November 11 - The Santa Claus

On this day, in 1994, Walt Disney Pictures released the now classic Christmas film, The Santa Clause. Starring Tim Allen in his first feature film role, it also features Peter Boyle, Judge Reinhold (in a role that Warren Beatty was considered for), and David Krumholz as the head elf, Bernard. The Santa Clause was originally going to be released under the Hollywood Pictures label until Disney put it in front of test audiences and found out that kids really liked it.

The film had a modest budget of 22 million dollars and grossed 189 million dollars, making it a hit that annually plays on television multiple times between Thanksgiving (or now Halloween) and Christmas. Clause also won a BMI Award for Film Music and a People's Choice Award for Favorite Comedy.

The film's director, John Pasquin, was a veteran of Broadway and television. Not only did he work with Tim on his show Home Improvement, John would direct two more movies with him, Jungle 2 Jungle and Joe Somebody, and be a part of Tim's current show, Last Man Standing.

The Santa Clause spawned two sequels, The Santa Clause 2 and (surprise!) The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause. The second film wasn't too shabby. The third film... let's just say it's okay if you skip it and leave it at that. The real irony about all three films: Tim Allen playing Santa Clause at all. He once revealed in an interview that he doesn't like kids.