The Santa Clause Cast: Where Are They Now?

Where the Cast of The Santa Clause Is Now

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for where the cast of The Santa Clause is now.

For this list, we’ll be looking at what the actors from this classic Christmas comedy have been up to since 1994.

Are you going to watch “The Santa Clauses?” Let us know in the comments.

#10: Mary Gross

Those who grew up in the 80s might recognize Gross from “SNL” when she co-anchored “Weekend Update” and appeared as characters like the Sarcastic Nun. 90s kids will know her as Charlie’s teacher in “The Santa Clause.” Gross made the most of her limited screen time as Ms. Daniels, who forces herself to smile through an uncomfortable career day while teaching her students the political correctness of saying “elves.” Aside from a couple of other movies like “Practical Magic,” Gross primarily made TV guest appearances, from dramas like “Six Feet Under,” to sitcoms like “That’s So Raven,” to daytime soaps like “General Hospital.” Gross has been retired from acting for nearly a decade, her last credit being a 2012 episode of “Raising Hope.”

#9: Steve Vinovich

Steve Vinovich’s screen time in “The Santa Clause” is also brief, but he plays an integral role in one of the most memorable sequences. Concerned by his sudden weight gain, Scott consults Vinovich’s Dr. Novos. Although Scott’s belly literally jiggles like a bowl full of jelly, the doctor assures his patient that he’s somehow in good health. Funnily enough, Vinovich later played another doctor on Tim Allen’s sitcom, “Home Improvement.” As far as guest-starring roles go, Vinovich’s most significant was perhaps playing one of the few people who hates Raymond. Vinovich has popped up in several Broadway shows like “Waitress,” playing the kindly Joe, and lent his voice to various animated projects, including Puffin in “The Swan Princess” franchise.

#8: Frank Welker

Speaking of voice actors, you might not know Frank Welker’s face, but you’ve definitely heard his voice. From dogs, to monkeys, to Bigfoot, there isn’t a creature under the sun that Welker hasn’t provided noises for. This extends to reindeer in “The Santa Clause.” While fellow voice actor Bob Bergen inherited the role of Comet in the sequels, Welker remains one of the definitive artists in the business. Decades later, he’s still voicing Transformers and Disney characters, including Abu and Cave of Wonders. He’s most notably the voice of Fred Jones and Scooby-Doo, a franchise he’s been associated with for over 50 years. Recently, he received a Children’s & Family Emmy nomination for voicing both characters, as well as himself, on “Scooby-Doo And Guess Who?”

#7: Peter Boyle

Peter Boyle was already an established character actor before appearing as Scott’s boss, Mr. Whittle. His resume ranged from classic comedies like “Young Frankenstein” to gritty dramas like “Taxi Driver.” Boyle was at his most popular during his later years, winning an Emmy for his 1996 guest spot on “The X-Files.” He’d receive eight more Emmy nominations for his regular stint on “Everybody Loves Raymond” as Frank Barone, probably his most celebrated role. While Mr. Whittle doesn’t appear in “The Santa Clause” sequels, Boyle would return as Father Time. Why do Father Time and Whittle look the same? Maybe it’s a glitch in the space-time continuum. “The Escape Clause” would be among Boyle’s final roles, hitting theaters just a month before he died in 2006.

#6: Paige Tamada

The elves in “The Santa Clause” are played by kids, but they’re older than they look. Judy the elf, for example, is 1,200 years old, although actress Paige Tamada was closer to nine when the film came out. Tamada had already popped up in an episode of “Home Improvement” as a girl who repeatedly bests Tim in toy car racing. After giving Scott his hot chocolate, Tamada would appear in other sitcoms like “Seinfeld,” and “Ally McBeal” before leaving the acting scene at the turn of the century. Now living a private life, Tamada reportedly attended the University and California and the University of Amsterdam, going on to build a career for herself in HR.

#5: David Krumholtz

This Jewish-American actor got his big break as the nerdy Joel Glicker in “Addams Family Values,” but we remember him best for playing Santa’s no-nonsense head elf. Oh, sorry, Bernard. You also might know him as Goldstein from the “Harold & Kumar” movies, or as Michael Eckman from “10 Things I Hate About You.” Krumholtz reprised his role as Bernard in “The Santa Clause 2,” although a scheduling conflict got in the way of him returning for “The Escape Clause.” 2011 was a difficult year for Krumholtz, as he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Thankfully, Krumholtz was declared cancer-free in 2012, and ten years later, news broke that he’d be coming back for “The Santa Clauses.”

#4: Wendy Crewson

“The Santa Clause” is among the rare films featuring divorced parents who refreshingly don’t get back together, normalizing two-household families. One of those households just so happens to be at the North Pole. Wendy Crewson played Scott’s ex-wife and Charlie’s mom in all three “Santa Clause” movies. We imagine raising Charlie was easier than dealing with Henry in “The Good Son.” Tim Allen might fly Santa’s sleigh, but Crewson flew Air Force One with Harrison Ford’s President Marshall. While no stranger to U.S. audiences, Crewson is even more iconic in her birthplace of Canada where she’s been honored with the Earle Grey Award and on the Walk of Fame. She also won two Canadian Screen Awards for her work on “Saving Hope” and “Slasher.”

#3: Judge Reinhold

“The Santa Clause” also subverted the misconception that step-parents have to be villains. While Neil Miller isn’t always the nicest guy, he genuinely cares about Laura and Charlie. Plus, it makes sense why a psychiatrist would be skeptical of Scott’s new career as Santa. Judge Reinhold helped to make the character funnier and more likable than anticipated. It didn’t hurt that Reinhold was already a seasoned comedic actor, starring in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” “Gremlins,” and the “Beverly Hills Cop” trilogy. Reinhold has done some of his funniest work on television, mastering the art of close-talking on “Seinfeld.” He’s even played himself on “Arrested Development” and “Clerks: The Animated Series,” in both cases serving as a judge. It was bound to happen eventually.

#2: Eric Lloyd

While Eric Lloyd is best known for playing Scott’s son Charlie in “The Santa Clause,” 90s kids will also recognize the former child star from “Dunston Checks In” and the “Goosebumps: Escape from Horrorland” video game. What do Kevin Arnold from “The Wonder Years,” Bruce Wayne from “Batman & Robin,” and Billy Crystal from “My Giant” have in common? Lloyd played younger versions of all three! Lloyd has done some voiceover work as well, playing Blanky in “The Brave Little Toaster” sequels. Opening a studio in 2015, Lloyd has been more focused on the production side of Hollywood as of late, but he’s not retired from acting. Lloyd returned for “The Santa Clause” sequels and “The Santa Clauses” as Charlie, who’s all grown up now.

#1: Tim Allen

By 1994, Tim Allen was already the lead on one of TV’s highest-rated sitcoms, “Home Improvement.” With “The Santa Clause,” The Tool Man proved that he was movie star material as well. Allen went from one hit movie to another, voicing Buzz Lightyear in the following year’s “Toy Story.” Since then, we’ve seen Allen go from jungle to jungle, helm the NSEA Protector, become a shaggy dog, and attempt to skip Christmas in another holiday comedy. While much has changed, Allen hasn’t strayed too far from his roots. In recent years, he’s remained prominent on the sitcom scene as Mike Baxter on “Last Man Standing,” voiced Buzz again in “Toy Story 4,” and played Scott Calvin for the fourth time in “The Santa Clauses.”