Before the 1977 Rankin And Bass production…there was this 1966 version by Gene Deitch. Originally planned as a full-length feature film before the Tolkien craze hit, a screenplay was written that took several heretical liberties with the story. Unfortunately the deal fell through with 20th Century Fox. But then, just one month before the rights were set to expire, the property value of Tolkien’s work skyrocketed and Gene put together the version you see here:

Read Gene Deitch fascinating recollection of the events.

[via Cartoon Brew]

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