The Hobbit (1977)

Hobbits are simple folk. Small people with hairy feet, they are not cut out for adventure and prefer to laze about and eat. A particular hobbit, Bilbo Baggins (Orson Bean), is taken by surprise one morning when the mighty wizard Gandalf (John Huston) knocks at his door. Soon Bilbo finds himself inducted into a party of dwarves bent on reclaiming their mountain from the deadly fire-breathing dragon, Smaug. Insisting that the timid Bilbo is a master thief, Gandalf insures the danger-loving dwarves that the quest will include many mishaps and perilous encounters with goblins, trolls, and dwarf-eating spiders. Among other things that the reluctant Bilbo discovers on this amazing journey is an enchanted ring that turns its wearer invisible, and soon the hobbit transforms from a master bumbler into a master burglar.

Based on the beloved novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, THE HOBBIT is an animated classic that was brought to the TV screen in the late 1970s by Arthur Rankin and Jules Bass. Rerun by networks for years, this tale of Middle-earth consistently awes viewers and has inspired a whole new generation of Tolkien fans. The story continues in Ralph Bakshi's THE LORD OF THE RINGS and concludes in THE RETURN OF THE KING.