Episode 123: The Origin Story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
We have one more Christmas gift for our listeners! Today we’re going to be talking about a holiday icon that began as a marketing stunt. (Let’s be honest. Sometimes it feels like Christmas is just one big marketing stunt.) But we’re with friends, so we're getting into the Christmas spirit…or spirits!
We’re going to be talking about everyone’s favorite red-nosed reindeer, Rudolph, and his origin story from a retail store’s marketing department to being the guide at the front of Santa’s sleigh.
So ask the bartender for a couple of Rudolph’s Tipsy Spritzers because it’s the holiday season back here in the bar.
E X T R A S :
(Top to bottom): Hermey the Elf and Rudolph in 1964’s Rankin/Bass stop-motion animated television film, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, author Robert L. May
(Top to bottom): The cover artwork from the first edition, an original sketch page for the book, a spread from the Little Golden Books edition with illustrations by Richard Scarry, a Nintendo Switch game based on the story
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Wikipedia entry
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was created in Chicago by Montgomery Ward copywriter Robert L. May to sell toys in 1939” (Chicago Tribune article)
“Writing 'Rudolph': The Original Red-Nosed Manuscript” (NPR article)
“The Magical Animation of ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’” (Smithsonian Magazine article)
Additional Links
Limited edition stamp series (USPS)
