List Rules Vote up your favorite children films that were released in the 1970s
To begin any discussion of the greatest ‘70s kids movies, we have to start with Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The imagery, story, and legendary performance of Gene Wilder as Wonka have cemented this film as an all-time classic. Released in 1971, it earned Wilder a Golden Globe nomination as well as a nomination for Best Original Score, however, both awards went to Fiddler on the Roof.
This list of the best ‘70s kids movies contains numerous other classics, as well. You will find The Muppet Movie, the first live-action movie featuring Jim Henson’s Muppets. Noted for its metatheatrical nature, frequent celebrity cameos, and intelligent humor, the film remains popular and helped catapult the Muppets to a decades-long run of cultural significance. Animated movies also featured prominently on this list of the top ‘70s kids movies include The Aristocats and The Rescuers.
Other fixtures in the American pop culture canon can also be found here, including Superman, Charlie Brown, and Robin Hood. Vote up the best '70s kids movies below, and be sure to let us know what you think in the comment section.
list ordered by
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Willy Wonka & the Chocolate FactoryGene Wilder, Jack Albertson, Tim Brooke-Taylor Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is a 1971 musical fantasy film directed by Mel Stuart, and starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. The film, a film adaptation of the 1964 novel Charlie and ...more
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The RescuersBob Newhart, Eva Gabor, Geraldine Page The Rescuers is a 1977 American animated adventure film produced by Walt Disney Productions and first released on June 22, 1977 by Buena Vista Distribution. The 23rd film in the Walt Disney ...more
3
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Robin HoodRingo Starr, Peter Ustinov, Graham Chapman Watch for Free with Amazon Prime Free Trial Robin Hood is a 1973 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Productions which was first released in the United States on November 8, 1973. The 21st animated feature in the Walt Disney ...more
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46 11
A Charlie Brown ThanksgivingBill Melendez A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is the tenth prime-time animated TV special based upon the popular comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was originally aired on the CBS network on November ...more
5
46 11
Tom Islava added Star WarsHarrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill Star Wars is a 1977 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. The first release in the Star Wars franchise, it stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter ...more
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The Muppet MovieSteve Martin, Mel Brooks, Richard Pryor The Muppet Movie is a 1979 American-British musical road comedy film and the first of a series of live-action feature films starring Jim Henson's Muppets. Directed by James Frawley, the film's ...more
7
39 9
The AristocatsEva Gabor, Ruth Buzzi, Scatman Crothers The Aristocats is a 1970 American animated feature film produced and released by Walt Disney Productions and features the voices of Eva Gabor, Hermione Baddeley, Phil Harris, Dean Clark, ...more
8
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Charlotte's WebDebbie Reynolds, Danny Bonaduce, Henry Gibson Charlotte's Web is a 1973 American animated musical film produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and Sagittarius Productions and based upon the 1952 children's book of the same name by E. B. ...more
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36 10
Escape to Witch MountainKim Richards, Kyle Richards, Ray Milland Escape to Witch Mountain is a 1975 film based on the novel Escape to Witch Mountain by Alexander Key. It was produced by Walt Disney Productions, released by Buena Vista Distribution Company and ...more
10
35 10
Snoopy, Come HomeBill Melendez, Christopher DeFaria, Linda Ercoli Snoopy, Come Home! is a 1972 animated musical film, released by National General Pictures, produced by Cinema Center Films and Lee Mendelson Films, directed by Bill Meléndez, and based on ...more
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Bedknobs and BroomsticksAngela Lansbury, Roddy McDowall, Bruce Forsyth Bedknobs and Broomsticks is a 1971 American musical film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by Buena Vista Distribution Company in North America on December 13, 1971. It is based ...more
12
28 8
BenjiEdgar Buchanan, Frances Bavier, Peter Breck This tail-wagging tale begins as Benji visits his pals Cindy and Paul, whose father Paul Chapman, won't let them give the mutt a home. But the shaggy stray changes his mind by saving the ...more
The Cat in the HatDaws Butler, Pamelyn Ferdin, Allan Sherman The Cat in the Hat is an animated musical television special first aired on CBS on March 10, 1971, based on the 1957 Dr. Seuss children's book of the same name, and produced by DePatie-Freleng ...more
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SupermanMarlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve Superman is a 1978 superhero film directed by Richard Donner. It is based on the DC Comics character of the same name and stars Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, ...more
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23 8
Be My Valentine, Charlie BrownBill Melendez Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown is the 13th prime-time animated TV special based upon the popular comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It originally aired on the CBS network on January 28, ...more
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24 9
Winnie the Pooh and Tigger TooClint Howard, Howard Morris, Sterling Holloway Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too is a 1974 animated feature from Disney released as a double feature with The Island at the Top of the World. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best ...more
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Pete's DragonMickey Rooney, Shelley Winters, Red Buttons Pete's Dragon is a 1977 live-action/animated musical film from Walt Disney Productions. It is a live-action film but one of its title characters, a dragon named Elliott, is animated. The story ...more
The Year Without a Santa ClausMickey Rooney, Shirley Booth, Dick Shawn Mrs. Claus shares the story about the year Santa decided to take a vacation when he becomes convinced that there is no more Christmas spirit and people no longer care. Mrs. Claus sends Jingle ...more
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Rudolph's Shiny New YearRed Skelton In this television special, Rudolph has just come back from delivering Christmas presents with Santa Claus when he is asked by Father Time to find the next Baby New Year before midnight on New ...more
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20 7
You're a Good Sport, Charlie BrownGail Davis, Liam Martin, Melanie Kohn You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown is the 14th prime-time animated TV specials based upon the popular comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. It was originally aired on the CBS network on ...more
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21 8
The LoraxDanny DeVito The Lorax is a 1972 animated musical television special produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises. It first aired on CBS on February 14, 1972 based on the book of the same name by Dr. Seuss. It ...more
22
20 8
Race for Your Life, Charlie BrownBill Melendez, Gail Davis, Jackson Beck Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown is a 1977 animated film produced by United Feature Syndicate for Paramount Pictures, directed by Bill Meléndez, and the third in a series of films based ...more
Return from Witch MountainChristopher Lee, Bette Davis, Kim Richards Return from Witch Mountain is the 1978 sequel to Walt Disney Productions' 1975 film, Escape to Witch Mountain. It was written by Malcolm Marmorstein and is based on the novel by Alexander Key. ...more
24
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Frosty's Winter WonderlandShelley Winters, Paul Frees, Dennis Day Frosty's Winter Wonderland is an animated Christmas television special produced in 1976 by Rankin-Bass. It originally aired on December 2, 1976, on ABC. It is the second Frosty special and is a ...more
25
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The Apple Dumpling GangDon Knotts, Tim Conway, Bill Bixby The Apple Dumpling Gang is a 1975 Disney film about a slick gambler named Russell Donovan who is duped into taking care of a group of orphans who eventually strike gold during the California ...more
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1491971760840 added For the Love of BenjiEd Nelson, Peter Bowles, Bridget Armstrong Benji’s family is en route to a vacation in Greece when a fellow passenger “borrows” Benji for just long enough to tattoo a mysterious message on his paw. Separated from the family in ...more
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The Black StallionMickey Rooney, Teri Garr, Hoyt Axton The Black Stallion is a 1979 American film based on the 1941 classic children's novel The Black Stallion by Walter Farley. It tells the story of Alec Ramsay, who is shipwrecked on a deserted ...more
Here Comes Peter CottontailVincent Price, Danny Kaye, Casey Kasem Here Comes Peter Cottontail is a 1971 Easter stop-motion television special made by Rankin-Bass, based on a 1957 novel by Priscilla and Otto Friedrich entitled The Easter Bunny That Overslept. ...more
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Bugsy MaloneJodie Foster, Scott Baio, Paul Williams Bugsy Malone is a 1976 British-American musical gangster film, directed by Alan Parker. Set in Chicago, the film is loosely based on events from the early 1920s to 1931 during Prohibition, ...more
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Where the Red Fern GrowsJames Whitmore, Beverly Garland, Lonny Chapman Where the Red Fern Grows is a 1974 film directed by Norman Tokar, based on the 1961 novel of the same name. It stars James Whitmore, Beverly Garland, Stewart Petersen and Jack Ging.
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Black BeautyMaria Rohm, Patrick Mower, Walter Slezake Black Beauty is a 1971 British drama film, based on the Anna Sewell novel of the same name. This movie is the fourth feature film adaptation of Anna Sewell's story. The movie was directed by ...more
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LastCubScout added Watership DownJohn Hurt, Denholm Elliott, Richard Briers Watership Down is a 1978 British animated adventure drama film written, produced and directed by Martin Rosen and based on the novel of the same name by Richard Adams. It was financed by a ...more
The Lion, the Witch and the WardrobeLeslie Phillips, June Whitfield, Arthur Lowe The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is an animated television film that was broadcast on CBS in 1979, based on the novel by C. S. Lewis.
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The Golden Voyage of SinbadCaroline Munro, Tom Baker, Robert Shaw The Golden Voyage of Sinbad is a fantasy film released in 1973 and starring John Phillip Law as Sinbad. It includes a score by composer Miklós Rózsa and is known mostly for the ...more
35
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Sinbad and the Eye of the TigerJane Seymour, Patrick Troughton, Patrick Wayne Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger is a 1977 British fantasy film, the third and final Sinbad film that Ray Harryhausen made for Columbia Pictures after The 7th Voyage of Sinbad and The Golden ...more
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Herbie Rides AgainHelen Hayes, Stefanie Powers, Keenan Wynn Herbie Rides Again is a 1974 comedy film. It is the sequel to The Love Bug, released six years earlier, and the second in a series of movies made by Walt Disney Productions starring an ...more
37
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The HobbitJohn Huston, Otto Preminger, Don Messick The Hobbit is a 1977 animated musical television special created by Rankin/Bass, a studio known for their holiday specials, and animated by Topcraft, a precursor to Studio Ghibli, using lyrics ...more
Tom SawyerJodie Foster, Celeste Holm, Warren Oates Tom Sawyer is a 1973 American musical film adaptation of the Mark Twain boyhood adventure story, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, starring Johnny Whitaker as Tom, Jodie Foster as Becky Thatcher, ...more
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The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner MovieMel Blanc, Nicolai Shutorov The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie is a 1979 Looney Tunes film with a compilation of classic Warner Bros. cartoon shorts and animated bridging sequences, hosted by Bugs Bunny. The bridging ...more
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The Phantom TollboothMel Blanc, June Foray, Daws Butler The Phantom Tollbooth, also known as The Adventures of Milo in the Phantom Tollbooth, is a 1970 live-action/animated film based on Norton Juster's 1961 children's book The Phantom Tollbooth. ...more
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Herbie Goes to Monte CarloDon Knotts, Dean Jones, Eric Braeden Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo is a 1977 film, the third of a series of films by Walt Disney Productions starring Herbie – the white Volkswagen racing Beetle with a mind of its own.
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The Castle of CagliostroIchirō Nagai, Sumi Shimamoto, Gorō Naya The Castle of Cagliostro is a 1979 Japanese animated film co-written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. It is the second film featuring Monkey Punch's master thief Arsène Lupin III, from his ...more
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6 11
The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides AgainDon Knotts, Tim Conway, Ruth Buzzi The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again is a 1979 sequel to the 1975 American family film The Apple Dumpling Gang starring the comedy duo of Tim Conway, and Don Knotts. Conway and Knotts reprise ...more
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Pippi on the RunHans Alfredson, Öllegård Wellton, Inger Nilsson Pippi on the Run is a 1970 Swedish movie, based on the eponymous children's books by Astrid Lindgren with the cast of the 1969 TV series Pippi Longstocking. It was released in the USA in 1977.
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The Tales of Beatrix PotterFrederick Ashton, Wayne Sleep, Alexander Grant The Tales of Beatrix Potter is a 1971 ballet film based on the children's stories of English author and illustrator Beatrix Potter. The film was directed by Reginald Mills, choreographed by Sir ...more
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Journey Back to OzLiza Minnelli, Bill Cosby, Mickey Rooney Journey Back To Oz is a 1974 Filmation Studios animated film and an unofficial sequel to the 1939 MGM film The Wizard of Oz. It is loosely based on L. Frank Baum's second Oz novel, The Marvelous ...more
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The Twelve Tasks of AsterixTerry Scott, Alice Sapritch, Roger Carel The Twelve Tasks of Asterix is a 1976 French animated feature film based on the Asterix comic book series. René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo, the creators of the series, wrote the story and ...more
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The Pinchcliffe Grand PrixHarald Heide-Steen Jr., Kari Simonsen, Henki Kolstad The Pinchcliffe Grand Prix is a Norwegian stop motion-animated feature film directed by Ivo Caprino. It was released in 1975 and is based on characters from a series of books by Norwegian ...more
