# "Rudolph" T.V. Special **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** cartoons-animation\ **Created:** [December 1, 2000, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-t-v-special/43518 "2000-12-01T04:15:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![poohpah\_chalupa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@poohpah\_chalupa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/poohpah_chalupa)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-t-v-special/43518/1 "2000-12-01T04:15:39Z")
On the Island of Misfit Toys, in addition to Charlie-In-The-Box and a choo-choo train with square wheels (among others), there was a red-haired rag doll. What was her name and why was she a misfit? Also, the (flying) Lion King was named King Moon _something_ Can anyone help here or do I need to impatiently await for some cable network to broadcast it? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-t-v-special/43518/2 "2000-12-01T04:26:45Z")
I know that King Moonracer was the ruler of the Island of Misfit Toys, but have no idea what was supposed to be that pigtailed doll’s defect (other than that she was annoying). Incidentally, most kid’s would probably LIKE a water pistol that squirts jelly! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-t-v-special/43518/3 "2000-12-01T05:13:59Z")
Nobody seems to know about the doll. [This page](http://www.tvparty.com/xmasrudolph.html), which denotes characters’ script names in ALL CAPS, calls her the MISFIT GIRL DOLL and says that producer Arthur Rankin and script writer Romeo Muller both state that the doll’s problem is psychological rather than physical, but give no details. There is a link at the bottom of the cited page to a second page continuation. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-t-v-special/43518/4 "2000-12-01T09:15:06Z")
IIRC, the doll’s problem was that she was always sad, and who wants to give their little girl a sad doll? Of course, I’m the one that can never rememeber the name of the elf who wanted to be a dentist, so I’m probably wrong. ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-t-v-special/43518/5 "2000-12-01T11:08:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by chique \* > \*\*Of course, I’m the one that can never rememeber the name of the elf who wanted to be a dentist, so I’m probably wrong. \*\* Ernie? ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-t-v-special/43518/6 "2000-12-01T11:30:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by chique \* > \*\*Of course, I’m the one that can never rememeber the name of the elf who wanted to be a dentist, so I’m probably wrong. \*\* Herbie or Hermey? I think the former, but the IMDb lists the former in the plot and the latter in the cast list. ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-t-v-special/43518/7 "2000-12-01T13:23:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AWB \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by chique \* > > \*\*Of course, I’m the one that can never rememeber the name of the elf who wanted to be a dentist, so I’m probably wrong. \*\* > > Herbie or Hermey? I think the former, but the IMDb lists the former in the plot and the latter in the cast list. \*\* Don’t get me started. This one almost cost me a friendship. Every sane person knows the elf is Hermey. Listen to the show, it’s obvious. Of course, this is the same friend that I got into a big argument over the implied race of the anthropomorphic syrup bottle in the Mrs. Butterworth ads. (Don’t ask) ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-t-v-special/43518/8 "2000-12-01T13:28:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AWB \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by chique \* > > \*\*Of course, I’m the one that can never rememeber the name of the elf who wanted to be a dentist, so I’m probably wrong. \*\* > > Herbie or Hermey? I think the former, but the IMDb lists the former in the plot and the latter in the cast list. \*\* Definitely Herbie. ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-t-v-special/43518/9 "2000-12-01T13:31:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ElvisL1ves \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by AWB \* > > \*\* > > > > > [@](#): > > > > > > \*Originally posted by chique \* > > > \*\*Of course, I’m the one that can never rememeber the name of the elf who wanted to be a dentist, so I’m probably wrong. \*\* > > > > Herbie or Hermey? I think the former, but the IMDb lists the former in the plot and the latter in the cast list. \*\* > > Definitely Herbie. \*\* Definitely Hermey. I have the DVD. ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-t-v-special/43518/10 "2000-12-01T13:39:26Z")
Not Ernie. Not awake yet. That’s what I get for typing before thinking. Sorry. We now return you to the Hermey/Herbie debates. [sub]It’s Herbie on the closed captioning, but who’s gonna believe me.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![don\_Jaime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b4bc9f/32.png) [@don\_Jaime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_Jaime)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-t-v-special/43518/11 "2000-12-01T15:12:01Z")
They said “Herbie” on MST3K. That’s good enough for me. Mrs. Butterworth is supposed to be white. I think you’re confusing her with Aunt Jemima. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-t-v-special/43518/12 "2000-12-01T15:23:54Z")
Same URL as my last post states that it’s HERMEY in the script. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-t-v-special/43518/13 "2000-12-01T15:26:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by don Jaime \* > \*\*They said “Herbie” on MST3K. That’s good enough for me. > \*\* The Brains have been known to get details wrong on occasion. They completely missed the fact that every exterior shot in “Space Mutiny” was _Battlestar Galactica_ stock footage, which definitely deserved a riff. The script says the elf’s name is HERMEY, so that’s pretty much the authority. ---
**Author:** ![don\_Jaime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b4bc9f/32.png) [@don\_Jaime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_Jaime)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-t-v-special/43518/14 "2000-12-01T15:39:44Z")
WHOOSH! ---
**Author:** ![poohpah\_chalupa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@poohpah\_chalupa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/poohpah_chalupa)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-t-v-special/43518/15 "2000-12-01T15:48:51Z")
thanks for the info, **jayjay** …while it doesn’t answer my question, it does put a definitive interpretation (by the creators) to it. _Psychological problems?_ This opens up a whole can of provocative worms (another misfit toy?). Is she clinically depressed (as alluded to by **chique** )? Bi-polar? Does she slut around (maybe that’s why the elephant is _spotted_)? ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-t-v-special/43518/16 "2000-12-01T16:19:04Z")
Hey! My FATHER’S name was Hymie! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-t-v-special/43518/17 "2000-12-01T17:07:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by don Jaime \* > \*\*WHOOSH! \*\* Ya know, I hear that sound all the time…usually right after I post something. Wonder what it is? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-t-v-special/43518/18 "2000-12-01T18:33:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ukulele Ike \* > \*\*Hey! My FATHER’S name was Hymie! \*\* Oh, it was not. 🙂 Elf’s name was Hermey (or possibly hermie), we had a three day bar argument about this one once. ---
**Author:** ![poohpah\_chalupa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@poohpah\_chalupa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/poohpah_chalupa)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-t-v-special/43518/19 "2000-12-01T18:43:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ChiefWahoo \* > Elf’s name was Hermey…we had a **three day bar argument** about this one once. oops. I guess I should’ve posted this on the GD board. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![drpepper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8baadc/32.png) [@drpepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drpepper)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-t-v-special/43518/20 "2000-12-01T18:51:06Z")
My vote is Hermy (with an ‘m’, anyway). Also, it’s been years since I’ve seen it, but didn’t the doll have a button eye that was hanging by a thread or something? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-t-v-special/43518.md?page=2)