On This Day: May 11, 1980 - The Return of the King Aired on ABC | We Love the Eighties – 80s Radio, Forums, and Pop Culture Community

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Overview Discussion

May 11, 2025

Pete

Mr. Eighties

Pete has published a news story:

On This Day: May 11, 1980 - The Return of the King Aired on ABC.

On May 11, 1980, the animated made for TV movie The Return of the King aired on ABC, bringing the final chapter of J R R Tolkien’s epic saga to television audiences. Produced by Rankin Bass, the film continued where The Hobbit left off and featured familiar characters like Frodo, Sam, Gollum, and Gandalf as they faced the final battle against Sauron.

Though limited by its animation budget and runtime, the film stayed surprisingly close to the book’s storyline and introduced many young...

Read the full story here...