"Rudolph" T.V. Special

[minlokwat]

Can I be excused for not reading every thread in between page one and this last one? Excuse me if this has been brought up before.

I have to give credit where it’s due, my wife was the first to make note of the owl assassination plot during the closing credits. I brought the point up way back when but seemed to be passing off the observation as if mine own.

Well my ever-astute wife picked up on another odd tidbit.

Anyone notice Herbie/Hermie’s ears?

They are definitely not the pointed elfin ones that the others possess.

Could it be that Her(m)bie is the bastard son of and result of some indiscretion involving one of the female elves and ….well, it would have to be Santa!

This would explain why Hermie doesn’t like to make toys and has aspirations other than those of the typical elf.

Might this also explain why Santa is such an insufferable grouch when he is around the elves?
Anyone?

Again hope this topic hasn’t already been broached

[BMalion]

@minlokwat

Can I be excused for not reading every thread in between page one and this last one?

Nope, no excuse, go back and read all the threads then re-post. Thanks.

[Annie-Xmas]

@mobo85

I just purchased Rick Goldschmidt’s book Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Making of the Rankin-Bass Animated Classic. Interesting stuff. Perhaps most interesting is the original 1963 rough draft script. The story is the same, but there are some scenes and other things which didn’t make it to the final cut. And Sam the Snowman was going to be played by Stubby Kaye instead of Burl Ives, so he’s “a rolly-polly (sic), Runyonesque little snowman…the Nicely-Nicely Johnson of snowmen” and presumably speaks with a New York accent. There are also pictures of some vintage GE commericals featuring the characters and the original closing credits sequence. Good stuff.

When I bumped this thread, I didn’t even notice this post.

Thanks for mobo85 for making me aware of this great book thta I definitely have to get.

[furlibusea]

@spoke-

If the elf didn’t know
You must let him go!

.

[Les Nessman Voice] I swear on my life; I thought owls could fly [/LNV]

[DSYoungEsq]

@furlibusea

[Les Nessman Voice] I swear on my life; I thought owls could fly [/LNV]

turkeys

[furlibusea]

@DSYoungEsq

turkeys

Well yah but it was an owl in Rudolph. Oh well, serves me right.

[Zakalwe]

@DSYoungEsq

turkeys

Man, that may be one of the more vicious whooshings I’ve ever seen…

[kaylasdad99]

@furlibusea

Well yah but it was an owl in Rudolph. Oh well, serves me right.

And in WKRP it was Mr. Carlson, not Les Nessman.

So I guess owls is okay.

[Caractacus_Pott]

This strip strip summarizes the OP well. Francesco Marciuliano has a wicked sense of humor! It’s hard to believe the same man writes Drink at Work and Sally Forth.

[jsc1953]

@mobo85

Also, the original airing had animated ads for the sponsor, General Electric, featuring the singing elves. It was GE’s head who did not like “We’re a Couple of Misfits,” which had them remove it and replace it with “Fame and Fortune” from 1965 (1065?) to 1997.

I came here to bring this up…I just saw it last night, end to end for the first time in a LOOONG time. When Hermie & Rudolph hook up and head out, I was expecting the Fame & Fortune song, and wondered why the hell were they doing a reprise of Misfits?

[Sean_Factotum]

@Caractacus Pott

This strip strip summarizes the OP well. Francesco Marciuliano has a wicked sense of humor! It’s hard to believe the same man writes Drink at Work and Sally Forth.

This is now hanging up in my cubicle. And I have sent the link to many friends. Thank you.

[crazyjoe]

@interface2x

If I’m remembering correctly, they didn’t include the “elf practice” scene in there back in the 80’s, but it was restored somewhere around 1990 or so.

What was up with the voice of the head elf for elf practice? It was completely different than the voice he uses for the rest of the show.

[NDP]

@crazyjoe

What was up with the voice of the head elf for elf practice? It was completely different than the voice he uses for the rest of the show.

It was always my impression that the head elf used an affected a cutesy “suck-up-to-Santa” tone to his voice only when Santa was around. Otherwise, he spoke with a “drill sergeant” voice.

[jsc1953]

I thought they were trying to pass him off as a separate character.

[NDP]

Anyway, since I brought up the topic of elf drill sergeants, here’s a relevant video link.

[BMalion]

Here she comes!

@CBS

THE LONGEST-RUNNING HOLIDAY SPECIAL RETURNS
Tuesday, December 4, 8pm et/pt

RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER!

“Ready Rudolph?”

[What_Exit]

@BMalion

Here she comes!

RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER!

“Ready Rudolph?”

It seems appropriate that the longest running Christmas Special has the longest running thread. Thanks for posting the date. My kids still love this and I of course grew up on it.

Jim

[minlokwat]

@What Exit?

My kids still love this and I of course grew up on it.

Jim

The cartoon or this thread?

[What_Exit]

@minlokwat

The cartoon or this thread?

Okay, that made me laugh.

(the cartoon for the record)

[Stauderhorse]

God, I can’t believe I’m posting in the Rudolph thread. [/starstruck]

I always loved this special, even though Rudolph’s father (Donner?) was a bit of a jerk. I used to watch this on VHS every year, but our new entertainment center won’t let me play VHS tapes.

Maybe I’ll catch it on TV.