Zimmer had a cold.

MGM released a record-breaking 375 prints of the film so that as many people as possible could see it during the Christmas season.

This was the only film in which Gene Lockhart appeared with his wife Kathleen Lockhart and their daughter June Lockhart,

Carl Barks' Uncle Scrooge McDuck was probably based physically on this version of Ebenezer Scrooge, with the fringe of hair and the small tuft of hair on the top of his head.

Although he seemed much older, Reginald Owen was only 4 years older than Gene Lockhart.

June Lockhart's film debut.