Rankin/Bass Productions was an American production company founded by Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass. The company was known for its whimsical television specials and feature films and particularly noted for its stop-motion animation technique called "Animagic."

Many of the company's most-loved TV specials were holiday-themed, including The Little Drummer Boy (1968), Frosty the Snowman (1969), Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970) and Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July (1979). The company was founded in 1960 and shut down production in 1987. Some of its TV productions are still shown seasonally on American television.

TCM presents three Rankin/Bass theatrical films from the 1960s, all of them featuring the company's distinctive stop-motion animation and one of them including live-action scenes. Jules Bass directed all three movies, which were originally distributed by Embassy Pictures.

The Daydreamer (1966) blends live action and animation to create an anthology of Hans Christian Andersen fairytales, including: "The Little Mermaid," "The Emperor's New Clothes," "Thumbelina" and "The Garden of Paradise." Live-action performers include Ray Bolger, Jack Gilford, Margaret Hamilton and Boris Karloff, while vocal talent was provided by Tallulah Bankhead, Victor Borge, Patty Duke, Sessue Hayakawa, Burl Ives, Hayley Mills, Terry-Thomas and Ed Wynn.

Mad Monster Party? (1967) is an animated musical-comedy horror parody in which Dr. Frankenstein (voiced by Karloff) decides to retire from the business of making monsters. To choose his successor, he summons a roster of horror figures including Dracula, the Wolfman, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and others.

Versatile vocal talent Allen Swift provides the voices for most of the characters, with Phyllis Diller dubbing the Bride of Frankenstein and Gale Garnett voicing the robot Francesca. Although the Rankin/Bass movies are less well-known than the TV specials, this one has emerged as a cult favorite.

The Wacky World of Mother Goose (1967), another animated musical comedy, is based on the nursery rhymes and stories of Charles Perrault. Margaret Rutherford voices Mother Goose, with Bob McFadden as Humpty Dumpty and Bradley Bolke as Crooked Man, the villain who wants to rule the land. Other characters include Old King Cole, Jack and Jill, Simple Simon and Georgie Porgie. Director Jules Bass co-wrote the songs with George Wilkins.