Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (1964)

Our hero Rudolph is born and his father is embarrassed because he has such a shiny nose. When he begins his reindeer training, his father covers up his nose because he doesn't want Santa to see his "defect". He befriends a young doe named Clarice who thinks that he is 'cuuuuuuuuuute". During his training his nose is discovered and he is ostracized. He meets a misfit elf named Hermey who wants to be a dentist. They decide to run away and on their journeys meet Yukon the prospector who is searching for peppermint, some misfit toys, and an abominable snowman called a Bumble. Rudolph's mother and Clarice decide to look for him and end up getting cornered by the Bumble. Rudolph tries to protect them, but gets knocked out. Hermey and Yukon end up removing the Bumble's teeth and Yukon pushes the Bumble into a hole and falls in after him. He ends up showing up later as "Bumbles bounce!" and he was able to get out of the hole. Everyone finds their way home and Rudolph becomes the hero as Santa needs his "nose that shines so bright" to light the way for his sleigh to make his Christmas Eve deliveries. The good news continues as Hermey gets his dentist shop and the Misfit Toys get rescued and become gifts for girls and boys.

Rudolph was first created in 1939 by an employee of Montgomery Ward. The song from the story was first recorded in 1948, but it did not become popular until 1949 when Gene Autry recorded it for commercial distribution. This stop motion animation special is the longest running special today and it has great memories for me!

Not Rated. 60 Minutes. I give this movie THREE AND ONE HALF STARS.