The Gathering

The Gathering is an American live-action Christmas drama television film produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. It aired on December 3, 1977 on ABC. It was written by James Poe, produced by Harry R. Sherman, and directed by Randal Kleiser.

A dying executive works to reunite and make amends with his estranged family for one last Christmas.

Rather unexpectedly, a sequel called The Gathering Part II followed in 1979.

Characters

 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Adam Thornton
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Edward Asner
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Doctor John Hodges
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| John Randolph
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Clara
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Sarah Cunningham
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Bob Block
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| James Karen
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Old Man Chambers
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Kate Thornton
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Maureen Stapleton
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Mary
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Mary Bradley Marable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Helen Thornton
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Veronica Hamel
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Tom Thornton
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Lawrence Pressman
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Peggy Thornton
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Gail Strickland
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Roger
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Edward Winter
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Joey
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Ronald Readinger
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Tiffany
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Maureen Readinger
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Julie
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Rebecca Balding
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| George
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Bruce Davison
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Jim
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Hugh
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Jeff
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailablr
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Toni Thornton
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Stephanie Zimbalist
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Adam Thornton III
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Bud Thornton
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Gregory Harrison
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Adolf Hitler
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Patty Hodges
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| John F. Kennedy
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Spencer Tracy
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Rupyard Kipling
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Robert Burns
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Yogi Bear (doll)
 * style="background-color:#ffff00"| N/A
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Mrs. Block
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Reverend John Powell
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| John Hubbard
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Toni Thornton
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Stephanie Zimbalist
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Adam Thornton III
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Bud Thornton
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Gregory Harrison
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Adolf Hitler
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Patty Hodges
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| John F. Kennedy
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Spencer Tracy
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Rupyard Kipling
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Robert Burns
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Yogi Bear (doll)
 * style="background-color:#ffff00"| N/A
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Mrs. Block
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Reverend John Powell
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| John Hubbard
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Robert Burns
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Yogi Bear (doll)
 * style="background-color:#ffff00"| N/A
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Mrs. Block
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Reverend John Powell
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| John Hubbard
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Reverend John Powell
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| John Hubbard
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| John Hubbard

Organizations

 * Thornton Industries
 * Environmental Protection Agency (mentioned)
 * BTL Turning Works (mentioned)

Locations

 * Earth
 * United States
 * New England
 * Thornton Industries building
 * Thornton residence
 * George and Julie's residence
 * Adam's residence
 * New York
 * New York City
 * Tom and Helen's residence
 * East River (mentioned)
 * Columbia University (mentioned)
 * Abercombie's (mentioned)
 * Washington, D.C.
 * Colorado (indirectly mentioned)
 * Aspen (mentioned)
 * Rocky Mountains (mentioned)
 * Florida (mentioned)
 * Gainesville (mentioned)
 * Canada
 * Manitoba (mentioned)
 * Bud's residence
 * England (mentioned)
 * Rome (mentioned)

Objects

 * The New Yorker
 * The Night Before Christmas
 * Yogi Bear doll

Vehicles

 * Adam's car

Development
The movie was based in part on executive producer Joseph Barbera's childhood.

Filming
Filming took place in Chagrin Falls and Hudson in Ohio.

Music
The music was composed and conducted by John Barry. The music editor was Kenneth Hall.

Songs

 * "Jingle Bells"
 * "When the Snow Went Round About"
 * "Let Heaven and Nature Sing"

Release
Dates are in order of release:


 * United States: December 3, 1977 on ABC

Behind the scenes

 * The terminal illness that Adam has is never discussed in full.
 * Adam mentions Ebeneezer Scrooge, who appeared in Charles Dickens's 1843 novel A Christmas Carol.

Home availability

 * In the United States:
 * March 16, 2010: Warner Archive Collection releases The Gathering (including The Gathering Part II) on DVD.
 * October 25, 2011: Warner Archive Collection releases The Gathering on DVD.
 * October 15, 2013: Warner Archive Collection releases The Gathering/The Gathering Part II on DVD.