1964 R/B Broadcast

The longest-Running, Highest-Rated TV Special hits the air
waves December 6th, 1964
by Rick Goldschmidt

Producers Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass had been in the
Entertainment business for several years with moderate success.
They formed VIDEOCRAFT INTERNATIONAL (later known as
RANKIN/BASS PRODUCTIONS) and produced a few animated
TV series, that could be shown in syndication and broken up over
a week's time in five minute segments. The series were THE TALES
OF THE WIZARD OF OZ and THE NEW ADVENTURES OF
PINOCCHIO. The later was done in ANIMAGIC, a trademark stop-
motion animation, that RANKIN/BASS would be well known for.

RANKIN/BASS hooked up with the brass at the General
Electric company in 1963 and made a linear animated special
for NBC's GENERAL ELECTRIC FANTASY HOUR called
RETURN TO OZ. OZ premiered in February of 1964 and was well
recieved. Arthur Rankin explains, "General Electric wanted a
Christmas special that would also tie into their electrical products.
Johnny Marks and I had brownstones next to each other, so we
had seen each other socially from time to time. I came to Johnny
with the idea to present his 'Rudolph' song within the context of
a TV special. He was reluctant at first. After all, his song was
second to only 'White Christmas' in popularity and had been
recorded by all the top talent. He didn't want to jeopardize the
song in any way. None of us had any idea the effect this special
would have on the song, character, television, etc. I prevailed
upon Johnny and the special was produced to great effect."

On December 6th 1964, RANKIN/BASS' TV musical spectacular
RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER hit the NBC airwaves
and has been on TV every year since. It was RANKIN/BASS'
breakthrough production and the original 1964 broadcast
captured a 55% share of the audience for it's time slot. The following
year it again won the biggest share of it's time slot, and after thirty
years it grabbed a 65% share with it's 1995 broadcast.

The day after the broadcast, the reviews were in and most of
them glowing. VARIETY said,"The hour came off winningly,
full of charm, occasional wit, and tunes which caught the spirit of
the piece." THE NEW YORK TIMES said, "RUDOLPH was a charming
and tuneful hour of fantasy on the special General Electric program
over the National Broadcasting Company network. The animated
drawings in lovely color radiated a gentle spirit of make-believe."

Suddenly, RANKIN/BASS' phone was ringing off the hook and they
would soon sign a three picture deal with Producer Joesph E. Levine.
Many subsequent TV specials would follow for the GENERAL ELECTRIC
company, under their Entertainment division know as TOMORROW
ENTERTAINMENT.

What is interesting to note, is that there were several changes made
to the 1964 version of RUDOLPH. Jules Bass explains, "There was a
write in campaign after the first airing. People wanted to see Santa
Claus go back to the Island of Misfit toys, so this animation was added
for the 1965 broadcast." In the original broadcast, the end credits
featured one elf throwing packages off of Santa's sleigh, that had the
credits beautifully lettered on packages. This segment of animation
has not been seen on TV since 1964. The animation that we have seen
ever since features the misfit doll, Charlie-in-the-box and the polka
dotted elephant around a campfire. After the toys get picked up, they
are dropped from the sleigh via umbrellas during the end credits. The
end credits we see now, are a plain white lettering that does not match
the opening letter style and a few of the talent names are mis-spelled.

Another scene not seen on network television since 1964, we call
"The Peppermint mine" scene. This scene has been added back into
the Blu Ray and DVD releases. During the special, Yukon Cornelius
(voiced by Larry D. Mann) throws his ice pick up in the air and then
licks it. Each time he licks the pick, he doesn't like what he tastes. It
appears that he is searching for Silver and Gold. In the scene that is
missing from network television, we discover that he was looking for
peppermint. He throws his pick in the air at the end of the special
(Which is the punchline to the joke of the pick licking), just outside
Santa's castle and finds peppermint. Hermey, in disbelief, falls back
in the snow.

General Electric's Willard Saloff (chairman of the board) was responsible
for many of the changes that were made to the original 1964 TV special.
Saloff was the guy who said to Arthur, "Who ever heard of girl elves?" to
which Arthur replied, "Who ever heard of boy elves?" Since Saloff did
much to get the special on the air, Arthur and Jules respected his wishes,
even though they did not necessarily agree with them. Another change made
was the replacement of the song "We're a couple of misfits," with the song
"Fame and fortune." "I thought Misfits was a better song, but we made
the change and reanimated the scene," says Rankin. With the insertion of
the new ending, something needed to be trimmed from the special as
well. The musical section, featuring the elf band during the song "We
Are Santa's Elves" was the casualty. It has since been added back into
the Blue Ray and DVD releases.

The 1964 broadcast was sponsored entirely by General Electric and
featured four 90 second commercials. Three of these commercials were
animated in ANIMAGIC by RANKIN/BASS featuring the Chief Elf, the
tall elf with the glasses and the elf with the sun glasses showing off
GE electrical products. Many people that grew up during this era get
the commercials confused with the NORELCO Santa commercials. I
located the entire original broadcast with commercials in the NBC
lock box in 2000 and had the film transferred to video. It was my R/B
holy grail.

Many people don't know that during the production of the TV
special RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER, RANKIN/BASS
simultaneously Produced the ANIMAGIC feature film WILLY
McBEAN & HIS MAGIC MACHINE (1965). They used the same
designer Antony Peters on both and the same canadian voice
group for both Productions. WILLY did not have the same impact
as RUDOLPH, but it was a beautifully animated film that has the
early RANKIN/BASS style that we love so much.

RUDOLPH was a door opener for RANKIN/BASS PRODUCTIONS
and it paved the way for them to branch out into all film styles
including live-action, cel animation and stop-motion. It has inspired
creators and animators such as Tim Burton and most of the staff
at PIXAR and has become a part of our Christmas holiday.

c. 2011 Rick Goldschmidt/RANKIN/BASS PRODUCTIONS