Page 24 - 1217

Page 24 The Antique Shoppe December, 2017
RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER

by Roy Nuhn Late 1980s
plush
udolph, Santa’s most famous popular, in fact, that manufacturers Boop, produced a cartoon short about Rudolph,
reindeer, is now more than and businesses began to besiege Rudolph in the 1940s, it was the 1964 10-inches
high.
R70 years old. No elderly May for the rights to create Rudolph television cartoon classic, Rudolph
couch potato, Rudolph is as spry merchandise and to use him for the Red-Nosed Reindeer, that most
and winsome as ever - and his story advertising purposes. of us remember so well. The award-
continues to warm the hearts of Soon, everything from toys to winning cartoon, which consider ably
children and adults. Since 1939, lunch boxes, jigsaw puzzles to plush expanded the Rudolph story, has been
the tale of the outcast reindeer dolls, books a holiday
who becomes an overnight hero by to paper perennial
guiding the way for Santa and his novelties - since its
toy-filled sleigh one Christmas Eve and even, for premier.
has delighted young and old alike. a short time, Christ mas
Robert L. May, an advertising a newspaper 1949 was an
copywriter for Montgomery Ward comic strip - important permanent Christmas fixture. To
(retail giant of stores and mail appeared on date in the date, more than 100-million records,
order catalogs), created the story the market. history of cassettes, and CD’s have been sold
of Rudolph to entertain his young Maxton Rudolph. It in the U. S. and abroad. Only Irving
daughter, Barbara, during her Publishers, was the year Berlin’s “White Christmas” has
mother’s illness. Barbara adored in 1947, in which surpassed it in the non-religious
Rudolph, and to make the season a became folks heard Christmas song category.
bit merrier, May drew and wrote an the first a new song Rudolph collectors eagerly search
illustrated poem for her as a surprise company to about the for a wide range of memorabilia,
gift. sell a story good-hearted including soft dolls, toys, ornaments
At the urging of his colleagues, book about reindeer. shaped like Rudolph whose nose
May read the poem at the company’s Rudolph. Written by lights up, and sleigh sets with
Christmas party. It was so well But the Tin Pan Alley Rudolph leading Santa’s reindeer.
received that Montgomery Ward name that music maker The most common Rudolph
asked him to work it into the chain’s has become Johnny collectibles are the Little Golden
advertising campaign for the next the most “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” the Christmas song Marks and Books produced by Western
year. closely written by Johnny Marks that has delighted generations of sung by Publishing Company.
May created a comic book of the associated children, was published in sheet music form in 1950. Gene Autry, Other treasured Rudolph finds
story, and over two-million copies with Rudolph are masks, crayon sets, buttons, pin-
of it were printed as giveaways at Rudolph books is Golden Books, the Red-Nosed Reindeer became backs and a large variety of coloring
Ward’s retail stores and catalog whose output in the last seven the hit of the year. The song was books. No Rudolph collection is
centers. The promotion was so decades has been immense. repeatedly played in every five-and- complete without a copy of the
successful that it was repeated in Rudolph comic books issued by dime, department store and sweet original sheet music, published in
1940, with a printing run of more companies other than Montgomery shop - everywhere shoppers and 1950 by the appropriately named St.
than three-million copies. Before Ward began to appear regularly in wide-eyed children went to do their Nicholas Music, Inc.
long, the story of Rudolph had caught 1950. All of them had stories about the gift buying. “Rudolph” also became a From his inception, Rudolph
America’s fancy and become part of reindeer and his pal, Santa Claus, as radio staple. More than anything else, has found more than a responsive
Christmas lore. Parents, teachers and well as special features like cutouts and it was the song that made Rudolph a audience. He has become an integral
social leaders praised games. part of both Christmas legend and
the tale as one that While Max song. And for all the joy he has given
was perfect for young Fleischer, the to every little boy and girl - and to
minds. legendary film us collectors, we wish the shiny-
Throughout the animator and nosed guy our best wishes for a great
second half of the creator of Betty holiday!
1940s, after the end
of World War II,
Montgomery Ward
continued giving
away illustrated
Rudolph stories,
push-out puzzles and
comic books. The
reindeer became so

ABOVE: Rudolph’s popularity has never waned. ABOVE: Little Golden LEFT: 1956 Comic Book
This 1982 Little Golden Book relates a Books published the (National Periodical
further adventure of Santa’s reindeer. largest number of Publications).
Rudolph titles. This
one, 1976, recounts
RIGHT: Coloring Book the original story of
(Western Publishing Co., 1986). Rudolph & his shiny
nose.