Johnny Galecki And Sam Elliot's Christmas Movie Is An Emotional Hidden Gem

Some Christmas movies linger in the imagination for decades after they make it to the big screen, but "Prancer" has turned into something of a hidden gem. One of the best Christmas films of the 1980s, it features Sam Elliott as John Riggs, a struggling single dad whose daughter, Jessica (Rebecca Harrell), is trying to cope with life minus her mom as the holidays draw near. Johnny Galecki also shows up in a small role as teenager Billy Quinn.

John's apple farm is failing, and his sister-in-law (Rutanya Alda) has offered to take Jessica in so she can at least be happy, safe and fed. But Jessica and John don't want to be separated. A miracle arrives in the form of as reindeer that Jessica is convinced belongs to Santa Claus. She secretly takes care of the animal, waiting for St. Nick's annual return, while her friends and family doubt the validity of her claim. 

Prancer ultimately saves the farm, the holidays, and the relationship between Jessica and John, with many tears shed along the way. While it isn't the highest-grossing Sam Elliott film, it's definitely one of his most emotional outings — and definitely not the worst movie he ever did.

While Johnny Galecki and Sam Elliott's acting careers are well-known, you probably don't know what happened to the child actress who plays Jessica in the film unless you're a big fan of films about the environment. Rebecca Harrell, now known by her married name, Rebecca Harrell Tickell, is a well-known and respected environmental documentary filmmaker who works alongside her husband, Josh Tickell. Among their works are "Fuel" — which is about green energy production that uses algae and won a 2008 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award for best documentary — and "The Big Fix," about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. 

Harrell Tickell still acts occasionally: her last role was in 2023's "On Sacred Ground," about the Standing Rock Indian Reservation's fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline project. Even with that, it looks like Harrell has grown up to be quite the righteous individual. She also co-founded a charity, the I'll Be the One Organization, which encourages environmental activism. She's definitely on Santa's good list. And if you want to put "Prancer" on your holiday viewing list, you can watch it for free on Tubi and Pluto TV.