Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn), employed at Macy’s Department store, is on trial because the State of New York think he is insane on the grounds he believes he is Santa Claus.
Fred Gailey (John Payne) is acting as his defence attorney.
Thomas Mara (Jerome Cowan) is the Prosecutor.
Judge Henry X. Harper (Gene Lockhart) is presiding.
GAILEY:
Your Honor, the figures I have just quoted indicate an efficiently run organization.
United States postal laws and regulations make it a criminal offense to wilfully misdirect mail or intentionally deliver it to the wrong party.
Consequently the Department uses every possible precaution.
MARA:
The state of New York admires the Post Office.
It is efficient, authoritative, and prosperous.
We’re happy to concede Mr Gailey’s claims.
GAILEY:
For the record?
MARA:
For the record.
Anything to get this case going.
GAILEY (producing letters addressed to Santa):
Then I want to introduce this evidence.
MARA:
I’ll take them, please.
GAILEY:
I have three letters addressed simply “Santa Claus.”
No other address whatsoever.
Yet these were just now delivered to Mr. Kringle by bona fide employees of the Post Office.
I offer them as positive proof that…
MARA:
Uh, three letters are hardly positive proof.
I understand the Post Office receives thousands of these letters every year.
GAILEY:
I have further exhibits, but I hesitate to produce them.
MARA:
Oh, I’m sure we’ll be very happy to see them.
HARPER:
Yes, yes.
Produce them, Mr. Gailey.
Put them here on my desk.
GAILEY:
But, Your Honor…
HARPER:
Put them here on the desk.
Put them here.
GAILEY:
Yes, Your Honor.
Gailey beckons to the court bailiffs, and they turn and open the courtroom doors.
A procession of officers carrying bags and bags of mail enter the courtroom, walk down to the Judge, and unload the bags, containing thousands of letters to Santa, onto the Judge’s bench.
The courtroom erupts with laughter, the press flash their cameras, and Judge Harper pounds his gavel to restore order.
GAILEY:
Your Honor!
Your Honor!
Your Honor… every one of these letters is addressed to Santa Claus.
The Post Office has delivered them.
Therefore, the Post Office, a branch of the federal government, recognizes this man,
Kris Kringle, to be the one-and-only Santa Claus!
HARPER (clearing away letters so he can be seen):
Since the United States government declares this man to be Santa Claus, this court will not dispute it.
Case dismissed.
thingsthatmadeanimpression 
‘Miracle on 34th Street’ was released in 1947.
Edmund Gwenn was born in London, England on 26 September 1877, and died on 6 September 1959, aged 81 years.
He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Kris Kringle.
He starred in many films, and among those, he also played Mr Bennet, father of the Bennet girls, in the 1940 version of ‘Pride and Prejudice’, and that of Mr Athelny, a patient of Philip Carey and father of Sally Athelny, in the 1946 film ‘Of Human Bondage’.
Less notable to most, would be his roles as Bishop Myriel in the 1952 film version of Les Miserables (starring Michael Rennie as Jean Valjean) and as Jeremiah Nolan, an animal caretaker, in the 1955 film ‘It’s a Dog’s Life’ (Wildfire voiced by Vic Morrow).
John Payne was born in Roanoke, Virginia USA on 23 May 1912, and died on 6 December 1989, aged 77 years.
He co-starred with Maureen O’Hara in this film, as well as ‘To the Shores of Tripoli’ (1942) and ‘Sentimental Journey’ (1946).
Jerome Cowan was born in New York City USA on 6 October 1897, and died on 24 January 1972, aged 74 years. He featured in many films in his career including ‘The Maltese Falcon’ (1941) in the role of the unfortunate Miles Archer, partner to Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart).
He played the Mayor in ‘A Pocketful of Miracles’ (1961) with Bette Davis as Apple Annie, and was also in the cast of ‘Have Rocket, Will Travel’ (1959) with the Three Stooges and ‘Visit to a Small Planet’ (1960) with Jerry Lewis.
Gene Lockhart was born in London, Ontario, Canada on 18 July 1891, and died on 31 March 1957, aged 65 years. He was in many films covering a range of roles, but worth noting his appearance in ‘Bonzo goes to College’ (1952) together with his co-star from ‘Miracle on 34th Street, Edmund Gwenn. Note this is the sequel to Ronald Reagan’s ‘Bedtime for Bonzo’ (1951).
His daughter, June Lockhart, played, amongst other roles, Dr Maureen Robinson on ‘Lost in Space’ (1965-68), and his granddaughter, Anne Lockhart, has been in various television shows, notably as Lieutenant Sheba in ‘Battlestar Galactica’ (1979) and a number of films.