Over 150 years after its original composition, Charles Dickens" A Christmas Carol continues to delight readers. The figure of Ebenezer Scrooge has become a cultural icon, and Tiny Tim"s "God Bless Us Every One" is as familiar as "Merry Christmas." It is not surprising that Dickens" "ghostly little book," as he called it, has proven a popular choice for adaptation by playwrights and screenwriters. In everything from elegant literary treatments to animated musicals, the role of Scrooge has been essayed by actors from George C. Scott to Mr. Magoo. This critical account of the story"s history and its various adaptations examines first, the original writing of the story, including its political, economic, and historical context. The major Carol interpretations are analyzed within their various media: stage, silent film, talkies, and television. Dickens" other, lesser known Christmas stories, like "The Cricket on the Hearth," are also examined and compared to the immortal Carol. Finally, a complete annotated filmography of all film and television productions based on A Christmas Carol is included, with commentary on each version"s loyalty to the original text. The text includes a foreword by noted Dickensian scholar Edward Wagenknecht, and a bibliography and index.