How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (TV special) Director Chuck Jones and children's-book author Ted Geisel (Dr. Seuss) had worked together on the "Private Snafu" training cartoons at Warner Bros. Cartoons during World War II. Jones was interested in adapting one of Geisel's books into a television special and approached him to turn "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" into one in time for the holiday season. Although Geisel was initially reluctant due to his unpleasant experiences making the film "The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T.", he eventually agreed. "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" was produced by The Cat in the Hat Productions in association with the television and
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (TV special) (such as 1964's "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", 1965's "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and 1969's "Frosty the Snowman") that have come to be regarded as classics. It received modestly positive reviews at the time it was released. Critic Rick Du Brow said it was "probably as good as most of the other holiday cartoons." It has since been recognized as a classic, with Rotten Tomatoes giving it a 100% "fresh" rating on its website; the critical consensus reads, ""How the Grinch Stole Christmas" brings an impressive array of talent to bear on an adaptation that honors a classic holiday story –