Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Encyclopedia
Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer is a fictional reindeer
with a glowing red nose. He is popularly known as "Santa's 9th Reindeer" and, when depicted, is the lead reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve. The luminosity of his nose is so great that it illuminates the team's path through inclement winter weather.
Rudolph first appeared in a 1939 booklet written by Robert L. May
and published by Montgomery Ward
.
The story is owned by The Rudolph Company, L.P. and has been adapted in numerous forms including a popular song, a television special
, and a feature film. Character Arts, LLC manages the licensing for the Rudolph Company, L.P. Although the story and song are not public domain
, Rudolph has become a figure of Christmas folklore.
. The retailer had been buying and giving away coloring books for Christmas every year and it was decided that creating their own book would save money. May considered naming the reindeer "Rollo" and "Reginald" before deciding upon using the name "Rudolph". In its first year of publication, 2.4 million copies of Rudolph's story were distributed by Montgomery Ward. The story is written as a poem in the meter
of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas
". "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" is loved by millions and still selling copies. Publication and reprint rights for the book "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" are controlled by Pearson Plc.
, decided to adapt the story of Rudolph into a song. Marks (1909–1985), was a radio producer and wrote several popular Christmas songs. He was born in a New York City suburb and graduated from Colgate University
in Hamilton
, New York, before traveling to Paris to study music. He had a heroic World War II
combat record, winning the Bronze Star and four battle stars.
The song was first sung commercially by crooner Harry Brannon
on New York city radio in early November, 1949, before Gene Autry
released it on November 25th, and has since filtered into the popular consciousness.
The lyric "All of the other reindeer" can be misheard in dialects with the cot–caught merger as the mondegreen
"Olive, the other reindeer", and has given rise to another character featured in her own Christmas television special, Olive, the Other Reindeer
. (Coincidentally, she mentions Rudolph by name to one of the reindeer, and the reindeer tells her Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer doesn't exist; it's all an urban legend
.)
The song in its Finnish translation, Petteri Punakuono
, has led to Rudolph's general acceptance in the mythology
as the lead reindeer of Joulupukki
, the Finnish Santa.
Autry's version of the song also holds the distinction of being the only number one hit to fall completely off the chart after hitting #1 the week of Christmas, 1949. The official date of its #1 status was for the week ending January 7, 1950, making it the first #1 song of the 1950s. Nonetheless, it sold 2.5 million copies the first year, eventually selling a total of 25 million, and it remained the second best-selling record of all time until the 1980s.
In 1950, the song was recorded by Bing Crosby
. His version reached #6 on Billboard
magazine's Best Selling Children's Records chart and number 14 on Billboards pop singles chart that year.
Also in 1950, Spike Jones and his City Slickers
released a version of the song that peaked at #7 on Billboard magazine's pop singles chart and #8 on Billboards Best Selling Children's Records chart.
In 1951, Red Foley and The Little Foleys
released a version of the song that peaked at #8 on Billboard magazine's Best Selling Children's Records chart.
In 1953, Billy May
recorded a mambo version of the song titled "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Mambo" with vocals by Alvin Stoller
.
In 1957, The Cadillacs
released a doo-wop
version of the song that peaked at #11 on Billboard magazine's Rhythm & Blues Records
chart.
In 1959, Dean Martin
recorded the song for his album, A Winter Romance
.
In 1960, The Chipmunks
released a novelty version of the song
that peaked at #21 on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 singles chart and #15 on Billboards Easy Listening chart.
Also in 1960, the Melodeers
released a doo-wop version of the song that peaked at #72 on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 singles chart.
Also in 1960, Paul Anka
released a version of the song that peaked at #104 on Billboard magazine's Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
chart.
In 1963, The Crystals
recorded the song for the rock 'n' roll
holiday album A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records, which was produced by Phil Spector
.
In 1964, Burl Ives
recorded the song for the soundtrack of the holiday TV special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
.
In 1965, The Supremes
recorded the song for their holiday album, Merry Christmas.
In 1968, The Temptations
released a version of the song that peaked at #12 on Billboard magazine's special, year-end, weekly Christmas Singles chart (this same version later got as high as #3 on the same chart in December 1971). Their version of the song was also included on the group's 1970 Christmas album, The Temptations Christmas Card
.
In 1970, The Jackson 5
recorded the song for their holiday album, The Jackson 5 Christmas Album
.
In 1982, Merle Haggard
recorded the song for his holiday album, Goin' Home for Christmas
.
In 1987, the California Raisins did a Motown pop-influenced rendition of the song for Will Vinton
's A Claymation Christmas Celebration
.
In 1990, Dolly Parton
recorded the song for her holiday album, Home for Christmas
.
In 1994, the Gene Autry recording was combined with new vocals by Alvin and the Chipmunks
for the album A Very Merry Chipmunk
.
In 1996, Alan Jackson
released a version of the song that peaked at #56 on Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles & Tracks
chart.
Also in 1996, The Wiggles
recorded this song for their album, Wiggly, Wiggly Christmas
. A year later, they sang it on their video, Wiggly Wiggly Christmas.
Also in 1996, Peach Hips
, a group consisting of Kotono Mitsuishi
, Aya Hisakawa
, Rica Fukami, Emi Shinohara
and Michie Tomizawa
covered this song for a Christmas album coinciding with the fifth season of Sailor Moon
.
In 1998, Babyface recorded the song for his holiday album, Christmas with Babyface
.
In 1999, Jewel
recorded the song for her holiday album, Joy: A Holiday Collection
.
In 2000, Lynyrd Skynyrd
recorded the song for their holiday album, Christmas Time Again
.
In 2002, Jack Johnson
recorded the song for a various artists holiday album released by Nettwerk Records
and titled Maybe This Christmas (this same version was also released on the 2008 various artists holiday album, This Warm December: Brushfire Holiday Volume 1
, which was released on Johnson's record label Brushfire Records
).
In 2007, 1910 Fruitgum Company
recorded the song for their Christmas album, Bubblegum Christmas.
In 2009, Barry Manilow
included this song in the re-release of his third Christmas album, In the Swing of Christmas
.
for the Jam Handy Corporation, that was more faithful to May's original story than Marks' song (which had not then yet been written). It was reissued in 1948 with the song added.
, then known as National Periodical Publications, published a series of 13 annuals
titled Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer from 1950 to 1962. In 1972, DC published a 14th edition in an extra-large format. Subsequently, they published six more in that format: Limited Collectors' Edition C-24, C-33, C-42, C-50 and All-New Collectors' Edition C-53, C-60. Additionally, one digest format edition was published as The Best of DC #4 (March-April 1980).
. The book is similar in story to the Max Fleischer cartoon short. Although it is one of the more memorable versions of the story in book form, it is apparently no longer in print. However, a revised Golden Books version of the storybook has since been issued.
In 2003 Penguin Group (USA) Inc, a division of Pearson Plc, issued a reprint version of the original "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" with new artwork by Lisa Papp. Penguin also reprinted May's sequels "Rudolph Shines Again" and "Rudolph To The Rescue."
in 1964, when Rankin/Bass
produced a stop-motion animated TV special. This version of the story adds several new characters, including the prospector Yukon Cornelius, a love interest for Rudolph named Clarice
, and a Christmas elf
named Hermey. (Hermey, like Rudolph, is a misfit: he suffers the disdain of the other elves because he would rather be a dentist than a toymaker). New subplots include Hermey and Rudolph running away to the "Island of Misfit Toys" where defective, anthropomorphic toys are left when they are deemed unfit for a child's care, and the capture of Rudolph's parents and Clarice by the Abominable Snowmonster.
In 1975, a sequel to the Rankin-Bass original special was produced, titled Rudolph's Shiny New Year
, and then a third in 1979 titled Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July
. The 2001 film Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys, while it used the same characters, was produced by a different company, and it's unclear whether or not it should be considered as part of this particular canon
(see the next section).
. Despite this, it has garnered a base of dedicated fans as well as criticisms of many of the songs. Its inclusion of a villain
character, Stormella, and a love interest, Zoey, for Rudolph as well as a small sidekick, Slyly, and a strong protector character, Leonard, are very derivative of the Rankin-Bass adaptation of the story as opposed to the original tale and song (the characters of Stormella, Zoey, Arrow, Slyly and Leonard closely parallel the Rankin-Bass characters of The Bumble, Clarice, Fireball, Hermey the Dentist, and Yukon Cornelius respectively). The movie amplifies the early back-story of Rudolph's harassment by his schoolmates (primarily an older fawn named Arrow) during his formative years.
GoodTimes Entertainment
, the producers of this film, brought back most of the same production team for a CGI animated sequel, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys in 2001. Unlike the film, the sequel licensed the original characters from the Rankin-Bass special.
animations carry on the legend by introducing Rudolph's son, Robbie the Reindeer
. However, Rudolph is never directly mentioned by name (references are replaced by a character interrupting with the phrase "Don't say that name!" or something similar, presumably for copyright
reasons.)
Rudolph is also given a brother, Rusty Reindeer, in the 2006 American special, Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen
. Unlike in the "Robbie the Reindeer" cartoons, Rudolph's name is mentioned freely in the film.
Michael Fry and T. Lewis
have recently given Rudolph another brother in a series of Over the Hedge
comic strip
s; an overweight, emotionally-damaged reindeer named "Ralph, the Infra-Red nosed Reindeer", who has a red nose just like Rudolph's, but his is good for defrosting Santa's sleigh and warming up toast and waffles. He appeared before R.J., Verne, and Hammy, enviously complaining about his brother's publicity and his anonymity.
Rudolph has a cousin, Leroy, in Joe Diffie
's 1995 song, "Leroy the Redneck Reindeer".
In the animated specials produced by both Rankin-Bass and GoodTimes Entertainment, Rudolph has been given different sets of parents. In Rankin-Bass's holiday special, he is Donner's son and his mother is an unnamed tan doe with long eyelashes who is simply called "Mrs. Donner". In GoodTimes's retelling, Rudolph's father is Blitzen, possibly to avoid plagiarism
, and his mother, played by Debbie Reynolds
, is named Mitzi.
Robert L. May's original book does not name Rudolph's parents.
Reindeer
The reindeer , also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one has already gone extinct.Reindeer vary considerably in color and size...
with a glowing red nose. He is popularly known as "Santa's 9th Reindeer" and, when depicted, is the lead reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve. The luminosity of his nose is so great that it illuminates the team's path through inclement winter weather.
Rudolph first appeared in a 1939 booklet written by Robert L. May
Robert L. May (Rudolph)
Robert Lewis May was the creator of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.-Life and career: Graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Dartmouth College in 1926...
and published by Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward is an online retailer that carries the same name as the former American department store chain, founded as the world's #1 mail order business in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward, and which went out of business in 2001...
.
The story is owned by The Rudolph Company, L.P. and has been adapted in numerous forms including a popular song, a television special
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (TV special)
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a Christmas television special produced in stop motion animation by Rankin/Bass. It first aired Sunday, December 6, 1964, on the NBC television network in the USA, and was sponsored by General Electric under the umbrella title of The General Electric Fantasy Hour...
, and a feature film. Character Arts, LLC manages the licensing for the Rudolph Company, L.P. Although the story and song are not public domain
Public domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
, Rudolph has become a figure of Christmas folklore.
The story
Robert L. May created Rudolph in 1939 as an assignment for Montgomery WardMontgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward is an online retailer that carries the same name as the former American department store chain, founded as the world's #1 mail order business in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward, and which went out of business in 2001...
. The retailer had been buying and giving away coloring books for Christmas every year and it was decided that creating their own book would save money. May considered naming the reindeer "Rollo" and "Reginald" before deciding upon using the name "Rudolph". In its first year of publication, 2.4 million copies of Rudolph's story were distributed by Montgomery Ward. The story is written as a poem in the meter
Anapestic tetrameter
Anapestic tetrameter is a poetic meter that has four anapestic metrical feet per line. Each foot has two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable...
of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas
A Visit from St. Nicholas
"A Visit from St. Nicholas", also known as "The Night Before Christmas" and "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" from its first line, is a poem first published anonymously in 1823 and generally attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, although the claim has also been made that it was written by Henry...
". "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" is loved by millions and still selling copies. Publication and reprint rights for the book "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" are controlled by Pearson Plc.
The song
May's brother-in-law, Johnny MarksJohnny Marks
Johnny Marks was an American songwriter. Although he was Jewish, he specialized in Christmas songs and wrote many standards, including "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" , "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" , "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" , and "A Holly...
, decided to adapt the story of Rudolph into a song. Marks (1909–1985), was a radio producer and wrote several popular Christmas songs. He was born in a New York City suburb and graduated from Colgate University
Colgate University
Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, USA. The school was founded in 1819 as a Baptist seminary and later became non-denominational. It is named for the Colgate family who greatly contributed to the university's endowment in the 19th century.Colgate has 52...
in Hamilton
Hamilton, New York
Hamilton, New York may refer to either:*Hamilton , New York, in Madison County*Hamilton , New York, which lies within the town...
, New York, before traveling to Paris to study music. He had a heroic World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
combat record, winning the Bronze Star and four battle stars.
The song was first sung commercially by crooner Harry Brannon
Harry Brannon
.Harry Brannon was an American popular singer born on June 19, 1920 in Gloucester City, New Jersey. Brannon was characterized by his contemporaries as "having a voice sweeter than Bing Crosby's." In fact, in the late 1940s, Brannon was frequently introduced as "Frank Sinatra with a voice" at Andy's...
on New York city radio in early November, 1949, before Gene Autry
Gene Autry
Orvon Grover Autry , better known as Gene Autry, was an American performer who gained fame as The Singing Cowboy on the radio, in movies and on television for more than three decades beginning in the 1930s...
released it on November 25th, and has since filtered into the popular consciousness.
The lyric "All of the other reindeer" can be misheard in dialects with the cot–caught merger as the mondegreen
Mondegreen
A mondegreen is the mishearing or misinterpretation of a phrase as a result of near homophony, in a way that gives it a new meaning. It most commonly is applied to a line in a poem or a lyric in a song...
"Olive, the other reindeer", and has given rise to another character featured in her own Christmas television special, Olive, the Other Reindeer
Olive, the Other Reindeer
Olive, the Other Reindeer is a CGI animated Christmas television special written by Steve Young, and directed by Oscar Moore. The feature was produced by Matt Groening's The Curiosity Company and animated by DNA Productions...
. (Coincidentally, she mentions Rudolph by name to one of the reindeer, and the reindeer tells her Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer doesn't exist; it's all an urban legend
Urban legend
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
.)
The song in its Finnish translation, Petteri Punakuono
Petteri Punakuono
Petteri Punakuono is the Finnish version of the English Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. The Finnish lyrics are as follows:-Petteri Punakuono:At evenings others disparged him mocking as a lighthouse,but from that Santa Claus got an idea....
, has led to Rudolph's general acceptance in the mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
as the lead reindeer of Joulupukki
Joulupukki
Joulupukki is a Finnish Christmas figure. The name Joulupukki literally means Christmas Goat or Yule Goat. The Finnish word "pukki" comes from the Swedish "bock" and is an old Scandinavian tradition...
, the Finnish Santa.
Autry's version of the song also holds the distinction of being the only number one hit to fall completely off the chart after hitting #1 the week of Christmas, 1949. The official date of its #1 status was for the week ending January 7, 1950, making it the first #1 song of the 1950s. Nonetheless, it sold 2.5 million copies the first year, eventually selling a total of 25 million, and it remained the second best-selling record of all time until the 1980s.
In 1950, the song was recorded by Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
. His version reached #6 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine's Best Selling Children's Records chart and number 14 on Billboards pop singles chart that year.
Also in 1950, Spike Jones and his City Slickers
Spike Jones
Mel Blanc, the voice of Bugs Bunny and other Warner Brothers cartoon characters, performed a drunken, hiccuping verse for 1942's "Clink! Clink! Another Drink"...
released a version of the song that peaked at #7 on Billboard magazine's pop singles chart and #8 on Billboards Best Selling Children's Records chart.
In 1951, Red Foley and The Little Foleys
Red Foley
Clyde Julian Foley , better known as Red Foley, was an American singer, musician, and radio and TV personality who made a major contribution to the growth of country music after World War II....
released a version of the song that peaked at #8 on Billboard magazine's Best Selling Children's Records chart.
In 1953, Billy May
Billy May
William E. "Billy" May was an American composer, arranger and trumpeter. He composed film and television music, for The Green Hornet , Batman , and Naked City and collaborated on films, such as Pennies from Heaven , and orchestrated Cocoon, and Cocoon: The Return among...
recorded a mambo version of the song titled "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Mambo" with vocals by Alvin Stoller
Alvin Stoller
Alvin Stoller was an American jazz drummer. Though he seems to have been largely forgotten, he was held in high regard in the 1940s and 1950s...
.
In 1957, The Cadillacs
The Cadillacs
The Cadillacs were an American rock and roll and doo-wop group from Harlem, New York; active from 1953 to 1962. The group was noted for their 1955 hit "Speedoo", which was instrumental in attracting White audiences to Black rock and roll performers.-History:...
released a doo-wop
Doo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
version of the song that peaked at #11 on Billboard magazine's Rhythm & Blues Records
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart.
In 1959, Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
recorded the song for his album, A Winter Romance
A Winter Romance
A Winter Romance is a Christmas album recorded by Dean Martin between July and August, 1959 and released on November 16, 1959 . The backing orchestra was conducted by Gus Levene. It was Martin's first holiday themed album for Capitol Records. The original artwork featured a picture of Dean...
.
In 1960, The Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
released a novelty version of the song
Novelty song
A novelty song is a comical or nonsensical song, performed principally for its comical effect. Humorous songs, or those containing humorous elements, are not necessarily novelty songs. The term arose in Tin Pan Alley to describe one of the major divisions of popular music. The other two divisions...
that peaked at #21 on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 singles chart and #15 on Billboards Easy Listening chart.
Also in 1960, the Melodeers
Melodeers Chorus
The Melodeers are an all-female, a cappella chorus based in the metropolitan Chicago area.-History:Founded in 1960 in Deerfield, Illinois, the Melodeers Chorus is an a cappella chorus of female singers who sing in the barbershop style...
released a doo-wop version of the song that peaked at #72 on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 singles chart.
Also in 1960, Paul Anka
Paul Anka
Paul Albert Anka, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and actor.Anka first became famous as a teen idol in the late 1950s and 1960s with hit songs like "Diana'", "Lonely Boy", and "Put Your Head on My Shoulder"...
released a version of the song that peaked at #104 on Billboard magazine's Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100...
chart.
In 1963, The Crystals
The Crystals
The Crystals are an American vocal group based in New York, considered one of the defining acts of the girl group era of the first half of the 1960s. Their 1961–1964 chart hits, including "Uptown", "He's a Rebel", "Da Doo Ron Ron " and "Then He Kissed Me", featured three successive female lead...
recorded the song for the rock 'n' roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
holiday album A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records, which was produced by Phil Spector
Phil Spector
Phillip Harvey "Phil" Spector is an American record producer and songwriter, later known for his conviction in the murder of actress Lana Clarkson....
.
In 1964, Burl Ives
Burl Ives
Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives was an American actor, writer and folk music singer. As an actor, Ives's work included comedies, dramas, and voice work in theater, television, and motion pictures. Music critic John Rockwell said, "Ives's voice .....
recorded the song for the soundtrack of the holiday TV special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (TV special)
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a Christmas television special produced in stop motion animation by Rankin/Bass. It first aired Sunday, December 6, 1964, on the NBC television network in the USA, and was sponsored by General Electric under the umbrella title of The General Electric Fantasy Hour...
.
In 1965, The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
recorded the song for their holiday album, Merry Christmas.
In 1968, The Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
released a version of the song that peaked at #12 on Billboard magazine's special, year-end, weekly Christmas Singles chart (this same version later got as high as #3 on the same chart in December 1971). Their version of the song was also included on the group's 1970 Christmas album, The Temptations Christmas Card
The Temptations Christmas Card
The Temptations Christmas Card is a 1970 Christmas album by The Temptations for the Gordy label. The group's first holiday release, Christmas Card features each Temptation leading on various popular Christmas standards and original Christmas songs.-Track listing:#"Rudolph the Red-Nosed...
.
In 1970, The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...
recorded the song for their holiday album, The Jackson 5 Christmas Album
The Jackson 5 Christmas Album
Jackson 5 Christmas Album was the only holiday album released by Motown family quintet The Jackson 5. Released in October 1970, the album showcased the brothers' harmonies and vocals. Lead singer Michael Jackson is prominently featured on the album tracks. Included on the Christmas Album is the...
.
In 1982, Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard
Merle Ronald Haggard is an American country music singer, guitarist, fiddler, instrumentalist, and songwriter. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies,...
recorded the song for his holiday album, Goin' Home for Christmas
Goin' Home for Christmas
Goin' Home for Christmas is a Christmas album by American country singer Merle Haggard, released in 1982. It reached Number 41 on the Billboard Country album chart.- Track listing :All songs by Merle Haggard unless otherwise noted....
.
In 1987, the California Raisins did a Motown pop-influenced rendition of the song for Will Vinton
Will Vinton
Will Vinton is an American director and producer of animated films. He was born in McMinnville, Oregon, near Portland. He has won an Oscar for his work, and several Emmy Awards and Clio Awards for the work of his studio.- Education :...
's A Claymation Christmas Celebration
A Claymation Christmas Celebration
Will Vinton's A Claymation Christmas Celebration is an Emmy Award-winning Christmas television special originally broadcast on the American CBS TV network in 1987...
.
In 1990, Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
recorded the song for her holiday album, Home for Christmas
Home for Christmas (Dolly Parton album)
Home for Christmas is the second holiday album by singer/songwriter Dolly Parton. Unlike her 1984 duet holiday album Once Upon a Christmas with Kenny Rogers, which included a number of original songs, Home for Christmas relied heavily on classic holiday favorites. Its release was accompanied by an...
.
In 1994, the Gene Autry recording was combined with new vocals by Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
for the album A Very Merry Chipmunk
A Very Merry Chipmunk
A Very Merry Chipmunk is a 1994 music album by Alvin and the Chipmunks, released by Sony Wonder. It is their fourth Christmas album. The album reached #147 on the Billboard 200. It was the first in a series of 25 Christmas compilation albums put forth by Turner Broadcasting company...
.
In 1996, Alan Jackson
Alan Jackson
Alan Eugene Jackson is an American country music singer, known for blending traditional honky tonk and mainstream country sounds and penning many of his own hits. He has recorded 13 studio albums, 3 Greatest Hits albums, 2 Holiday albums, 1 Gospel album and several compilations, all on the Arista...
released a version of the song that peaked at #56 on Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles & Tracks
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
chart.
Also in 1996, The Wiggles
The Wiggles
The Wiggles are a children's group formed in Sydney, Australia in 1991. Their original members were Anthony Field, Phillip Wilcher, Murray Cook, Greg Page, and Jeff Fatt. Wilcher left the group after their first album...
recorded this song for their album, Wiggly, Wiggly Christmas
Wiggly, Wiggly Christmas
Wiggly, Wiggly Christmas is The Wiggles' seventh album released in 1996. One of the songs, "Christmas Picnic" was first heard on the Wake Up Jeff video as background music credits.-Tracklist:# Have a Very Merry Christmas# Wiggly, Wiggly Christmas...
. A year later, they sang it on their video, Wiggly Wiggly Christmas.
Also in 1996, Peach Hips
Peach Hips
Peach Hips is the name given to Kotono Mitsuishi, Aya Hisakawa, Michie Tomizawa, Emi Shinohara and Rika Fukami, who voice the characters Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, Sailor Jupiter, and Sailor Venus, respectively...
, a group consisting of Kotono Mitsuishi
Kotono Mitsuishi
is a prolific Japanese voice actor from Tokyo. As a young girl, Mitsuishi lived in Nagareyama, Chiba. Mitsuishi graduated from high school in 1986, and entered the Katsuta Voice Actor's Academy. While attending the academy, she began working part time as an elevator girl in the Sunshine 60 building...
, Aya Hisakawa
Aya Hisakawa
is a Japanese voice actress and J-pop singer born in Kaizuka, Osaka. In addition to releasing various solo CDs, she is well known for her anime voice roles, and has also done some work in video games. She is best known for her role of Sailor Mercury of the Sailor Moon fame and also Cerberus from...
, Rica Fukami, Emi Shinohara
Emi Shinohara
is a Japanese voice actress employed by 81 Produce. She was born in Fukushima Prefecture and raised in Nagano. She is married to tokusatsu actor Hiroshi Watari...
and Michie Tomizawa
Michie Tomizawa
is a Japanese voice actress born in Nagano and raised in Takasaki, Gunma. Her real name is .She is most known for the roles of Matsuzaka-Sensei , Linna Yamazaki , Rei Hino/Sailor Mars , Sumire Kanzaki , and Emi Ogasawara .Tomizawa retired from voice acting before getting married in 2002...
covered this song for a Christmas album coinciding with the fifth season of Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon, known as , is a media franchise created by manga artist Naoko Takeuchi. Fred Patten credits Takeuchi with popularizing the concept of a team of magical girls, and Paul Gravett credits the series with "revitalizing" the magical-girl genre itself...
.
In 1998, Babyface recorded the song for his holiday album, Christmas with Babyface
Christmas with Babyface
Christmas with Babyface is a holiday album by R&B singer, Babyface.- Track listing :#"Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer"#"Winter Wonderland"#"The Christmas Song"#"White Christmas"#"The Little Drummer Boy"#"I'll Be Home for Christmas"...
.
In 1999, Jewel
Jewel (singer)
Jewel Kilcher , professionally known as Jewel, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, actress and poet...
recorded the song for her holiday album, Joy: A Holiday Collection
Joy: A Holiday Collection
Joy: A Holiday Collection is a Christmas album by singer/songwriter Jewel, released in 1999 . The radio-only single "Joy to the World" was released in November the same year...
.
In 2000, Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
recorded the song for their holiday album, Christmas Time Again
Christmas Time Again
Christmas Time Again is the title as well as being the name of one of the songs from a Christmas-themed album by Southern rock band, Lynyrd Skynyrd released in 2000.-Track Listing:#"Santa's Messin' with the Kid"#"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"...
.
In 2002, Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson (musician)
Jack Johnson was born May 18, 1975 is an American folk rock singer-songwriter, surfer and musician known for his work in the soft rock and acoustic genres. In 2001, he achieved commercial success after the release of his debut album, Brushfire Fairytales. He has since released four more albums, a...
recorded the song for a various artists holiday album released by Nettwerk Records
Nettwerk
The Nettwerk Music Group is the umbrella company for Nettwerk Management, Nettwerk Records, Nettwerk One Publishing, Nutone Records, and Artwerk. With over 150 employees, the Vancouver-based company has offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Boston, Nashville, and Hamburg...
and titled Maybe This Christmas (this same version was also released on the 2008 various artists holiday album, This Warm December: Brushfire Holiday Volume 1
This warm december
This Warm December: A Brushfire Holiday, Vol. 1 is a compilation album of Christmas songs, released November 11, 2008 by Brushfire Records. The CD contains twelve songs produced by various artists of the Brushfire Records company, including Jack Johnson, G. Love, Matt Costa and Mason Jennings...
, which was released on Johnson's record label Brushfire Records
Brushfire Records
Brushfire Records is a Haleiwa, Hawaii based record label owned by singer-songwriter Jack Johnson. The label, formerly known as The Moonshine Conspiracy Records, was originally made to release soundtracks for Woodshed Films, a surfing movie production owned by Jack Johnson, Emmett Malloy, and...
).
In 2007, 1910 Fruitgum Company
1910 Fruitgum Company
The 1910 Fruitgum Company is an American bubblegum pop band of the 1960s. The group's biggest hits included "Simon Says," "1, 2, 3, Red Light," "May I Take A Giant Step," "Special Delivery," "Goody Goody Gumdrops," and "Indian Giver." Guitarist Frank Jeckell claimed to have adopted the name from a...
recorded the song for their Christmas album, Bubblegum Christmas.
In 2009, Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, and performer, best known for such recordings as "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", and "Copacabana ."...
included this song in the re-release of his third Christmas album, In the Swing of Christmas
In the Swing of Christmas
In the Swing of Christmas is Barry Manilow's third Christmas-themed album, released in 2007. It was only available at Hallmark Cards stores...
.
Theatrical cartoon short
Rudolph's first screen appearance came in 1947, in the form of a cartoon short produced by Max FleischerMax Fleischer
Max Fleischer was an American animator. He was a pioneer in the development of the animated cartoon and served as the head of Fleischer Studios...
for the Jam Handy Corporation, that was more faithful to May's original story than Marks' song (which had not then yet been written). It was reissued in 1948 with the song added.
Comic books
DC ComicsDC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
, then known as National Periodical Publications, published a series of 13 annuals
Annual publication
An annual publication, more often called simply an annual, is a book or a magazine, comic book or comic strip published yearly. For example, a weekly or monthly publication may produce an Annual featuring similar materials to the regular publication....
titled Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer from 1950 to 1962. In 1972, DC published a 14th edition in an extra-large format. Subsequently, they published six more in that format: Limited Collectors' Edition C-24, C-33, C-42, C-50 and All-New Collectors' Edition C-53, C-60. Additionally, one digest format edition was published as The Best of DC #4 (March-April 1980).
Children's book
In 1958, Golden Books published an illustrated storybook, adapted by Barbara Shook Hazen and illustrated by Richard ScarryRichard Scarry
Richard McClure Scarry was a popular American children's author and illustrator who published over 300 books with total sales of over 100 million units worldwide....
. The book is similar in story to the Max Fleischer cartoon short. Although it is one of the more memorable versions of the story in book form, it is apparently no longer in print. However, a revised Golden Books version of the storybook has since been issued.
In 2003 Penguin Group (USA) Inc, a division of Pearson Plc, issued a reprint version of the original "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" with new artwork by Lisa Papp. Penguin also reprinted May's sequels "Rudolph Shines Again" and "Rudolph To The Rescue."
Stop Motion Animation TV special
The reindeer made his television debut on NBCNBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
in 1964, when Rankin/Bass
Rankin/Bass
Rankin/Bass Productions, Inc. , also known as Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment, was an American production company, known for its seasonal television specials, particularly its work in stop-motion animation. The pre-1974 library is currently owned by Classic Media,while the post-1974 library is...
produced a stop-motion animated TV special. This version of the story adds several new characters, including the prospector Yukon Cornelius, a love interest for Rudolph named Clarice
Clarice
Clarice is a given name of Latin and Greek origin. The "Clarice" spelling is the Germanic variant of the Latin Clarus and the Greek Clarissa .It may refer to:*Clarice Vance, American actress...
, and a Christmas elf
Christmas elf
A Christmas elf is a diminutive creature that lives with Santa Claus in the North Pole and acts as his helper. Christmas elves are often depicted as green or red clad with pointy ears, long noses, and pointy hats. Santa's elves are often to make the toys in Santa's workshop and take care of...
named Hermey. (Hermey, like Rudolph, is a misfit: he suffers the disdain of the other elves because he would rather be a dentist than a toymaker). New subplots include Hermey and Rudolph running away to the "Island of Misfit Toys" where defective, anthropomorphic toys are left when they are deemed unfit for a child's care, and the capture of Rudolph's parents and Clarice by the Abominable Snowmonster.
In 1975, a sequel to the Rankin-Bass original special was produced, titled Rudolph's Shiny New Year
Rudolph's Shiny New Year
Rudolph's Shiny New Year is the 1976 stop-motion animated sequel to the 1964 television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, produced by Rankin/Bass.-Plot:...
, and then a third in 1979 titled Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July
Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July
Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July is a feature-length 1979 Rankin-Bass crossover sequel filmed in stop-motion animation in the style of their 1964 Christmas special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. It was 97 minutes long. Although designed as a theatrical release , it made its U.S...
. The 2001 film Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys, while it used the same characters, was produced by a different company, and it's unclear whether or not it should be considered as part of this particular canon
Canon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
(see the next section).
Animated feature-length film
An animated feature film of the story was produced in 1998, titled Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie. It received only a limited theatrical release before debuting on home videoHome video
Home video is a blanket term used for pre-recorded media that is either sold or rented/hired for home cinema entertainment. The term originates from the VHS/Betamax era but has carried over into current optical disc formats like DVD and Blu-ray Disc and, to a lesser extent, into methods of digital...
. Despite this, it has garnered a base of dedicated fans as well as criticisms of many of the songs. Its inclusion of a villain
Villain
A villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
character, Stormella, and a love interest, Zoey, for Rudolph as well as a small sidekick, Slyly, and a strong protector character, Leonard, are very derivative of the Rankin-Bass adaptation of the story as opposed to the original tale and song (the characters of Stormella, Zoey, Arrow, Slyly and Leonard closely parallel the Rankin-Bass characters of The Bumble, Clarice, Fireball, Hermey the Dentist, and Yukon Cornelius respectively). The movie amplifies the early back-story of Rudolph's harassment by his schoolmates (primarily an older fawn named Arrow) during his formative years.
GoodTimes Entertainment
GoodTimes Entertainment
GoodTimes Entertainment, Ltd. was a home video company that originated in 1984 under the name of GoodTimes Home Video. Though it produced its own titles, the company was well-known due to its distribution of media from third parties and classics...
, the producers of this film, brought back most of the same production team for a CGI animated sequel, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys in 2001. Unlike the film, the sequel licensed the original characters from the Rankin-Bass special.
Relatives in different adaptations
Two BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
animations carry on the legend by introducing Rudolph's son, Robbie the Reindeer
Robbie the Reindeer
Robbie the Reindeer is a series of three animated comedy television specials shown on BBC One at Christmas, filmed in aid of Comic Relief. Written by Kevin Cecil and Andy Riley, the programmes are based on the story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, with Robbie as Rudolph's son and the tenth of...
. However, Rudolph is never directly mentioned by name (references are replaced by a character interrupting with the phrase "Don't say that name!" or something similar, presumably for copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
reasons.)
Rudolph is also given a brother, Rusty Reindeer, in the 2006 American special, Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen
Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen
Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen is a stop-motion animated Christmas television special directed by David H. Brooks, that originally aired in 2006. The show's plot has Rusty Reindeer joining a support group for depressed holiday icons, and he and the other characters search for...
. Unlike in the "Robbie the Reindeer" cartoons, Rudolph's name is mentioned freely in the film.
Michael Fry and T. Lewis
T. Lewis
Thomas Leslie Lewis III, mostly known as T. Lewis, is an American artist who has worked as a book illustrator. He received the National Cartoonist Society Book Illustration Award for 1999...
have recently given Rudolph another brother in a series of Over the Hedge
Over the Hedge
Over the Hedge is a syndicated comic strip written and drawn by Michael Fry and T. Lewis. It tells the story of a raccoon, turtle, a squirrel, and their friends who come to terms with their woodlands being taken over by suburbia, trying to survive the increasing flow of humanity and technology...
comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
s; an overweight, emotionally-damaged reindeer named "Ralph, the Infra-Red nosed Reindeer", who has a red nose just like Rudolph's, but his is good for defrosting Santa's sleigh and warming up toast and waffles. He appeared before R.J., Verne, and Hammy, enviously complaining about his brother's publicity and his anonymity.
Rudolph has a cousin, Leroy, in Joe Diffie
Joe Diffie
Joe Logan Diffie is an American country music singer known for his ballads and novelty songs. Between 1990 and 2004, Diffie charted 35 cuts on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, including five number one singles: his debut release "Home", "If the Devil Danced ", "Third Rock from the Sun",...
's 1995 song, "Leroy the Redneck Reindeer".
In the animated specials produced by both Rankin-Bass and GoodTimes Entertainment, Rudolph has been given different sets of parents. In Rankin-Bass's holiday special, he is Donner's son and his mother is an unnamed tan doe with long eyelashes who is simply called "Mrs. Donner". In GoodTimes's retelling, Rudolph's father is Blitzen, possibly to avoid plagiarism
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...
, and his mother, played by Debbie Reynolds
Debbie Reynolds
Debbie Reynolds is an American actress, singer, and dancer.She was initially signed at age 16 by Warner Bros., but her career got off to a slow start. When her contract was not renewed, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer gave her a small, but significant part in the film Three Little Words , then signed her to...
, is named Mitzi.
Robert L. May's original book does not name Rudolph's parents.
See also
- Santa ClausSanta ClausSanta Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
- Santa Claus's reindeer
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Game)
External links
- Official Licensor for Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
- Official CBS website for Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
- Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (1948)
- Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer
- Rudolph To The Rescue
- Rudolph Shines Again
- Rudolph’s Second Christmas
- Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (1948) Full Film (public domain footage)
- Lyrics To Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer