Rudolph: As Beloved as Caroling and Putting out Cookies for Santa

"Fifty years later, the tradition seems to be as beloved as caroling and putting out cookies for Santa." http://mashable.com/2014/12/06/rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-tv-special-facts/#EymBOUVggkqP

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolph_the_Red-Nosed_Reindeer

Christmas just wasn't Christmas without watching Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer on TV.  The childhood images come flooding back to me:  Rudolph flying in the sky and then plummeting to the earth, all to impress the does...Clarisse batting her long curly eyelashes at Rudolph...the narrator snowman gliding across the snow in his plaid vest and top hat...the misfit toys that nobody wanted...the Abominable Snow Monster who scared me as a youngster...the elf explaining that he really wanted to be a dentist...Yukon Cornelius chopping away at the block of ice...Mrs. Claus pleading with her husband:  "Eat, Santa, Eat!"

http://museu.ms/event/details/117809/film-rudolph-the-rednosed-reindeer

Although Rudolph first appeared in a booklet in 1939 published by the Montgomery Ward Department Store, and although the song debuted in 1949, the character did not take off (literally) until the TV show premiered in 1964.

                                

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_Ctt8TfaXU

Here are some interesting facts about the production:

• More than 200 puppets were carved for the TV show.
• Rudolph stood only 4 inches tall.
• The special took 18 months to complete.
• Twenty-two room-size sets were used in the production.
• Animators spent two days observing deer to create Rudolph.
• The original narrator, Larry Mann (Yukon Cornelius), adopted a New York accent for the role.
• The elf who wanted to be a dentist was named Hermey, not Herbie.
• It took 24 frames to create one second of filmed animation.
• Silver & Gold was originally recorded by Yukon Cornelius.
• No one was allowed to touch the puppets except the puppet maker and the animator in order to preserve them.  

Source: http://mashable.com/2014/12/06/rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-tv-special-facts/#EymBOUVggkqP 

Burl Ives with the puppets courtesy 

http://miserbros.com/shop/posters/burl-ives-rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-publicity-photo/.

The Most Famous Christmas Movie

Last night, we watched the 1947 classic, "Miracle on 34th Street", the most famous New York City Christmas movie.  In the summer of 2012, when Rob and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary, we visited New York City.  I'll never forget our walk to the Empire State Building.  We spotted Macy's and realized we were on 34th Street -- it was a surreal moment for us -- all the memories of the movie came flooding back.  Here are fifteen facts you may not know about the movie.

1.  "Dear Santa" letters were up by 25% in 1947 after movie-goers saw the 21 sacs of mail sent to Santa in the 1946 movie.

2.  Edmund Gwenn, who played Kris Kringle in the movie, also played Santa Claus in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade of 1946.

3.  Edmund Gwenn's character replaced the drunk Santa in the parade.  In 1948, the New York Times magazine reported a "Santa who grabbed a trim young mother, set her on his knee and suggested they both go out and have a drink".

4.  In the opening scene of "Miracle on 34th Street", Edmund Gwenn's character walks down a New York City street and notices Santa's reindeer in a store window.  Rudolph, however, is missing. While Rudolph had already been invented in 1939 in the Gene Autry song, he did not become popular until the 1964 TV special "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer".

5.  Edmund Gwenn's character was given a psychological test in which he had to answer a series of questions including "Who was the Vice President of the United States under John Quincy Adams?"  He answered it incorrectly by saying "Daniel D. Tompkins."  The correct response should have been John C. Calhoun.

6.  The headline "'Kris Kringle Krazy!  Kourt Kase Koming Kalamity!' Kry Kiddes" was probably inspired by the absurd headlines run by the Daily Variety in the 1940's and 1950's including "Sticks Nix Hick Pix".

7.  The Santa suit that Edmund Gwenn wore was auctioned for $22,500 in 2011.

8.  A little Dutch girl meets Santa at Macy's and sings the traditional Dutch song "Sinterklaas Kapoentje".  Edmund Gwenn's character, who happens to speak Dutch, sings along with her.

9.  A real life rivalry did exist between the two departments stores, Macy's and Gimbel's, from 1910 until 1987, when the latter when out of the business.

10.  Every year at Christmas time, U.S. courts re-enact the trial of Kris Kringle for children.

11.  Screen writer Valentine Davies was inspired to write "Miracle on 34th Street" after Christmas shopping in 1944.

12.  Edmund Gwenn grew a white beard and gained 30 pounds for the role of Kris Kringle.  He won an Oscar for his performance.

13.  Three hundred thousand children each year sit on Santa Claus's knee at Macy's.

14.  "Miracle on 34th Street" could have been called "It's Only Human", Mr. Kringle of 'The Big Heart;".

15.  Seven-year-old Actress Natalie Wood, who played the little girl who didn't believe in Santa Claus, actually thought Edmund Gwenn was the real McCoy.

Note:  For more information on the movie, read my post "Rickety Wooden Escalators & Cracked Marble Floors" at http://alinefromlinda.blogspot.ca/2012/08/august-11.html.

Source:  theboweryboys.blogspot.ca/2014/12/the-real-miracle-on-34th-street-21.html AND
blogs.amctv.com.

Edmund Gwenn in "Miracle on 34th Street" courtesy theboweryboys.blogspot.ca.

The Most Famous Christmas Movie

Last night, we watched the 1947 classic, "Miracle on 34th Street", the most famous New York City Christmas movie.  In the summer of 2012, when Rob and I walked to the Empire State Building, spotted Macy's and realized we were on 34th Street, it was a surreal moment for us; all the memories of the movie came flooding back.  Here are fifteen facts you may not know about the movie.

1.  "Dear Santa" letters were up by 25% in 1947 after movie goers saw the 21 sacs of mail sent to Santa in the 1946 movie.

2.  Edmund Gwenn, who played Kris Kringle in the movie, also played Santa Claus in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade of 1946.

3.  Edmund Gwenn's character replaced the drunk Santa in the parade.  In 1948, the New York Times magazine reported a "Santa who grabbed a trim young mother, set her on his knee and suggested they both go out and have a drink".

4.  In the opening scene of "Miracle on 34th Street", Edmund Gwenn's character walks down a New York City street and notices Santa's reindeer in a store window.  Rudolph, however, is missing. While Rudolph had already been invented in 1939 in the Gene Autry song, he did not become popular until the 1964 TV special "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer".

5.  Edmund Gwenn's character was given a psychological test in which he had to answer a series of questions including "Who was the Vice President of the united states under John Quincy Adams?"  He answered it incorrectly by saying "Daniel D. Tompkins."  The correct response should have been John C. Calhoun.

6.  The headline "'Kris Kringle Krazy!  Kourt Kase Koming Kalamity!"'  Kry Kiddes" was probably inspired by the absurd headlines run by the Daily Variety in the 1930's and 1950's including "Sticks Nix Hick Pix".

7.  The Santa suit that Edmund Gwenn wore was auction for $22,500 in 2011.

8.  A little Dutch girl meets Santa at Macy's and sings the traditional Dutch song "Sinterklaas Kapoentje".  Edmund Gwenn's character, who happens to speak Dutch, sings along with her.

9.  A real life rivalry did exist between the two departments stores, Macy's and Gimbel's, from 1910 until 1987, when the latter when out of the business.

10.  Every year at Christmas time, U.S. courts re-enact the trail of Kris Kringle for children.

11.  Screen writer Valentine Davies was inspired to write "Miracle on 34th Street" after Christmas shopping in 1944.

12.  Edmund Gwenn grew a white beard and gained 30 pounds for the role of Kris Kringle.  He won an Oscar for his performance.

13.  Three hundred children each year sit on Santa Claus's knee at Macy's.

14.  "Miracle on 34th Street" could have been called "It's Only Human", Mr. Kringle of "The Big Heart".

15.  Seven-year-old Actress Natalie Wood, who played the little girl who didn't believe in Santa Claus, actually thought Edmund Gwenn was the real McCoy.

Note:  For more information on the movie, read my post "Rickety Wooden Escalators & Cracked Marble Floors" at http://alinefromlinda.blogspot.ca/2012/08/august-11.html.

Source:  theboweryboys.blogspot.ca/2014/12/the-real-miracle-on-34th-street-21.html AND
blogs.amctv.com.

Edmund Gwenn in "Miracle on 34th Street" courtesy theboweryboys.blogspot.ca.