The film is an adaptation of the 1937 book of the same name by J. R. R. Tolkien; it was first broadcast on NBC in the United States on Sunday, November 27, 1977.

Thorin explains Bilbo is to be a lucky number fourteen for them, and tells how his dwarves were driven out of the Lonely Mountain by the dragon Smaug, who stole their treasure.

Bilbo loses the group; he finds an underground lake, where he discovers a ring, and meets the monster Gollum, who hunts him.

After weeks of searching, Bilbo pilfers a sleeping guard's keys, and floats the dwarves in barrels down the river into Laketown.

The Dwarves reclaim their treasure, only to find that the Lakemen and the Elves have arrived, wanting recompense for Smaug's many damages over the years.

The voice actors for the characters were:[5] The film was produced and directed by Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass of Rankin/Bass Productions in New York City.

He explained that he was able to make the film because The Hobbit was still in the public domain at the time, despite claims to the contrary from the copyright holders.

[11] Harry N. Abrams published a large, illustrated coffee table edition of the book featuring concept art and stills.

[6] Jules Bass adapted Tolkien's original lyrics for the film's musical interludes, drawn primarily from the songs in the book.

[13] A few days before its first airing, John J. O'Connor wrote in The New York Times that "Rankin and Bass Productions have now carefully translated The Hobbit into film.

But... the Dragon and Gollum the riddle aficionado bring some clever original touches... Whatever its flaws, this television version of The Hobbit warrants attention.

"[2] Criticism primarily focused on adaptation issues, including the unfamiliar style of artwork used by the Japanese-American co-production team.

The scholar Douglas A. Anderson called the adaptation "execrable" in the introduction to his book The Annotated Hobbit, although he did not elaborate;[3] and a few critics said it was confusing for those not already familiar with the plot.

[14] The science fiction author Baird Searles criticized the adaptation, calling it an "abomination" and an attempt that had "failed miserably".

Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings in 1978, an animated adaptation directed by Ralph Bakshi, originally intended as the first part in a two-part film.

[2] Disney released The Hobbit on LP with the soundtrack[6] and dialogue from the film in 1977 through its Buena Vista Records label.

An edited version, along with accompanying "storyteller read-alongs", was later issued for the Mouse Factory's Disneyland Records imprint.

[citation needed] The Hobbit was released by ABC Video Enterprises in the early 1980s on Betamax and VHS by Sony, and CED by RCA.