Ernest Saves Christmas

Ernest Saves Christmas is a 1988 Christmas comedy film directed by John R. Cherry III and starring Jim Varney. This is the first film to feature Gailard Sartains character, Chuck along with Bill Byrge as his brother, Bobby. They made their first appearance in the television series Hey Vern, Its Ernest which was in production at the same time as this film. It is the third film to feature the character Ernest P. Worrell, and chronicles Ernests attempt to find a replacement for an aging Santa Claus. Unlike other Ernest movies, it does not have an antagonist.

While they are driving, a runaway teenage girl Noelle Parker who says she is named Harmony Starr joins Ernest and Santa in the cab. When they get to their destination, Santa possesses no legal currency only play money, so in his giving Christmas spirit, Ernest lets him ride for free. The decision gets Ernest fired from his job. Back at the taxi garage, Ernest discovers that Santa left his magic sack behind in the cab, and Ernest begins a quest to find the old man and return it to him.Santa arrives at the Orlando Childrens Museum to talk to Joe, but is interrupted and rebuffed by Joes agent Marty Brock. Marty misunderstands Santas name, thinking he said Mr. Santos, and continues to call him by that name, even when Santa tells him his real name. Santa begins to worry as he then discovers he lost his sack, and becomes more discouraged as he realizes he is becoming forgetful in his old age hes 151 years old, indicating he was born in 1837. Joe does not believe Santas story and Marty has Santa arrested. Meanwhile, Ernest goes over to his friend Verns house to put up a Christmas tree, much to Verns distress as with the original commercials that first introduced Ernest, the audience never sees Verns face and only his point of view. Ernest poses as Astor Clement, an employee of the governor and Harmony as the governors niece Mindy, and the two help Santa escape from jail by convincing the police chief that Santa believing that he is Santa Claus is infectious insanity and he must be taken to an insane asylum. Ernest disguises himself as an Apopka snake rancher Lloyd Worrell from Knowhutimean? Hey Vern, Its My Family Album who sneaks Santa into a movie studio and speaks to a security guard about delivering the snakes to people who direct horror films. Meanwhile, Marty presses Joe to quit his childrens job, shave his beard, and instead land a part in a horror film titled Christmas Slay a movie about an alien which terrorizes a bunch of children on Christmas Eve which offends

Source: Wikipedia