7 Most Searched Questions About 'The Grinch' Finally Answered!
Updated Dec. 24 2018, 1:35 p.m. ET
It's the most wonderful time of the year, which means if you haven't googled TV showtimes for How the Grinch Stole Christmas, we can't be friends.
Honestly, Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without watching The Grinch original cartoon, or the 2000 version starring Jim Carrey, to see the green cynic's heart grow three sizes thanks to the joyous residents of Whoville.
However, no matter how many times you have watched the iconic holiday classic, there are still some questions that have stumped even the biggest Grinch supporters.
Luckily for you, we got you covered...
Why is the Grinch green?
Fun fact: the Grinch wasn't supposed to be green. When Dr. Seuss' (real name: Theodor Seuss Geisel) book was published in 1957, it was black and white. However, the cartoon's director, Chuck Jones, he decided to make the Grinch green, reportedly inspired by the color of his rental car.
What kind of dog is Max from The Grinch?
The Grinch might not have any friends at the beginning of the story, but he did have his loyal companion, Max. In the 2000 film, Max is actually a mutt who was adopted from a shelter — and her real name is Kelley.
The most popular fan theory is that "Max" is an Airedale/Wheaton Terrier mix due to her color and wirehair coat.
Who sings The Grinch's theme song?
No, that is not James Earl Jones you hear in the cartoon classic — that is actually the voice of Thurl Ravenscroft, while Boris Karloff is the narrator and voice of the Grinch of the 30-minute cartoon.
The lyrics of "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" were actually written by Dr. Seuss and the music was composed by Albert Hague (FYI, Albert played the music teacher, Benjamin Shorofsky, on the TV series, Fame.)
Where does the Grinch live?
Technically, the Grinch lives in Whoville, just on a steep, high mountain north of the town called Mount Crumpit. You will remember that Whoville is located on a snowflake,"within the mountainous Highrange of Pontoos," in the 2000 version.
If you want to visit the Grinch's home IRL, you should head to the Solitude Mountain Resort in Utah, where the movie was filmed.
Who played the Grinch as a baby?
Actor Joshua Ryan Edwards was cast as the young Grinch in the 2000 remake alongside Jim Carrey. Joshua, who was 18 at the time but appeared childlike due to achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism, also appeared in the soap opera, Passions, and Ally McBeal.
Unfortunately, Joshua passed away in 2002 during a medical procedure from complications related to a congenital heart condition.
When was the original Grinch movie made?
The original How the Grinch Stole Christmas TV short premiered on December 18, 1966 — and five decades later, TV Guide ranked it No. 1 on its 10 Best Family Holiday Specials list.
At the time, the Grinch was joined by other Christmas classics that were released in the '60s, including Frosty the Snowman (1969), Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964), and A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965).
It also scored a 100 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and TBH, we're not surprised.
Why did the Grinch hate Christmas?
In case you need a refresher, it was never revealed in the book why he hated Christmas, but the author predicted that it was because the Grinch "had shoes that were too tight," "his head wasn't screwed on right," and "his heart was two sizes too small."
However, in the 2000 live-action movie, his backstory is explored more closely and it was revealed that the Grinch was bullied as a kid by the Whos, which is probably why he grew to hate them.
Luckily, the Grinch's heart eventually grew and he was able to carry the sleigh full of gifts (with the help of Max) down the hill back to Whoville just in time to save Christmas.
