Romeo Muller

Rankin-Bass Prods. Did not neglect other legal holidays thanks to Muller's teleplays for "Here Comes Peter Cottontail" (CBS, 1976), "Rudolph's Shiny New Year" (ABC, 1976), and "The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town" (ABC, 1977). He also wrote many other children's TV specials, several Saturday morning cartoon series including "The Jackson Five" (ABC, 1971), and two feature films: the lavish live action 1973 musical, "Marco," featuring Desi Arnaz Jr. as Marco Polo and Zero Mostel as Kublai Khan; and "Pinocchio's Christmas," a 1988 puppet production. Muller worked as an independent writer-producer during and after his association with Rankin-Bass. His credits include "Puff the Magic Dragon" (CBS, 1978), "Puff and the Incredible Mr. Nobody" (CBS, 1982), "The Wish That Changed Christmas" (CBS, 1991), and "Noel" (NBC, 1992). The latter was Muller's final Christmas calling card. It was narrated by Charlton Heston and aired just a few weeks before Muller's death which occurred, appropriately enough, during the holiday season between Christmas and New Year's.