Ziggy's Gift pt 2

Ziggy's Gift is an Emmy-award winning animated TV special made in 1982, based on the comic strip Ziggy.

It was written by Ziggy's creator Tom Wilson and directed by 3-time Academy Award winning animator Richard Williams (Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Thief and the Cobbler, A Christmas Carol). Animators included Eric Goldberg and Tom Sito with music by Harry Nilsson.

Ziggy (who does not speak any audible dialogue in the special) and his faithful dog Fuzz take a job as a street Santa to raise money for the poor. Surrounded by crooked Santas, sneaky thieves and a suspicious cop, Ziggy remains honest and kind.

Was the Richard Williams Studio overqualified to animate a TV special starring such a simple character, seemingly made for limited animation? Of course, but since Ziggy is a silent character in this special, the wonderfully expressive animation adds a lot. It's a decent special, for what it is, and very sweet-natured. Heartwarming and suitable for all ages, and certainly Eric Goldberg and the animators more than prove their skill here.

There is a Thief here who could certainly be a descendant of the eponymous Thief in Richard Williams unfinished masterpiece, The Thief and the Cobbler (viewable here on Youtube in a Recobbled Cut).