Was this based on a true story?

Sure. 'Cause people die and come back as snowmen all the time.

hahahhahaha.... ya i met him once too!!

It was based on the song "Frosty the Snowman", according to the "Behind the Scenes" segment of the DVD.

Yeah, it's actually a documentary about Michael Keaton's twin brother's last days

That's funny!

Yes, but they made some big creative changes, like the hockey stuff never happened.

It was based on that dead beat music loving dad who froze to death in a refrigerator!

Its that man again!!

After more than 20 years, I can finally speak about this without breaking my NDA with the studio. This was my story. There were obviously some pretty major changes, but the basis of the story remains the same.
It was my father that died, and it was quite the story before all of the changes. Where to begin.
It was the 80's, and he was a comedian, but they changed him into a musician to make a better movie. They updated it to more modern times, for the same reason.
Throughout my childhood my dad was only home a few days here, or a week there. He was always so concerned with getting the next gigs lined up, it was almost like he wasn't even home then. I understand now of course his concern was keeping a roof over my head, and food in my mouth, but then I was not old enough to understand. I just knew I worshiped this guy, and even when he was around, he was only half way there.
It was actually a New Years party he had to go do for what he hoped was going to be his big break. It was for a TV producer who was interested in creating a pilot, and sitcom with my dad in the lead role and writing position. This show did eventually get made, but only after some serious changes were made to format and tone. It was called Moonlighting, (I didn't find out until later my father was also secretly a detective on the side).
The contrivance of my father wrecking the car was purely a work of Hollywood fiction. He was driving by himself though, and did crash the car. He made it to Aspen though, did his set, and secured the pilot. It was afterwards that he succumbed to an alcohol induced blackout episode, and walked into the wilderness with no clothes that killed him. All he was wearing was his hat, scarf, and mittens.
These were returned to us as his last personal effects after the investigation into his death concluded. The harmonica was also with him, and returned (that part was also real).
The intervening year was pretty rough. In addition to the standard issues you go through when your dad dies, we had the added bonus of the extensive coverage of the search for him from the local news, and how every kid at my school knew how he was found. My new nickname was Pervy McNopants JR most of that year. Kids are jerks.
It wasn't actually me that made the snowman. It was the bully down the street. He'd been a friend of mine before everything happened, but then decided I was an easy target and that bullying me would get kids to stop making fun of him cause his dad ran out on his mom. Having been my friend, he knew where the box with my dads effects was kept. He built the snowman, and put my dads scarf, mittens, and hat on it to mess with me. He was a jerk.
When I saw it, it did really mess with me. I was sitting in my room, feeling sorry for myself, and for some reason picked up the harmonica and started playing it. I was obviously wishing for my dad back pretty hard, which was when the magic happened.
What happened from there was nothing like the fictionalization of the movie. My dad did come back as a snowman, but there really were no major hi-jinx. That snowball fight was pretty much completely made up. We did however go and snowball the crap out of that bully who used to be my friend. My dad scared the bejesus out of him, let me tell you.
After that, we mostly just spent some time getting some closure. My dad had the chance to let me know he really loved me, and I got to let him know I loved him too... There was no teaching of the J-Shot. That was more Hollywood BS. I didn't even like hockey. I was more of a baseball kid, but we did play some catch, so maybe that was where they developed that from. I guess hockey went more with the winter theme.
When the temperatures got a little too warm, and dad began melting, we loaded him up into the truck, and brought him up to the cabin where we could get a little more time with him. Oh Yeah, I told my mom about him the first day, and my uncle Mac, who was actually my uncle, and named Bob, and totally not English. For those of you who complain about how he and my mom developed a relationship in the movie, I really didn't see that.
I did however see them build a relationship over the years, and eventually get married. My dad gave his blessing to this during his week with us as a snowman. Something about the biblical context of a brother taking care of his sister-in-law after his brother's death. Anyway, yeah, that didn't happen in the movie, but totally did in real life. Also, I am pretty sure that began before my dad died, and might explain why uncle Bob has a different relationship with my little sister who was not in the movie. Maybe it even has to do with why my dad was away so much. I'm never going to know for sure probably.
So after a week, we were up at the cabin, and eventually my dad had his crossing over moment. It was really cathartic I thought. It made me feel a lot better about him being gone, and helped me come to grips with Mom and Uncle Bob's relationship, and my little sister.
Oh, Yeah, his name was really Jack Frost too, which was the part the producers loved the most.
So that is my story. It is good to finally share it. I am glad someone actually cared to know the truth behind the movie, and that I can finally tell it.
Merry Christmas to all....


If you got a chuckle out of this, let me know you appreciated it: [email protected] - no marketing, just happy to know someone got some enjoyment out of this little story...