Odie 0 Posted December 1, 2004 Wow, its been on TV that long! Click For Spoiler Rudolph going down in TV history By JAY BOBBIN Zap2it 11/30/2004 Rudolph's red nose has been delighting youngsters for decades. Want evidence that a blinking red nose can have its benefits? This yuletide season marks the 40th TV birthday of the most famous reindeer of all. In December 1964 - as Lyndon Johnson prepped for a full term as U.S. president, and Julie Andrews and Sean Connery packed theaters in their respective movie hits "Mary Poppins" and "Goldfinger" - NBC took a gamble on a unique special that used a stop-motion animation style dubbed "Animagic" by producers Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" has aired annually ever since, finding a new home in 1972 at CBS, which gives the ever-enchanting fantasy its 40th anniversary telecast at 8 p.m. Wednesday. For many people, it just wouldn't be the holidays without the saga of Rudolph's adventurous, tuneful path to guiding Santa's sleigh one foggy Christmas Eve . . . thanks to his unique schnoz, once an albatross but ultimately the saving grace of a "Holly Jolly Christmas." Popularized by Gene Autry, composer Johnny Marks' song about Rudolph would have been famous anyway. The Rankin-Bass production made it even more so, paving the way for other "Animagic" shows such as "The Little Drummer Boy" and "The Year Without a Santa Claus" (which ABC Family will show in December). "My math tells me this is actually (the special's) 41st anniversary, but for the sake of round numbers, I'm willing to concede," Rankin muses. "The generation that saw the show when it was first on introduces it to their children, then to their grandchildren. It's been very rewarding to know your work has entertained so many people, not only in America but also abroad." Four decades ago, Rankin and production partner Bass (who now lives in France) hoped "Rudolph" might endure, but Rankin maintains that "in show business, nobody knows anything. Maybe you've heard that before, but it's the truth. You just try to do your best and hope it's a success. Of course, "Rudolph' was, which prompted us to acquire the rights to the title of almost every popular Christmas song named for a character." (Also included: "Frosty the Snowman," which CBS will repeat on Friday.) Rankin originally took "Rudolph" to a sponsor instead of a network. "I pitched it to General Electric through an ad agency, and the man in charge of that division had worked for (the department store) Marshall Field's. He remembered the character as a promotional tool devised by Robert May (credited with the original 'Rudolph' story, though Romeo Muller wrote the teleplay). Johnny Marks wrote the song, but the character of Rudolph came from Robert, so the president of GE became very involved in getting the program on the air. He bought the air time on NBC." "Rudolph" also is showcased on a 40th anniversary DVD recently issued, including an introduction by Rankin. In case you still don't know your "Rudolph," here's a guide to the major characters. • Rudolph, the title star. Outstanding trait: Uh . . . he sneezes through it, and you could even say it glows. • Sam the Snowman, the story's narrator. Outstanding trait: the look (by design, according to Rankin) and voice of Oscar-winning actor and singer Burl Ives. • Hermey, the elf who wants to be an "independent" dentist. Outstanding trait: a hair flip that makes you wonder where that much gel is sold in the North Pole. • Clarice, the doe of Rudolph's dreams. Outstanding traits: long, curved eyelashes just made for batting at our hero, and a lovely singing voice. • Yukon Cornelius, the self-declared "greatest prospector in the North." Outstanding trait: a backpack big enough to make a lesser man topple over. • Bumble, aka the Abominable Snow Monster. Outstanding trait: size, since only his feet fit the TV screen at first. • Santa Claus, Father Christmas. Outstanding traits: that booming voice and big, white beard, naturally. • Fireball, Rudolph's young reindeer pal . . . initially, anyway. Outstanding trait: treachery. • Santa's other elves. Outstanding trait: the unexpected ability to become a pitch-perfect chorus. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ddillard 2 Posted December 19, 2004 It is definitely a classic. I just had not realized that it had been around that long. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Odie 0 Posted December 23, 2004 I was very surprised that it has been around for that long. Its one of my favorites. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BakulaBabe 2 Posted December 23, 2004 I remember seeing it the first time it was shown, and every year after that for several years. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wishfire 2 Posted December 23, 2004 40 years?! Wow. I grew up watching that show every Christmas. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
