Jacob was watching our satellite TV channels the other day when he stumbled on a movie called "Jack Frost". This is the description from movieweb.com.
Release Date November 2nd, 1999
Genre Fantasy
Studio Warner Home Video
Production Year 1998
Plot
Michael Keaton stars in this special-effects-heavy Christmas film about a boy who discovers, after his father dies in a car accident, that his dad is still alive in the form of a snowman.
Unlike the horror film of the same name, Jack Frost is a children's film designed to warm the soul during a chilly winter season. Think of this film as a live-action version of the children's classic Frosty the Snowman.
The story starts with Jack Frost (Michael Keaton), a harmonica-playing blues rocker who spends too much time pursuing his musical career, leaving little time for his wife (Kelly Preston) and son Charlie (Joseph Cross). Feeling guilty for his absence and missing his son's hockey practice, he decides to forego his big audition to spend Christmas with his family.
While driving home for the holidays, however, Jack dies in a tragic auto accident.
The following Christmas, Jack's son builds a snowman and decorates it with his father's old clothes. When Charlie plays his father's harmonica, Jack Frost returns home in the body of the snowman.
Jack has to show Charlie how much he loves him and also has to teach him the ice hockey shot he never got around to when he was alive. Along the way there are snowball fights and sled chases, and Jack finally realizes the great times he was missing with his son.
~ Arthur Borman, All Movie Guide
As was told to me by Jacob there were "sled chases" which were animated effects.
So I cannot claim to be the first who thought of the idea of a "Mobile Snowman" but probably the first who has made a real one and actually allowed it to move unattended down a snow slide!
