American network TV prints often eliminate the verse from "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" that begins, "You're a rotter, Mr. Grinch." In addition, a sequence showing the Grinch leering at a little girl with an evil grin is usually deleted.
In 1994, "How The Grinch Stole Christmas!" was shown on TNT as an hour long special with a "behind-the-scenes" documentary that followed immediately after the end of the cartoon. This version was not available after the host, Phil Hartman, was murdered. The 30min documentary is available on the DVD.
In 2006, the TNT version began showing on ABC, with the Phil Hartman segments re-filmed with Tom Bergeron.
On a special edition release of the film, the Grinch was yellow, not green.
The original 1966 airing included integrated sponsor plugs from the Foundation for Full Service Banks at the beginning and ending of the special, in between the credits. These plugs have since been edited out of modern prints since the 70's.
Original releases feature a choir harmonizing over the "The End" screen, this has been removed from modern prints for unknown reasons leaving only the music.
The version shown on CBS from, possibly, the 70's up to 1985 eliminates the verses and segments "You're a vile one" and "You're a rotter" of the Mr. Grinch segment/montage. It cuts from the segment where the Grinch stuffs the items from the Christmas tree in bags up the chimney to the scene where he appears, grinning, at the Who children sleeping in bed with their candy canes.
Beginning in 1986, the full version was shown though it was time compressed.
