| “ | Here he comes now, the big ham. | ” |
— Mrs. Claus commenting on Snow Miser's entrance | ||
The Snow Miser is a character from the Rankin/Bass television special The Year Without a Santa Claus. He controls the cold weather of the Earth, not unlike Jack Frost. He and his half-brothers, Heat Miser and North Wind, are the offsprings of Mother Nature. (It should be noted that both Snow Miser and Heat Miser were not actually featured in the original poem that the special is based on.)
Between himself and Heat Miser, Snow Miser is the kinder, more easy-going of the two brothers. He tells bad jokes and puns about snow and cold weather, and he applauds the existence of Santa Claus as "the best advertisement snow biz ever had", even considering Santa to be his friends. As such, he easily agrees to help Mrs. Claus when she comes to ask a favor of the snow elements. However, his power must bow to that of his brother in the south who controls the weather in that region. When he's reluctant to cede to his brother's terms for the sake of Southtown's Christmas merriment, he is transported to the realm of Mother Nature to answer for the petty argument.
Snow Miser's six minions live with him in an ice castle, and serve as backup dancers for the welcoming reception each guest receives upon arrival to their icy domain.
Snow Miser would later star alongside his stepbrother in the sequel, A Miser Brothers Christmas. This time, he was voiced by Juan Chioran, as his original voice actor, Dick Shawn, had died in 1987. The special focuses on Snow Miser and Heat Miser learning to work together after they are forced to take charge of Santa's operations when their evil brother North Wind attempts to sabotage him.
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