November 28

A key scene is filmed for Miracle on 34th Street, 1946. For the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade sequence, filmmakers saved time and money recreating it for the film by arranging for actor Edmund Gwenn, playing Kris Kringle in the film, to play Santa Claus in the actual parade. Three cameras were stationed throughout the parade route to ensure proper coverage, as retakes were out of the question.

The film, produced by Darryl F. Zanuck, also starred Maureen O’Hara, John Payne and an itsy bitsy Natalie Wood, who was eight years old at the time. Zanuck, realizing more people attend movies in the summer—and wanting to put as many butts in the seats as possible—opted to release the Christmas classic in May 1947. Posters for the film were careful not to show Gwenn as Santa and instead emphasized the relationship between O’Hara and Payne’s characters.

The film was a huge hit and a favorite among critics. The Academy was not exactly hostile to it either, giving it four Oscar nominations, including one for Best Picture. It ended up winning three: Best Writing - Original Story, Best Writing - Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor. “Americans don’t like whimsy,” actor Cecil Kellaway is reported as saying when he turned down the role of Kringle. Gwenn, Kellaway’s cousin, happily stepped in and earned an Academy Award for his efforts. Upon accepting his prize, the actor remarked, “Now I know there is a Santa Claus.”