Professor Hinkle

"Give me back my hat!"

- Professor Hinkle

Professor Hinkle is the sole antagonist of 1969's TV show special, Frosty the Snowman.

On the day before Christmas (and Winter Break,) the protagonist Karen's teacher decided to bring in a bad magician named Professor Hinkle. Professor Hinkle is really bad at preforming magic tricks, and accidentally breaks two eggs onto the floor. Soon later, school is dismissed for Winter Break, and a gust of chilly wind carries Professor Hinkle's magic hat and the hat lands on the children's snowman, Frosty''. ''Frosty comes to life, saying "Happy Birthday!"

Professor Hinkle snatches the hat away from the snowman, pretending he didn't see the snowman come to life. After walking a long distance, his rabbit, Hocus Pocus tricks Professor Hinkle, by quickly snatching his hat, and replacing it with a wreath. Hocus returns it to Frosty, who comes back to life again. Frosty, however, is very distressed at how warm the climate is where they are, so one of the children recommends that he goes to the North Pole. Karen wants to come with Frosty, so she does.

They go to the train station, and hitch a ride on a refrigerated train going to the North Pole. Unfortunately, Professor Hinkle has realized by now that Hocus is a traitor, and he sees Frosty and Karen get onto the train, and he hitches a ride as well.

Karen is freezing, inside the box car, so Frosty makes the decision to leave the box car. Professor Hinkle sees that they've outsmarted and replied "Oh, you tricked me! NO FAIR!" and leaves the train too, but he ends up falling down the mountain, crashes into a tree, and a squirrel laughs at him.

Frosty asks Hocus to tell the animals living in the forest to make a fire for Karen, as he is fearful that in the harsh climate of the North Pole, she will not be able to survive. Hocus then suggests to get help from Santa Claus, but Frosty claims credit in the end, much to Hocus' dismay.

Hinkle comes running and maliciously blows out Karen's fire and demands for Frosty to return his hat. Frosty and Karen have no choice but to flee. Since Frosty is made out of snow, he performs a belly whopping slide and goes much faster on snow, than Professor Hinkle does.

At the bottom of the hill, Frosty and Karen encounter a Greenhouse, much to Frosty's relief. Karen can now stay inside the Greenhouse, while Santa Claus is coming. Despite Karen's objections, Frosty also comes into the Greenhouse, saying that he could "lose a few pounds."

Professor Hinkle, finally having caught up to them, slams the Greenhouse door shut, trapping Frosty and Karen, and laughing evilly as knowing that he has finally caught Frosty. Santa Claus arrives, but it's too late for Frosty.

Karen weeps for Frosty, but Santa Claus explains to her that since Frosty is made out of Christmas snow, and he can never melt away completely. Santa opens the Greenhouse door, and Frosty turns into his snowman form. Professor Hinkle demands for his hat one last time. Only does he stop, when Santa threatens to permanently remove him off of the nice list. This makes Professor Hinkle feel guilty. Santa tells Professor Hinkle to "go home and write 'I'm sorry for what I did to frosty' a hundred zillion times". And "maybe just maybe" Santa will give him a new Top-hat.

Professor Hinkle then writes apology letters, as Santa returns Karen home.

It is shown in the credits, that a redeemed Professor Hinkle is walking proudly with his new top hat.