The Fiftieth Anniversary of the Rankin/Bass Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer Christmas Special

Written By Scott Orris

Since his birth in 1939 as a Montgomery Ward promotion, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer has endured as an icon of the holiday season.  But it was in 1964 that the animation studio of Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass created their annual Christmas special, which has brought the likes of Rudolph, Hermey, and Yukon Cornelius into our homes for over fifty years.  In utilizing a meticulous stop-motion process called “Animagic,” Rankin/Bass created a unique form of animation, combined with great songs, and endearing characters which would make Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer one of the longest running Christmas specials of all time.  The special is hosted by the great actor/folk singer Burl Ives who plays Sam the Snowman and sings many of what would become Christmas staples like “Holly Jolly Christmas,” “Silver and Gold” and of course the Rudolph song itself.

The original 1964 Animagic figures of Rudolph and Santa shown here in 2006.

For myself growing up in the eighties, I just loved the quirky characters such as Yukon Cornelius, a prospector who licks his pickaxe for silver or gold, King Moonracer who is this giant lion with huge black wings who runs the island of misfit toys, and just all the misfit toys themselves.  The story from the Rankin/Bass special was an expansion of the original work by Robert L. May who wrote Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer as a Montgomery Ward promotional in 1939.  The story was then made into the famous song by May’s brother in law Johnny Marks, and was first recorded by Gene Autry in 1949. (Sadeq Smithsonian Snapshot).  In 1944 Rudolph made his first adaptation as a cartoon short directed by Max Fleischer which would later be re-released in 1948 with Johnny Mark’s Rudolph song (Ashe “Christmas in July With Max Fleischer’s Rudolph").  While drawing upon these sources for inspiration, the Rankin/Bass special elaborates the scope of the original story.

The original 1939 book written by Robert L. May

One of the most interesting aspects of the special is what footage is edited or cut out of the special for individual airings.  In its original 1964 airing on NBC surprisingly the misfit toys were not rescued, and instead has a scene of Yukon Cornelius discovering a peppermint mine.  After an outcry of the tragedy of Santa not rescuing the misfit toys and finding homes for them, there was a new scene added in all the subsequent versions which depicts Santa’s first stop as the island of misfit toys, and then cutting the peppermint mine scene.  There was also a new song called “Fame and Fortune” which from 1965-1997 replaced Rudolph and Hermey’s first meeting where they sang “We’re a couple of Misfits." The current version which currently airs on television has since restored “We’re a Couple of Misfits,” and completely cut “Fame and Fortune” (“Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer” Archive of American Television). This was particularly evident to me, growing up and listening to the “Fame and Fortune,” which my parents recorded on a vhs for me in the late 80’s.  I personally agree with the restoration of “We’re a Couple of Misfits” because I think it better embodies what the film is about which is alienation or feeling different from the group or a society, in this case Christmas Town. 

I might be digging more into this then is necessary but this special was made in the 1960’s.  There is definitely this sense of dissatisfaction with authority where Rudolph can’t please his father by covering up as Burl Ives directly stated; “his nonconformity” or please Santa for that matter due to his shiny red nose.  Hermey works with elves that all look the same, and act the same, but he actually wants to be a dentist which is a dramatic departure from the elf norm.  There is also the huge boss elf who represents a stern authority who confronts him about why isn’t he at elf practice or producing enough toys, and then completely derides his ambition to be a dentist.  This leads both Rudolph, and Hermey, these two misunderstood rebels, to run away resembling the counter-cultural figures of the time.  The fact they are labeled as misfits, reinforces this alienated counter cultural identity.  The special was made in 1964 which was when LBJ passed the Civil Rights Act, which gives the movie even more context.  But whether I am hitting on something here, or simply digging for meaning that isn’t there, I think the special is well done and teaches generally the acceptance of those that are different.  You can tune in and watch this classic Christmas special on December 9th and 13th at 8 PM on CBS.

Works Cited:

Ashe, Brandie. "Saturday Morning Cartoons: Christmas in July with Max Fleischer's Rudolph - The Black Maria."
    The Black Maria. N.p., 19 July 2014. Web. 04 Dec. 2014.

"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Archive of American Television. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2014.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Dir. Larry Roemer. Perf. Burl Ives, Billie Mae Richards, Paul Soles.
    Rankin/Bass Productions, 1964. Videocassette.

Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer. Dir. Max Fleischer. Perf. Paul Wing. Jam Handy Organization, 1944. DVD.

"Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2014.

Sadeq, Jessica. "Smithsonian Snapshot: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Smithsonian.
    Smithsonian, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2014.