We're a couple of misfits searching for peppermint!

60 years today!

*Today is the 60th Anniversary for Rankin/Bass' first feature film, Willy McBean and his magic machine!  It was shot simultaneously with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and designed and co-written by Antony Peters and featured the same voice cast with some additions, like James Doohan (Scotty from Star Trek).  Antony Peters was the original artist at Rankin/Bass and left the studio after this production.  He and I became great friends and he gave me great insight into the early days at Videocraft International,  which later became Rankin/Bass Productions .  I loved his UPA, streamlined style, for the work he did at Rankin/Bass.  This is why Rudolph and Willy McBean are among my favorites.  Tony also designed all of the Animagic commercials Rankin/Bass Produced for GE and others.  You can read much more about Antony Peters in my books. #Willymcbeanandhismagicmachine

FUN FACT: The growls of the Bumble in Rankin/Bass' Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, were performed by Larry D. Mann (Yukon). "Larry was our go to guy," says Bill Giles (Sound engineer) "We knew he could do the laugh and growls of The Abominable Snow Monster!" #rudolphtherednosedreindeer

Tuesday 🎨 created by Romeo Muller and Antony Peters

Rudolph designer and Co-creator of all the characters in Rankin/Bass' Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Antony Peters. #rudolphtherednosedreindeer #sixty

A nice gift under my tree from my pal Shag (artist proof edition) 🎁 They are actually 3D relief on wood. I plan to be in Palm Springs sometime in 2024 🎅🏰🎄⛄️

Romeo Muller, Jr., along with designer Antony Peters, created Sam the Snowman, The Bumble, Hermey the elf, Clarice (Named after Romeo's girlfriend), Fireball, The Island of mifit toys and more!

Romeo Muller, Jr., is the incredibly talented writer, who wrote and created the Rankin/Bass Television version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.  I believe he will get his due this holiday season!  He took the germ of a story by Robert L. May and the song by May's brother-in-law Johnny Marks, and expanded it into a one hour musical spectacular!   Romeo created the Island of Misfit Toys, Hermey the Elf, Clarice, The Abominable Snowman (Bumble), Yukon Cornelius, Sam The Snowman, The Island of Misfit toys, etc.   I dug out his final revised script from 3-7-1964 tonight!  Read more about Romeo in all of my books, including the new 20th Anniversary edition of The Enchanted World of Rankin/Bass:  A Portfolio C. 2001 Miser Bros Press/Rick Goldschmidt Archives  #Christmas #Rudolphtherednosedreindeer #Thanksgiving #CBS #Musical #Highfallsnewyork #Writersguild #Centerforpuppetryarts #Media #Writer #Rankinbass #Pixar #Disney

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer publicity puppets

C. 2001 Miser Bros Press/Rick Goldschmidt Archives

I contacted Masaki Iizuka and he said, “Ichiro Komuro (known as Pinchan to Arthur) and Kyoto Kita created a separate puppet set at the request of Arthur Rankin Jr., that had to be flown to New York quickly for publicity photographs for the network. These photographs were used for regional TV Guide covers, articles, Burl Ives and Johnny Marks publicity shots, the Decca album cover, GE Ads, etc. They were never used for any of the actual animation, which was still in full production all the way up to shortly before the December 6, 1964 airing. These same puppets were leant to NBC and they put them on display in a case, at their Rockefeller Plaza studio, in New York. Eventually they were given back to Rankin/Bass Productions and Barbara eventually was gifted them.”

 

 

GE

General Electric Holiday Appliances

 Antony Peters designed this and it is pictured in my book, The making of the Rankin/Bass Holiday classic:  Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.  Videocraft International (Later known as Rankin/Bass Productions) did many commercials, both live action and Animagic (See my book The Arthur Rankin, Jr. Scrapbook:  The Birth of Animagic).  Tony was always involved with these commercials and his designs were used through 1965.  Maury Laws told me, he developed his Rankin/Bass Christmas music, through these 1962 General Electric commercials.  He said he borrowed some from the Nutcracker, but it turned into his own unique style.  This is Maury's music with the session voice people that were also used in the 1964 Rudolph GE Commercials.  The same actors also appeared in the soundtracks for Willy McBean and his Magic Machine and The Daydreamer.

Tonight on CBS TV for the 58th time on Network TV! Longest-running Highest-Rated TV special! 🎅

Did you know that Clarice was based on a friend of Rankin/Bass Writer Romeo Muller's named Clarice? #tuesday🎨 #clarice #rankinbass #rudolphtherednosedreindeer

This is an early drawing by my late pal, and Rankin/Bass designer, Antony Peters. He did it before Rudolph (which he designed). It is in the collection of Rankin/Bass writer Len Korobkin (Mad Monster Party, Willy McBean and his magic machine, etc). You can easily see how Tony's design for Santa was captured in Animagic in 1964, and then all the later versions of Santa were designed by my dear friend Paul Coker, Jr.. Read more about both in my books and my RetroFan and ReMind magazine articles. #antonypeters #paulcokerjr #rankinbassproductions #Animagic #Rudolphtherednosedreindeer

Romeo created it all! Designed by Antony Peters C. 2012 Miser Bros Press/Rick Goldschmist Archives all images

Bumble

Rankin/Bass' Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer airs tonight on Network television for the 56th year in a row! The longest-running, highest rated TV special of all-time! #rankinbassproductions #CBStv

Burl

R/B button fun

the early days

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