Premiering on NBC’s The General Electric Fantasy Hour on December 6, 1964, this Rankin-Bass-produced TV special has become a beloved Christmas tradition for over fifty years. It holds the distinction of being the longest continuously running Christmas television special in history.
Narrated by Sam the Snowman (voiced by Burl Ives), the story follows Rudolph, the young red-nosed reindeer and son of Mr and Mrs Donner.
Shunned and mocked at the Reindeer Games because of his glowing nose, Rudolph runs away and soon befriends Hermey, an elf with dreams of becoming a dentist (voiced by Paul Soles), and Yukon Cornelius, a quirky prospector (voiced by Larry Mann).
Together, the trio encounters a fearsome Abominable Snow Monster and discovers an island inhabited by misfit toys.
Determined to help, Rudolph promises to seek Santa’s aid and returns to the North Pole on Christmas Eve.
However, a heavy fog grounds Santa’s sleigh – until Rudolph’s radiant nose sparks a clever solution.
The special’s distinctive stop-motion animation, known as “Animagic,” was crafted at Japan’s MOM Studios under the expert guidance of Tadahito “Tad” Mochinaga, often called the father of Japanese stop-motion animation.
Meanwhile, the voice cast recorded their performances at RCA Victor Studios in Toronto, Canada.
Rudolph
Billie Mae Richards Sam the snowman
Burl Ives Santa Claus/King Moonracer
Stan Francis Yukon Cornelius
Larry Mann Hermey
Paul Soles Charlie-In-The-Box/Fireball
Alfie Scopp Clarice
Janis Orenstein Donner/Comet the Coach
Paul Kligman Head Elf
Carl Banas Mrs Donner/Doll
Corinne Conley Mrs Claus
Peg Dixon
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Shunned and mocked at the Reindeer Games because of his glowing nose, Rudolph runs away and soon befriends Hermey, an elf with dreams of becoming a dentist (voiced by Paul Soles), and Yukon Cornelius, a quirky prospector (voiced by Larry Mann).
