This is the original movie about "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." It was made for TV and aired Dec. 6, 1964. It's an animated special that used stop motion figures, later known as "Claymation."
Burl Ives stars as Sam the Snowman who narrates the story. Other voices are provided by Larry Mann, Billie Mae Richards, Paul Soles and Stan Francis. Rudolph isn't based on a Christmas legend but on an advertising booklet made for Montgomery Ward department stores in 1939. Robert May wrote the story for the booklet and Denver Gillen illustrated it.
A song by the same title became a frequent tune for the Christmas season by the mid-20th century. Johnny Marks wrote it in 1949, based on the 1939 story by May, who was his brother-in-law. In November, it was first sung over the radio in New York. Then it was recorded by cowboy movie star and singer Gene Autry and became the No. 1 hit during the last week of the 1949 Christmas season.
This movie has been shown on TV every holiday season since 1964. It's the longest running Christmas TV special in history.
Burl Ives stars as Sam the Snowman who narrates the story. Other voices are provided by Larry Mann, Billie Mae Richards, Paul Soles and Stan Francis. Rudolph isn't based on a Christmas legend but on an advertising booklet made for Montgomery Ward department stores in 1939. Robert May wrote the story for the booklet and Denver Gillen illustrated it.
A song by the same title became a frequent tune for the Christmas season by the mid-20th century. Johnny Marks wrote it in 1949, based on the 1939 story by May, who was his brother-in-law. In November, it was first sung over the radio in New York. Then it was recorded by cowboy movie star and singer Gene Autry and became the No. 1 hit during the last week of the 1949 Christmas season.
This movie has been shown on TV every holiday season since 1964. It's the longest running Christmas TV special in history.