Three Little Dwarfs

It’s a rainy Sunday in Central Virginia and I need something to pull me out of this weather related funk. And the only people who can do this are three little elves named Hardrock, Coco, and Joe.

Every Christmas morning the short was played on Garfield Goose (and later Bozo’s Circus) on Chicago superstation WGN. Though once a Chicago-land classic, the short is now a cherished childhood memory for many people who watched it broadcast each year. Definitive info on Hardrock, Coco, and Joe is certainly hard to pin down. Though the film has copyright info, the video quality is so poor, it’s nearly impossible to read. IMDB dates the film to 1951 and Wikipedia credits it to a company called Centaur Prodictions. It’s certainly unlike anything you’ve ever seen and a definite pre-cursor to the Rankin-Bass style.

Originally called “The Three Little Dwarfs,” most remember this song as simply “Hardrock, Coco, and Joe.” Those three are Santa’s helpers and deliver an unforgettable chorus—and who doesn’t love Joe the best? Gene Autry recorded a version of the tune. But why do it? Nothing beats the original. Still, I’m shocked that some unoriginal (and striking) writer in Hollywood hasn’t revamped this into a full-blown computer animation film. It seems only a matter of time.

Hardrock, Coco, and Joe – The Three Little Dwarves

Suzy Snowflake – Rosemary Clooney

Centaur Productions also made Suzy Snowflake (check out the version above by the late, great Rosemary Clooney). This short was broadcast over the mid-West like Hardrock, Coco, and Joe—at least to the best of my knowledge. I’m curious to know if any of our readers around the world have seen either film. What are your memories of it? And how did you see it?

Enjoy the videos below. The last one ain't so much a classic to anyone but me. But I loved it when I first saw it.