CBS Presents An All-Star Cast For "Robbie - The Reindeer"

[Brett Ferino]

Ben Stiller, Hugh Grant, Britney Spears, Jim Belushi, Brad Garrett, Leah Remini, Jerry Stiller, James Woods and CBS Sports' announcers Dan Dierdorf and Dick Enberg lend their voices to two animated holiday specials, Robbie the Reindeer: Hooves of Fire and Robbie the Reindeer: Legend of the Lost Tribe, to be broadcast Friday, December 13 on CBS.

Robbie the Reindeer: Hooves of Fire, the award-winning BBC animated television program which was first broadcast in 1999, has been re-voiced for the U.S. and will be broadcast at 9:00 pm ET/PT. Its 2002 sequel, Robbie the Reindeer: Legend of the Lost Tribe, will be broadcast at 9:30 pm ET/PT.

In the first special, Robbie the Reindeer: Hooves of Fire, Robbie must train to compete in the Reindeer Races against reindeer-gone-bad Blitzen, to become a part of Santa's sleigh team. Robbie (voiced by Ben Stiller) travels to Coldchester, the ski resort where the Reindeer Races are held, to try out for a position on Santa's team. Blitzen (voiced by Hugh Grant), however, feels his position of captain on Santa's team is threatened by the arrival of the new recruit and airs his insecurities to Prancer (voiced by Brad Garrett). When Santa (voiced by Jim Belushi) throws a party to unveil his new sleigh, which features a sophisticated radar system designed by the conniving Blitzen, Robbie realizes he must work hard to win a place on Santa's team. Assisting Robbie in his training is veteran coach Old Jingle (voiced by Jerry Stiller) and Donner (voiced by Britney Spears), who has a crush on Robbie. However, Robbie only has eyes for the vampish Vixen (voiced by Leah Remini). Meanwhile, Des Yeti (Dick Enberg) and Alan the Snowman (Dan Dierdorf) prepare to announce the action at the Reindeer Races. Robbie's day of competition arrives, and an unexpected turn of events awaits Robbie and the rest of the reindeer bunch.

In the new second special, Robbie the Reindeer: Legend of the Lost Tribe, Robbie, with the help of an elusive tribe of Vikings, battles Blitzen in an effort to stop his nemesis' launch of a reindeer theme park. Robbie and his reindeer friends, including Donner, Prancer, Old Jingle and Tapir (voiced by Jim Belushi), are all working hard in Santa's North Pole Holidays Office; however, not all is cheery in the workplace since the reindeer's attempts to make money have failed. Meanwhile, all of Robbie's attentions have been focused on the tribe of Vikings (leader voiced by James Woods) that saved him from falling down the crevasse of a mountain. Worries about the office's success are cast aside by the reappearance of Blitzen, who was recently released from prison for good behavior. Blitzen assures the other reindeer that he has turned over a new leaf and is eager to help out. He suggests they open up a luxury hotel to turn new profits. But soon Blitzen shows his true colors, using the luxury hotel as his "Reindeer World" theme park with plans to use the reindeer gang as the robotic attractions. Robbie, Donner and Prancer search for the tribe of Vikings to help the rest of the reindeer escape the clutches of the evil Blitzen and his thugs. In their own unique way, the Vikings devise a plan to disguise themselves and save the reindeer, while Blitzen meets Robbie and Donner in a final confrontation!

Before these two specials, the classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer will air at 8:00 pm ET/PT. On the following day, Saturday December 14, CBS will air Frosty the Snowman at 8:00 pm ET/PT, followed by Frosty Returns at 8:30 pm ET/PT.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is one of television's most enduring specials. Narrated by Burl Ives, it is based on the popular song of the same title by Johnny Marks, which recounts the tale of a shy reindeer whose Christmas spirit is dampened because his shiny nose has made him the laughing stock of all Christmasville.
Frosty the Snowman, the animated special narrated by Jimmy Durante, is based on the popular song of the same title, which follows the happy-go-lucky snowman as he sets off for the North Pole to keep from melting as temperatures rise, all the while being pursued by the villainous Professor Hinkle.
Frosty Returns, with Jonathan Winters as the narrator and John Goodman as the voice of Frosty, finds the magical Frosty in the snow-covered town of Beansborough just as a new invention, a snow-removal spray called Summer Wheeze, is being introduced, threatening his very existence.