Harry Stadling

Harry Stadling

Background

Harry Stadling is a manager at Jolly Dream Toy Corporation in New Jersey. His brother is Philip Stadling, and his parents were Harry's Mother and Harry's Father. His sister-in-law is Jackie Stadling and his nephews are Dennis Stadling and Marc Stadling.

During the events of Christmas Evil (1980) played by Gus Salud and Brandon Maggart

On Christmas Eve 1947, Harry, Philip and Harry's Mother watch as Harry's Father, who is dressed as Santa, comes down the chimney and delivers presents under the tree. Philip laughs and Harry's Father returns up the chimney. Later Harry and Philip argue if it was Santa or not and Harry gets out of bed to prove that it was Santa. He hears laughing coming from the living room and sees "Santa" caressing Harry's Mother's legs. He runs to the attic grabs a snow globe and smashes it onto the ground and then cuts himself with the broken glass.

In the present, 55 days before Christmas, Harry, who lives in a home decorated with Christmas knickknacks and toys he makes in his free time, wakes up and dances to Christmas music. He goes to the top of the apartment building and spies on the neighborhood children. He sees Scotty Goodrich taking out the trash, Susie Lovett playing with her doll and Moss Garcia cutting out a centerfold from a Penthouse magazine. He runs home and add each kids activity to either the Good Boys and Girls or Bad Boys and Girls books for 1980.

28 days before Christmas, Harry goes to work and tells Ben, another Worker and Jake that no one at the factory is interested in making good, rigidly constructed toys. Ben asks him if he knows who is getting laid off in January and then gives him a hard time for not going to union meetings anymore. Frank Stoller walks up to them and asks if any of them will take over his shift that night as he has to leave early to go on a trip with his wife. None of them agree to take his shift and he walks up to Harry, takes a bite out of his sandwich and says he hates Christmas. Frank later calls Harry and tells him he is going to do him a favor and let him work his shift. After work, Harry is walking by a bar when he sees Frank inside and hears him bragging to the other patrons how he got Harry to work his shift. He walks over to Philip's house, which is the same one as they grew up in, and watches as Philip plays with Dennis and Marc and then has sex with Jackie on the couch.

On Thanksgiving Day, Harry watches a Christmas parade and gets excited to see Santa. He calls Philip and tells him that he isn't going to make it for Thanksgiving Dinner. He makes a Santa suit and paints his van to look like a sleigh.

As he is walking home, Moss, Scotty, Susie, Richie Sharp and Frankie wave at him. They tell him what they wished for that day and Richie says he wished he was the principle so he could throw out whoever he wanted at school. Frankie says he wishes he was a firefighter, while Moss says he wishes he had a lifetime subscription to Penthouse magazine. Harry goes home and adds another demerit to Moss' entry in the Bad Boys and Girls book. During the evening, he goes to Moss' house and watches him from the window. Harry smears dirt on his face and then presses it onto the house. Moss' Mother drags him outside and Moss sees Harry. Moss walks over to where Harry is hiding and tells Moss' Mother that a monster is hiding in the bushes and Moss' Mother slaps him and shoves him into the car.

At the Jolly Dreams Christmas party, Harry walks over to a television and watches a video loop from Sol Wiseman saying that Jolly Dreams will donate toys to the Willowy Springs State Hospital. In the video he also asks the workers to donate money for the cause. A Tipsy Worker complains to the other workers how Sol is using their donated money to make the company look good. Ben asks Harry how he is feeling and tells him that Frank is bragging to the other workers that Harry worked his shift for him. Harry tells Ben that he has figured out his and the others' tune. Mr. Fletcher walks over to Harry and introduces Mr. Grosch to him. On the television, Dr. Probst discusses all the pain and anguish that happen at the Willowy Springs State Hospital.and asks people for donations. Fletcher asks Harry for his ideas on how to improve business. Harry asks how many toys are going to be donated and Grosch, who designed the charity campaign, admits he doesn't even know how many children there are at the hospital and that the amount of toys donated is all determined by how much the employees donate. Harry grabs a few sacks and fills them with toys from the factory. He then goes and fills a sack full of dirt from the landfill. He goes home and puts on his Santa beard and starts to think that he is Santa.

On Christmas Eve, Harry goes to Philip's house and drops off toys. He then drives his van to Moss' house and drops off the bag full of dirt. He goes to Willowy Springs State Hospital and rings the delivery door doorbell. The Guard walks up to Harry and calls him crazy. Harry tells him that he has good intentions and gives him a present and the Guard goes inside and and a Nurse and a Doctor walk outside and Harry shows them the van full of presents. Other members of the staff go to the van and Harry gives them all the presents. Harry's next stop is at a church. He sees Mr. Grosch sitting with Mrs. Grosch and Mr. Fletcher sitting with Mrs. Fletcher. He waits for the parishioners to walk out and Peter, Charles, Binky, and Khaki see him dressed as Santa and start harassing him. Harry then uses a toy soldier and toy hatchet to kill Peter, Charles and Binky before driving away. He stops at the Family and Friends Association building. Man 1 sees Harry staring in the window and tells Man 2 and they go outside and drag him inside. Harry tells everyone Merry Christmas and Woman brings Harry a drink. He dances with a Little Girl while band made up of an Accordian Player, Saxophone Player and Drummer play music. Before leaving, Harry tells the children to stay being good children. Man 1 leads a toast to Harry and then Harry drives away. He stops at Frank's house and uses a ladder to climb onto his roof. Harry tries to go down the chimney, but can't fit and enters through a window. As he is dropping off presents, Frank's Daughter and Son watch him. He walks into Frank's bedroom and starts to choke Frank with his bag of toys and then slashes his throat with a star ornament. Mrs. Stoller wakes up and starts to scream.

On Christmas Day, Harry wakes up in his van and goes inside the Jolly Dream factory and breaks the cheaply made toys. He calls Philip and tells him that he is going to play his tune and everybody will dance. Harry gets his van stuck in the snow and grabs his sack of toys and walks into an alley. A group of children run towards him. Angelina tells him that she loves the presents he left her. Their parents walk up and Theresa asks Tom what they are going to do. Mary tells Joe that Harry is going to hurt the children and Tom pulls out a knife. The kids including Matthew stand in front of Harry protectively. Tom threatens to kill Harry and Angelina tries to stop him. Theresa grabs Tom and his knife flies onto the snow. Angelina grabs the knife and gives it to Harry. Harry tries to escape and Tom grabs at him and an Older Woman watches as they struggle and then cuts Harry in the face with her jewelry as he runs by her. Tom and the others form a mob and start searching for Harry. They chase after Harry and he gets into his van and manages to drive away. He drives to Philip's house and Philip asks him how many people he killed and starts shaking him. Dennis and Marc tell Philip to stop hurting Harry and Philip tells Jackie to take them upstairs. Harry blames Philip for not believing in Santa and Philip starts to choke Harry to death. Harry collapses and Philip drags him outside and puts him inside his van. Harry regains consciousness, punches Philip in the face, swerves to avoid the mob and his van flies into the air.