The forgotten Christmas films of the 80s – what happened to the casts?

Holiday darling Dolly Parton has brought us endless festive cheer – but do you remember her first-ever Christmas film? The Jolene hitmaker starred in A Smoky Mountain Christmas (1986), a made-for-TV movie directed by Happy Days star Henry Winkler; she aptly played a country music superstar who retreats to her Tennessee cabin to recuperate for the holidays, only to come across seven orphans living inside who thinks she’s an angel.

Since her time in the Smoky Mountains, Dolly has continued to play the role of a Christmas angel, releasing three holiday albums and a plethora of holiday films, including the recent Netflix hit Dolly Parton's Mountain Magic Christmas (2022). 

Lee Majors swapped being the Six Million Dollar Man for saving Christmas alongside Dolly, where he played the wise mountain man “Mountain Dan” and her eventual love interest. Together, the pair fend off a mountain witch and rogue paparazzi to free the children from the orphanage.

The acting legend famously had a cameo appearance in the Bill Murray-led Scrooged (1988), where he pops up in a fake action-movie trailer. Lee also appeared in the holiday film A Gettysburg Christmas (2023), so there’s plenty of chances to catch your favourite ‘70s action hero leaning into the holiday spirit.

Originally an operetta and later a 1934 film starring Laurel and Hardy, leading the ‘80s remake of Babes in Toyland (1986) was none other than an 11-year-old Drew Barrymore. The Charlie’s Angels star played a young girl drawn into a fantastical world filled with toys, who must defeat an evil villain conspiring to take over Toyland.

While Disney’s 1961 version might eclipse this charming TV movie, Drew lovingly called it an “obscure masterpiece” on The Drew Barrymore Show, which is enough of a reason for us to check it out. And why not add a rewatch of Netflix’s A Castle for Christmas (2021) to your list afterwards, where Drew interviews Brooke Shields’ character on her show.

If you thought the cast of this movie couldn’t get more iconic, we’re adding Keanu Reeves to the mix. The Hollywood legend joined Drew Barrymore in Toyland, assisting her in defeating the villainous Toymaker (minus the John Wick moves).

Joining Drew on her show to reminisce on the film’s 35th anniversary, Keanu remarked that there was “a good heart in the piece”. The Matrix star also sings the catchy track "C-I-N-C-I-N-N-A-T-I" in the film, which a TikTok user shared in 2025 – “I sing this at least once a week” one user commented, adding “the whole movie is a disaster, 10/10”. You can’t say Keanu doesn’t have a varied résumé!

The late comedian Dudley Moore brought some of his signature Beyond the Fringe humour to Santa Claus: The Movie (1985), the last major film from the producers behind the ‘70s and ‘80s Superman films. Dudley stars as an elf trapped under the thumb of an evil toy company executive, B.Z., in the 20th century, and must be rescued by Santa.

The film has become a holiday classic for some, with one Letterboxd reviewer writing, “Objectively this is a bad movie but I am blinded by nostalgia”. The beloved actor went on to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, as well as a CBE from Queen Elizabeth II, before his death in 2002.

Long before he was Arthur Mitchell in Dexter, John Lithgow was also the main bad guy in Santa Claus: The Movie. The American actor told James Corden he’d found it was a “beloved seasonal favourite” in England – although Dudley Moore told him he’d feared it could be a “career-ender”.

Lucky for us, it was nothing of the sort, and it wasn’t even the last festive flick the 3rd Rock From the Sun alum starred in. He also appeared in Daddy’s Home 2 (2017) alongside Mel Gibson, and will portray Dumbledore in the upcoming HBO Harry Potter series, which we’re hoping will be an honorary Christmas watch like its predecessor.

Prior to starring in the hit series Landman (2024–) – a favourite of team HELLO! – Sam Elliott portrayed a struggling apple farmer in Prancer (1989), whose daughter finds an injured reindeer and believes it’s none other than Santa’s famous Prancer. Sam trades his signature rugged roles for this flick, which is a deeply poignant yet memorable watch.

If you’re looking for a less tear-jerking Christmas film to catch the 1883 star in, we’ve got bad news for you. While Sam is also a Hallmark alum, his heartwarming film November Christmas (2010) – also starring Sarah Paulson – will also have you reaching for the tissues.

Sam’s on-screen daughter and the heart of this tender cult classic, Rebecca Harrell Tickell earned countless praise for her role as Jessie in Prancer, with reviews calling her performance “simply enchanting”. The star, who was aged just 8 in the film, even earned a Young Artists Award nomination for the role.

She’s since swapped acting for directing alongside her husband, and the pair have made several critically-acclaimed environmental documentaries like The Big Fix (2012). Rebecca told People she believes she’s “living the sort of life that I think she [Jessie] would have led”.

With the many festive hits Disney has brought us, it’s easy to forget the somewhat obscure One Magic Christmas (1985), which follows a Christmas angel tasked with teaching Ginny and her two children to discover the true meaning of the holidays. Mary Steenburgen starred as the disillusioned matriarch, just a few short years before going Back to the Future in the hit franchise’s 1990 sequel.

“I do enjoy holiday films, but I didn't ever have plans about being in them,” Mary told Entertainment Weekly. The actress is a definitive holiday staple, having played Emily in Elf (2003) and joined the star-studded cast of Four Christmases (2008) with Reese Witherspoon.

Between cult ‘80s classics like Paris, Texas and Pretty in Pink, acting legend Harry Dean Stanton somehow found the time to portray Gideon, Ginny’s angel, in the Disney flick. While Letterboxd users reflected on this flick as “strange”, one reviewer made the fair remark that “could YOU pass up the chance to watch harry dean stanton be a christmas angel?” [sic]

The actor, whose career spanned over six decades, passed away in 2017; considering the Repo Man star didn’t make another Christmas movie, it makes it all the more tempting to add this one to your Christmas watchlist this season.