A year after winning the Oscar for his supporting role in "Miracle on 34th Street," Edmund Gwenn said, "I'm just about able to venture down the street without being mobbed by small children."

No wonder. His Kris Kringle was wise, wonderful and warm, a man who could reach the child in little, logical Susan Walker and the romantic in her disillusioned, divorced working mother.

The small screen, of course, has been filled with Santas in very special episodes of TV shows and movies. Charles Durning has played the role so often, he should be an honorary resident of the North Pole.

He tops a long list that includes John Goodman ("The Year Without a Santa Claus"), Sebastian Cabot ("Miracle on 34th Street"), Fred Astaire ("The Man in the Santa Claus Suit"), Art Carney ("The Night They Saved Christmas") and Hume Cronyn ("Santa and Pete"). James Earl Jones spoke for Santa in the animated Disney series, "Recess."

As "Fred Claus" arrives in theaters, here's a sampling of actors who packed on the pounds or the padding to play Santa Claus on the big screen. They're rated on a one- to four-bell scale:

Edmund Gwenn (1947) -- The gold standard. He's the only actor to win an Oscar for playing Santa Claus, a distinction that has stood for 60 years and may stand for another 60, thanks to Gwenn and co-stars Natalie Wood and Maureen O'Hara. In accepting his Academy Award, Gwenn said, "Now I know there's a Santa Claus."

Richard Attenborough (1994) -- He had some very large black boots to fill in the theatrical remake of "Miracle on 34th Street" featuring Mara Wilson as 6-year-old Susan Walker, Elizabeth Perkins as her single mother and Dylan McDermott as a handsome prince, er, lawyer. The updated story leaves something to be desired -- no Macy's-Gimbels competition, a nefarious plot to provoke Santa and get him arrested -- but Attenborough and Mara are delightful.

Ed Asner (2003) -- Sure, "Elf" belongs to Will Ferrell, but it was Asner's Santa who set his Christmas course. He was taking a milk-and-cookies break when an infant Buddy crawled into his toy sack and hitched a ride to the North Pole. With bald head, snowy, untrimmed beard and mustache, and glasses down on his nose, Asner looked the part.

David Huddleston (1985) -- In "Santa Claus: The Movie," a childless wood carver who delights in giving gifts to local children freezes to death with Mrs. Claus and two reindeer. And merry Christmas to you, too. As it turns out, they're beamed to the North Pole and welcomed by the toymakers. Huddleston, with rosy cheeks and twinkling eyes, nicely anchored the film from the producers of "Superman."

Tim Allen (1994, 2002, 2006) -- He had three tries to get it right, thanks to "The Santa Clause" trilogy. In the first one, the divorced dad inherits the holiday gig when Santa Claus tumbles off his roof on Christmas Eve. He still looked like Allen, just buried under mounds of fake fat and makeup. The character's look improved, but these movies made more money than they had a right to, with the third installment especially unnecessary.

Billy Bob Thornton (2003) -- He makes the role his own, although he is "Bad Santa." Very, very bad. He's a con man, a thief, a child-hater, a womanizer and an alcoholic with a potty mouth. Thornton said it's "like an episode of 'South Park' that ends with 'It's a Wonderful Life.' This is the Christmas movie for the lovable loser." Or a guilty pleasure.

Tom Hanks (2004) -- "Wait for it ... wait for it." That's the advice if you're on the lookout for Santa, one of a half-dozen characters played by Hanks, in "The Polar Express," thanks to motion capture technology. Hanks said he wanted his Santa "to be perceived as a mix of both the caricature we've all grown up with and some genuine mystery." He was, but loses points for taking 70 minutes to appear.

Paul Giamatti (2007) -- The newest member of the club and he's a bit of a sad sack. Not in terms of his Santa suit, surroundings or North Pole operation. He's overweight, has sleep apnea, a brother who resents him, an efficiency expert charting his elves' every move and the weight of the world on his shoulders.

John Call (1964) -- Green and red are the seasonal colors but does that mean little green men have to kidnap the big guy? The campy "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" is so bad it's almost good. Almost. Features a young Pia Zadora and the tune "Hooray for Santy Claus."