History WesternAnimation / RudolphTheRedNosedReindeer

[[quoteright:340:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rudolph_the_red_nosed_reindeer_1964.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:340:Do you recall the most famous reindeer of all?]]

->''"Could it be that some of you are not acquainted with the story of Rudolph? Well, pull up an ice block and lend an ear..."''
-->-- '''Sam the Snowman'''

''Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer'' is a StopMotion animated ChristmasSpecial based on the classic [[Literature/RudolphTheRedNosedReindeer storybook]] by Robert L. May, made by Creator/RankinBassProductions and first broadcast on Creator/{{NBC}} (under the ''General Electric Fantasy Hour'' umbrella) in 1964.

It's about Rudolph, Santa Claus's ninth reindeer and son of Donner. Rudolph, to the shock of his parents, is born with a red nose which glows when he gets excited. Santa, who's kind of a {{Jerkass}} throughout, tells Donner that he'd better cover up his son's red nose or Rudolph will never get to pull Santa's sleigh. Donner tries but eventually the mud on Rudolph's nose falls off and exposes his secret, leaving him to be mocked and ostracized by the other reindeer.

A second plot thread follows Hermey, one of Santa's elves. Unlike all the other elves, who are content to hammer out toys for all the good little children of the world, Hermey has dreams of being a dentist. His rage-prone supervisor won't tolerate this talk of dentistry, however, and Hermey runs away. He meets Rudolph, and they run away together. Together they meet a prospector named Yukon Cornelius, who is searching the wilds of the frozen north for gold. They have adventures that include finding an Island of Misfit Toys where unwanted toys go, and they have to flee from the scary giant Abominable Snow Monster. The whole story is narrated by Sam the Snowman, voiced by singer and actor Burl Ives.

Rudolph was created in 1939 by Robert L. May, an advertising copywriter for the Montgomery Ward department store chain, after his employer asked him to come up with a short Christmas-themed storybook to give to customers during the holiday season. The Rudolph story was further popularized a decade later when May's brother-in-law, songwriter Johnny Marks, adapted it into a catchy ditty, which was subsequently made into a #1 hit record by singing cowboy Music/GeneAutry. The song became a Christmas holiday standard, and eventually inspired the creation of the TV special (in which Burl Ives performs the tune).

The lyric "All of the other reindeer" can be misheard as the {{Mondegreen}} "Olive, the other reindeer", and has given rise to another fictional character, [[WesternAnimation/OliveTheOtherReindeer Olive]]. Similarly, the lyric "and they shouted out with glee" has evolved into a tongue-in-cheek misinterpretation itself, "and they shouted out, 'With glee!'" -- prompting singers to shout "With glee!" in response to the line. (This can clearly be heard on at least one recording of a live performance of the song aired during the 2009 season.)

The song in its Finnish translation, ''Petteri Punakuono'', has led to Rudolph's general acceptance in the Finland's folklore as Joulupukki's, the Finnish Santa's, lead reindeer. However, in Finland, Santa's reindeer do not fly. Mike Eheman made the newest version of the song with the actual flying reindeer so Santa can land on rooftops.

Apropos of nothing, the song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T2IW4E-WxM can be sung]] to the ''Series/HawaiiFiveO'' theme music.

The [=GoodTimes=] adaptation from 1998 has [[WesternAnimation/RudolphTheRedNosedReindeer1998 its own work page]]. So does [[WesternAnimation/RudolphTheRedNosedReindeer1948 the 1948 short]] by [[Creator/MaxAndDaveFleischer Max Fleischer]], based off of the Robert May poem, which pre-dates the iconic song.

Directly followed (with diminishing returns) by ''WesternAnimation/RudolphsShinyNewYear'' in 1976 and the crossover movie ''WesternAnimation/RudolphAndFrostysChristmasInJuly'' in 1979, while the characters re-appeared in the 2001 direct-to-video CGI film ''WesternAnimation/RudolphTheRedNosedReindeerAndTheIslandOfMisfitToys'' (also made by [=GoodTimes=], ironically.)

The special was also used as inspiration for the North Pole aesthetic in the 2003 film ''Film/{{Elf}}'', particularly the elf attire and use of stop-motion characters.

Now has a [[Characters/RudolphTheRedNosedReindeer Character Sheet]] that could use some wiki magic.
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!!The Rankin/Bass Christmas Special and its sequels provide examples of:

* {{Abusive Parents}}: Some of the things Rudolph's father says and does are seriously close to the border of emotional abuse. Although [[ValuesDissonance considering the time when the creators were growing up and when the special was released]], it probably wasn't intended to come off as abusive and was meant to be a typical father-son relationship. Men being hard on their sons was considered the norm, whether it was fair or not, and could still be considered reasonably well-adjusted. To be fair though, the narrator does state that Donner felt pretty bad about the way he treated Rudolph when Rudolph runs off.
* AdaptationExpansion: Rankin/Bass added a lot of details even to the basic story for their adaptation, including making Rudolph the son of Donner and Mrs. Donner (his parents were unnamed in the original story), having Santa show up at his birth to taunt him about his nose (he originally didn't meet Santa until the end), and making the "Reindeer Games" into an official competition to pull Santa's sleigh (rather than just young reindeer playing around). It makes the story seem a lot crueler.
** Of course, that's in addition to all the things obviously added just to pad out the story - Rudolph running away, meeting Hermey and Yukon Cornelius, finding the Island of Misfit Toys, and so on.
* AdaptationalJerkass: Speaking for even general legend, Santa isn't exactly the jolly, warm father figure that he's always been in this special. In fact, he's kind of a complete asshole until the third act. The first time we see him, he's insulting and dismissive about the elves' singing. Later, he angrily tells Donner he should be ashamed for Rudolph's nose.
* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: It's a given, considering the song is the TropeNamer. Except for Clarice, every young reindeer who finds out about his nose starts calling Rudolph by such offensive nicknames as "Firesnout", "big nose" and "Rainbow Schnoz". And Comet encourages them to make him a social outcast.
* AlternateContinuity:
** The Rankin-Bass specials take place in a timeline distinct from the original Robert L. May book and its sequel ''Rudolph Shines Again''.
** The DC Comics miniseries takes place in its own distinct continuity as well. Its also an official part of the DC multiverse despite DC only licensing the character, with ''[[AllThereInTheManual Crisis on Infinite Earths: The Compendium]]'' stating they're set on Earth-Twelve.
* AmbiguouslyGay: Some have thought this about Hermey. It doesn't help that his quest to become a dentist unintentionally resembles a ComingOutStory. In fact, the story of both Rudolph and Hermey could be seen as one, separately.
** [[Series/That70sShow "No straight elf wears his hair that way."]]
* AnimatedAdaptation: The Rankin-Bass special, of course.
* ArtisticLicenseBiology: Santa's "reindeer" do not even remotely resemble real life reindeer. They, in fact, seem to bear all the hallmarks of the white-tailed deer commonly seen in temperate regions of North America, in both size and body shape, and the fact that the females are depicted without antlers (in real life, female reindeer grow a smaller, but still very impressive set of antlers). Interestingly, it's actually the males who should be lacking antlers around Christmas time, not the females (males shed their antlers around early December, while females keep theirs until summer.) Then again, [[AWizardDidIt these are magic reindeer]].
** These antlers also seem to be capable of emoting as if they were an animal's ears (watch closely and you'll see the antlers of the adults curl up from time to time). Obviously, real antlers cannot do this, and it may simply be a product of cartoon logic.
** FridgeBrilliance for Mrs. Donner's lack of antlers in the scene of Rudolph's birth. Female reindeer shed their antlers in spring, which is when that scene takes place.
** The "mistletoe" plant seen during the "Holly Jolly Christmas" number (''"Ho, ho, the mistletoe..."'') is simply a sprig of generic-looking leaves without any berries, looking nothing like actual mistletoe.
* AwardBaitSong: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEQb2OppEow There's Always Tomorrow]].
* BerserkButton: The Head Elf finds the idea of Hermey as a dentist ridiculous, [[spoiler: until he needs a dental appointment.]]
* BigfootSasquatchAndYeti: Bumble, the Abominable Snow Monster.
* BigWhat: A recurring line for the Boss Elf, especially in his reactions to Hermey wanting to be a dentist.
* BrainsEvilBrawnGood: Yukon Cornelius is a big, strong, tough guy; and he's the only adult who isn't mean to poor Rudolph. Not that he's exactly ''dumb'', more just incredibly quirky, but it doesn't change the fact that the strong guy is the nice guy.
* BravingTheBlizzard: A horrible blizzard occurs on Christmas Eve. It's powerful enough to blow away much of the town, and visibility is dropped to the point of Santa wanting to cancel Christmas.
* ChristmasElves
* ChristmasSpecial: A TropeMaker.
* ComicallyCrossEyed: The Bumble, even when he is acting threatening.
* ContinuitySnarl: Numerous ones in ''Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys''.
** The Boss Elf is angry at Hermey for becoming a dentist, saying it left his staff one Elf Short, and refuses to let Hermey look at his teeth. This is despite the fact, not only did the Boss Elf give Hermey his blessing in the Original Special, but also booked an appointment with him.
** Hermey's Story in the Original Special is that it was strange that he was an Elf who wanted to be a Dentist. In ''Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys'', it shows there is an established Dental Academy for Elves.
** When Rudolph remembers Santa asking him to pull his sleigh, he remembers it what appears to be Santa's Living Room, rather than the Work Shop, as it is in the Original Special.
* CursedWithAwesome:
** In the eyes of some viewers -- and offscreen, in-universe children -- some of the misfit toys fall under this.
** Rudolph himself. He's considered a freak, but his nose has its uses.
** Hermey too. His talent makes him an outcast among the other elves, but he uses it to save his friends from the Abominable. Indeed, this Trope seems to apply to ''all'' the "misfits" in the special.
* DamnedByFaintPraise: The rehearsal of "We Are Santa's Elves" is met with a lukewarm reception by Santa, but praised by Mrs. Claus (which doesn't help much) and the Boss Elf criticizes the elf choir afterwards:
-->'''Santa''': Hmm... Well, it needs work, I have to go. [''Santa leaves the room'']\\
'''Mrs. Claus''': What does Papa know? It's beautiful! You keep it just the way it was. Papa? Papa?\\
'''Boss Elf''' [''after Mrs. Claus leaves'']: That sounded terrible! The tenor section was weak!
* DeadpanSnarker: Queen Camilla, the Queen Hippo of Castaway Cove in ''Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys'', sums it up in this exchange:
-->'''Hermey:''' ''(As Rudolph is considering plastic surgery to get a normal nose)'' But, what if there's another foggy Christmas Eve?
-->'''Camilla:''' Santa can't afford headlights?
* DefeatMeansFriendship: The Abominable Snowmonster.
* DepravedDentist: Hermey is a rare heroic example. In the climax, he rips out the Bumble's teeth with pliers. In the 2001 sequel he gives him dentures as a ContinuityNod.
* DigitalDestruction: Early pressings of the Blu-Ray made Yukon Cornelius' coat look green instead of blue. Thankfully, the 50th Anniversary Edition has it changed back to blue.
* DisneyDeath: Yukon Cornelius and the Abominable Snow Monster both survive the fall, because [[LivingCrashpad Bumbles are bouncy]].
* DoubleTake: The Boss Elf's reaction to Hermey wanting to be a dentist:
-->'''Boss Elf''': Hermey! Aren't you finished painting that yet? There's a pile-up a mile wide behind you. What's eating you, boy?\\
'''Hermey''': Not happy in my work, I guess.\\
'''Boss Elf''': [[BigWhat What?!]]\\
'''Hermey''': I just don't like to make toys.\\
'''Boss Elf''': Oh well, if that's all... [''pause''] What?! [[SuddenlyShouting You don't like to make toys?]]\\
'''Hermey''': No.\\
'''Boss Elf''' [''mockingly'']: Hermey doesn't like to make toys!
* DyingMomentOfAwesome: {{Subverted}}: Yukon appears to fall off a cliff while wrestling the Abominable Snowmonster, but they both survive. See DisneyDeath.
* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: This was the first stop-motion Christmas special from Creator/RankinBassProductions and the character designs are generally cruder and more stylized and doll-like than in their subsequent specials, including the two ''Rudolph'' sequels. The black-haired, vaguely European Mrs. Claus is also very different from the later specials' Mrs. Claus with her red-streaked white hair (which was fully red [[WesternAnimation/SantaClausIsCominToTown in her youth]]), and the elves here are both male and female in equal numbers, with [[PinkGirlBlueBoy the males in blue suits and the females in pink]], while the later specials, including the ''Rudolph'' sequels, show mostly male elves in red suits. On a more minor note, Santa's voice actor is neither Creator/PaulFrees nor Creator/MickeyRooney, who later became Rankin Bass's two mainstay voice actors for the role.
* EdibleAmmunition: One Misfit Toy is a squirtgun that shoots jelly.
* FirstPersonPeripheralNarrator: Sam the Snowman. Apparently, his only ''raison d'etre'' besides telling the audience the story is to sing and perform on the banjo songs that are only tangentially related to the plot.
* FluffyTamer: Yukon Cornelius and Hermey [[spoiler: who extracts Bumble the Abominable Snowman's teeth.]]
* FluffyTheTerrible: Bumble is quite a cute name for a malicious giant monster with MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily.
* ForbiddenRomance: Clarice's father forbids her from socializing with Rudolph on account of his red nose.
* ForcedPerspective: Santa's Castle and especially King Moonracer's are shot in a way that tries to conceal that they're hardly any bigger than the characters that are supposed to be living in them.
* ForeignReScore: The Brazilian TV and Hungarian dubs have the score mostly recomposed, with the Brazilian score done by Mário Lúcio de Freitas.
* FriendshipSong: "We're a Couple of Misfits".
* GeorgeJetsonJobSecurity: The Boss Elf threatens to fire Hermey unless he starts getting back to work; subverted when Hermey decides to resign, and he even makes this clear in "We're a Couple of Misfits":
-->'''Hermey''': You can't fire me, I quit, seems I don't fit in.
* HandWave: How do Rudolph and especially Hermey survive a night in the open at the North Pole before Yukon Cornelius finds them? "Somehow", that's how.
* HaventYouSeenXBefore: "What's the matter? Haven't you ever seen a talking snowman before?"
** In a way, it almost lampshades ''WesternAnimation/FrostyTheSnowman''...
* HeadbuttOfLove: Rudolph and Clarice put their heads together lovingly and walk home together after singing to him "There's Always Tomorrow". It lasts until her father interrupts them.
* HeelFaceTurn: Boss Elf finally realizes that Hermey's dentistry dream really does have potential after hearing how he pulled the Abominable Snowmonster's teeth and lets Hermey open shop as dentist, with the first appointments set for as early as the week after Christmas. (Ironically, Boss Elf is the first one who needs an appointment, it seems.) The Abominable Snowmonster itself makes the turn after Yukon outwits it with Hermey's help.
** And {{Jerkass}} Santa? Chalk it up to LaserGuidedKarma hitting him in the form of the Big Snow (he was apparently more of a jerk than usual that year, whereas in the previous year he came across as more reasonable when visiting Donner) and teaching him a rather valuable lesson.
** [[spoiler: The Toy Taker]] in ''Island of Misfit Toys'' [[spoiler: after Santa acquaints him with his long lost owner's daughter.]]
* IAmWhatIAm: Rudolph's nose.
* InformedFlaw: One notorious point of contention is that the doll on the Island of Misfit Toys doesn't seem to have anything wrong with her. {{Word Of God}} is that she's depressed.
* InkSuitActor: Burl Ives' Sam, again, as per normal with [[Creator/RankinBassProductions Rankin/Bass]] narrators. [[WesternAnimation/SantaClausIsCominToTown Fred Astaire as S.D. Kluger]] and [[WesternAnimation/FrostyTheSnowman Jimmy Durante]], anyone?
* IWantSong: "Fame and Fortune" before it was changed back to "We're a Couple of Misfits" fits the bill, also the first half-minute of "The Most Wonderful Day of the Year".
* {{Jerkass}}: While AllOfTheOtherReindeer naturally qualify, Santa Claus himself is actually quite abrasive in this edition, first tersely dismissing the elves' song, and storming out, and later, after Rudolph's nose is made public, he not only doesn't stop the other reindeer from ridiculing him, but actually treats Rudolph just as bad as they do. He even tells Donner he should be ashamed for his son's uncontrollable, incurable physical abnormality.[[TokenGoodTeammate Clarice]] is an exception though. Not only does she not ridicule him, but she also compliments him, [[spoiler:and even becomes his girlfriend in the end.]]
*** They all have a HeelRealization upon hearing Rudolph and Hermey's story about their travels and realizing their abnormalities can be put to good use after all (It is important to note that Donner and the Head Elf are both depicted apologizing to Rudolph and Hermey ''before'' the revelation about the usefulness of the nose.)
** The head elf is especially bad, and initially refuses to let Hermey be a dentist. He eventually relents and allows him to open a dentist's office after Christmas.
* KarmaHoudini: Except for Mrs. Donner, Yukon Cornelius and [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure King Moonracer]], all of the adults around Rudolph treat him in a way that borders emotional abuse. They never get called out or face any consequences, his InformedDeformity just turns out to be useful, and they accept him. (The exception being Donner, who we get an apology from before the big Santa epiphany.)
* LargeHam: Yukon Cornelius.
-->'''Cornelius:''' We'll all be rich, with the biggest silver strike this side of Hudson Bay! SILVEEERRR!
-->'''Hermey:''' But I thought you wanted gold.
-->'''Cornelius:''' I CHANGED MY MIND!
** The Head Elf seems incapable of talking without bellowing.
* LaserGuidedKarma: The Big Snow is hinted to have been caused by Santa's unusually jerkish behavior over the past year; earlier in the special he came across as a bit more reasonable, whereas the next year he's shown to be putting down the elves' premiere performance of "We Are Santa's Elves" (and the elves decide that Hermey is to blame for not being there to back the tenor section) and chewing out Donner for his part in deliberately hiding Rudolph's nose. That's right, the man who puts coal in the stockings of naughty children was being naughty himself that year, and just after he voided his KarmaHoudiniWarranty by coming to Rudolph for help when Donner goes missing, the Big Snow hit and almost caused Christmas to be cancelled. At the very least, it taught Santa a valuable lesson in humility and tolerance. In the sequel ''WesternAnimation/RudolphAndFrostysChristmasInJuly'', however, [[RetCon it's revealed]] that the foggy weather was caused by the warlock Winterbolt, in an attempt to prevent Santa from making his Christmas Eve rounds.
* [[LivingToy Living Toys]]: The Misfit Toys. Well, sort of. Apparently, the idea is, they are like this because they're neglected and unwanted, which is ''why'' they qualify for this Trope. (The special suggests that ''all'' toys are Level 2 on the SlidingScaleOfLivingToys.)
* LonelyTogether: Rudolph and Hermey most certainly.
-->'''Hermey:''' Hey, what do you say we both be [[FridgeLogic independent together]], huh?\\
'''Rudolph:''' You wouldn't mind my... red nose?\\
'''Hermey:''' Not if you don't mind me being a dentist.\\
'''Rudolph:''' It's a deal!
* LyricalDissonance: The song that the Misfit Toys sing sounds happy and cheerful[[note]]"...when Christmas day is here! The most wonderful day of the year!"[[/note]], until you realize it's about how lonely they are because they're unwanted.[[note]]Though the very beginning of the song makes this clear.[[/note]]
* MatryoshkaObject: One of the Misfit Toys is a clown nesting doll, whose smallest doll contains a wind-up mouse.
* MeanBoss: Hermey's unnamed Boss Elf, although he warms up at the end.
* MiningForCookies: In a scene that has since been cut from the original television airing, Yukon Cornelius tests the ground around Santa's Workshop with his pickaxe and finds an underground peppermint mine. He then reveals that the peppermint is actually what he's been searching for (not silver and gold like he originally thought), which explains why he licks his pickaxe after testing the ground.
-->"Peppermint! What I've been searching for all my life! I've struck it rich! I've got me a peppermint mine! Wahoo!
* MoneySong: Burl Ives' song "Silver and Gold" sorta straddles the line.
* MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily: Bumble has a mouth full of sharp teeth. [[spoiler: Hermey pulls them out when they defeat the beast.]]
* MrsClaus: Who admonished Santa for not eating enough, and that kids wouldn't want a skinny Santa.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Donner deeply regrets how he treated Rudolph after his son runs away.
* {{Narrator}}: Sam the Snowman, voiced by Burl Ives
* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Charlie-in-the-Box, the sentry on the Island of Misfit Toys (voiced by Alfie Scopp), sounds similar to old Vaudeville and Radio-era comedian Ed Wynn.
* NoIndoorVoice:
** Yukon Cornelius. "LAAAAAAAAAAAND HOOOOOOOOOO!"[[note]]Hermey: [[SarcasmMode No kidding...]][[/note]]
** Also the elf foreman, who sounds exactly like WesternAnimation/YosemiteSam.
* NoNameGiven: In the original special, the tall elf with glasses is nameless, until ''Rudolph and the Island of Misfit Toys'', when his name is revealed as Hank.
* NothingIsScarier: The Abominable Snow Monster is a terrifying presence in the first half of the special when he exists only as a frightening roar while a giant pair of legs go striding by, and the scene becomes very dark. Once we see the whole creature, he's not that scary any more.
* OlderThanTheyLook: It's implied that Santa's elves are this.
* OlderThanTheyThink: In-universe, with the story of Nestor the donkey.
* OnlyFriend: Clarice is the only deer who does not laugh at Rudolph’s nose.
* OpinionFlipflop: So, Rudolph is now popular because they figured out a way for his red nose to be useful. His father chimes in, saying "I knew that nose would be useful someday."
* OurElvesAreDifferent: Hermey very literally is! Not only does he want to be a dentist instead of making toys, he's the only elf at the North Pole with round ears instead of pointy ones.
* OverprotectiveDad: After Rudolph takes Clarice home, her father sternly rebukes Rudolph after seeing his shiny nose:
-->'''Clarice's Father''': Clarice!\\
'''Clarice''': Papa?\\
'''Clarice's Father''': You get back to your cave this instant!\\
'''Clarice''': But I -\\
'''Clarice's Father''': ''This instant'', young lady!\\
'''Clarice''': Yes, sir.\\
'''Clarice's Father''' [to Rudolph]: Now, there's one thing I want to make very plain: No doe of mine is going to be seen with a red-nosed reindeer.
* PapaWolf: Donner goes out to look for Rudolph when the big storm hits:
-->'''Sam the Snowman''': Now you can bet old Donner felt pretty bad about the way he had treated Rudolph, and he knew that the only thing to do was to go out and look for his little buck. Mrs. Donner wanted to go along, naturally, but Donner said: "No, this is man's work."
** {{Inverted|Trope}} when Rudolph goes to the Abominable Snowman's cave to rescue his family and Clarice's.
* PepTalkSong: "There's Always Tomorrow" by Clarice, as she cheers Rudolph after he is kicked out of the games.
* PorkyPigPronunciation: The stuttering, sinking toy boat on the Island of Misfit Toys. "Or a b-b-b-boat that can't sta-stay a...float!"
* ProductPlacement: The special was originally commissioned and sponsored by General Electric, which was selling new smaller Christmas tree lights -- that looked very much like Rudolph's nose....
* {{Prospector}}: Yukon Cornelius.
* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: Rudolph and Hermey, who are later joined by Yukon Cornelius the prospector, and treated hospitably by King Moonracer.
-->[[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] by Hermey's and Rudolph's "We're a Couple of Misfits":\\
'''Hermey''': I am not such a misfit, I am not such a nitwit, You can't fire me, I quit, seems I don't fit in!\\
'''Rudolph''': Why am I such a misfit, I am not such a nitwit, Just because my nose glows, why don't I fit in?\\
'''Rudolph''', '''Hermey''': We're a couple of misfits, we're a couple of misfits, What's the matter with misfits? That's where we fit in.
** The residents of the Island of Misfit Toys, including Charlie-in-the-Box, the train with square wheels, the cowboy who rides an ostrich, and the jelly-squirting gun.
* RealityEnsues: Somewhat. Rudolph was born with a special ability. How did the other reindeer initially react? By laughing at him because he was different.
* RealityIsUnrealistic: The 2001 sequel depicts Rudolph with stumpy antlers only slightly larger than his younger form. This looks like a continuity SnapBack, but (male) reindeer in fact shed their antlers around winter. But then again, he is also smaller for some reason.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: King Moonracer. Though he only permits toys to be permanent residents of the Island of Misfit Toys (or, as Yukon Cornelius puts it, "Even among misfits, you're misfits!"), he does allow the protagonists to stay the night and requests that when they get back to Christmas Town, they ask Santa to come pick up the toys and search for a home for each of them.
* ReCut: More times than some might expect for a 50-minute TV special.
** The original 1964 broadcast differs from later versions through Rudolph's and Hermy's performance of "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwlOUAAyPQE We're a Couple of Misfits]]," Donner expressing pride in his son guiding Santa's sleigh, Clarice calling Rudolph a hero, and Yukon Cornelius striking peppermint, and elves dropping presents from the sleigh during [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KC5QFhZ7ZMo&feature=plcp the end credits]]. Since 2019, the Creator/{{Freeform}} airing restored Yukon striking peppermint, and Donner and Clarice watching Rudolph and Santa taking off.
** Beginning in 1965, "We're a Couple of Misfits" was replaced with "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7pwTZgeJk0 Fame and Fortune]]," and "We Are Santa's Elves" lost an instrumental scene with physical humor, to make room for commercials. Also, at the request of viewers, a new scene featured Santa collecting the Misfit Toys from the island and a new credits sequence showed elves delivering them to unseen households. As a result, Donner and Yukon Cornelius's witnessing Santa's flight was removed. This is the same version Family Home Entertainment and Golden Books Family Entertainment sold on VHS.
** Website/PlatypusComix's [[http://www.platypuscomix.net/hollywood/misfit28.html review]] of a 1979 broadcast [[note]]which actually spends more time discussing the cheesy commercials than reviewing the special[[/note]] reveals a version which cuts ''all'' of "We Are Santa's Elves," as well as a brief moment when Donner asks his wife to StayInTheKitchen. (The author claims every other version he's seen contains the latter moment, suggesting it was reinstated during the mid-1980s.)
** In 1998, Creator/{{CBS}} [[NetworkToTheRescue came to the rescue]] and restored "We're a Couple of Misfits" and "We Are Santa's Elves" to the special, but still included the scenes of the Misfit Toys becoming presents. Due to the retaining of those scenes, the special still does not include the original ending or end credits sequence.
** Beginning in 2005, ''Rudolph'' got screwed by CBS when they decided to make room for commercials by cutting the "We Are Santa's Elves" instrumental and Donner's and Yukon Cornelius' scenes of the ending again, and also syncing a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxzBEylQegQ shortened "We're a Couple of Misfits"]] to the animation of "Fame and Fortune" (this edited version is, to put it bluntly, a mess). They also time-compress the show slightly. The FreeForm airing kept the instrumental section of "We Are Santa's Elves"
** Most [=DVDs=], Blu-Ray Discs, and digital copies released by Golden Books Family Entertainment, Classic Media or Creator/{{Universal}} feature the cut that most closely matches the original broadcast. It includes "We're a Couple of Misfits" and the uncut "We Are Santa's Elves," and also places Donner's and Yukon Cornelius' final scenes right before the scenes of the Misfit Toys becoming presents. However, it does not include the original end credits sequence (as the original color version was presumed lost for some time until a 16mm copy was discovered by a random collector in 2018, with plans to eventually include it on a Rankin-Bass documentary), and Classic Media [=DVDs=] produced from 2005-2006 are inexplicably missing Donner's and Yukon Cornelius' final scenes.
** Some airings cut out "There's Always Tomorrow".
** Creator/{{Freeform}}'s 2019 telecast ''finally'' restored the Peppermint Mine ending, and the whole version of "We're a Couple of Misfits", but also made some smaller edits for commercials.
* SantaClaus: Probably as bad a depiction as you can get without breaching the guidelines of children's programming.
* SavingChristmas: Santa thinks they might have to cancel Christmas due to the fog -- that is, before he sees Rudolph's nose.
* SharedUniverse: The sequel ''WesternAnimation/RudolphAndFrostysChristmasInJuly'' shows that Rudolph takes place in the same world as ''WesternAnimation/FrostyTheSnowman''. ''WesternAnimation/NestorTheLongEaredChristmasDonkey'' likewise takes place in Rudolph's world.
* ShoutOut:
** Yukon Cornelius quotes from the Creator/WCFields comedy "The Fatal Glass of Beer" when he says "It isn't a fit night out for man or beast!"
** While conducting "We Are Santa's Elves", the head elf imitates Music/LawrenceWelk: "And a one-a, and a two-a, and a three-a!"
* SneakyDeparture: Rudolph feels he's endangering the others because his glowing nose always exposes them when the [[BigfootSasquatchAndYeti Abominable Snow Monster]] is near, so he leaves them in the middle of the night.
* SocietyMarchesOn: In 1964, the squirt gun from the Island of Misfit Toys was a misfit because it squirted jelly rather than water. Now it's a misfit because it's a toy gun that ''looks like a real gun'', which is no longer legal or acceptable.
* TheSongRemainsTheSame: With the exception of the 1980s Brazilian Portuguese TV dub (this was [[AvertedTrope averted]] in the previous dub), most foreign dubs of the 1964 Rankin/Bass version (including Spanish, Greek, and Japanese) leave all of the songs in English.
** [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] in the Hungarian dub. While most dubs keep the "You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen" portion in English, this is translated in said dub. The singing portion that follows afterwards is in English, however.
* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Is it Hermey, Hermie, or Herbie? ("Hermey" seems to be the official spelling.)
* SpinningPaper: This is how the special begins, with live-action footage of people stuck in snow while newspapers fly up at the screen, with headlines screaming about a cold wave bringing snowstorms so severe that they threaten to postpone Christmas.
* StayInTheKitchen: When Donner's wife asks if she can help look for Rudolph, he chauvinistically responds, "No. This is ''man's'' work." Joined by Clarice, she follows up, though, and it gets worse for both of them when they all get captured by the Abominable Snow Monster.
* SuddenlyShouting: [[MemeticMutation Altogether now, everyone]]: '''[[LargeHam WHY WEREN'T YOU]] ''[[ChewingTheScenery AT ELF PRACTICE?]]'''''
* SuperDrowningSkills: The Abominable Snow Monster has only one weakness - he sinks like a stone.
* TakingYouWithMe: Subverted. Yukon Cornelius tackles the Abominable Snow Monster over a cliff, but they [[DisneyDeath both survive.]]
* TapOnTheHead: Yukon Cornelius does this to the Abominable Snowman to allow Hermey to extract all his teeth.
* TertiarySexualCharacteristics: Clarice. Red bow and huge eyelashes!
** Elves have this too.
* ThroughAFaceFullOfFur: Rudolph blushes after Clarice compliments him.
* TitledAfterTheSong: Most [[Creator/RankinBassProductions Rankin/Bass]] Christmas shows would fall under this trope, though it's sort of {{justified|Trope}} in how they're usually [[AdaptationExpansion retellings]] of the song's lyrics.
* TookALevelInBadass: Finally through with running from his problems, Rudolph finds his family and Clarice at the mercy of the Bumble and wastes no time fighting the creature off to save them. He proves horribly outmatched, but his bravery after months of fleeing from the creature cannot be understated.
* TookALevelInKindness: Bumble gets redeemed after his DisneyDeath and helps Santa's elves prepare Christmas. Santa and most of the adults are also considerably nicer in the sequels.
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Hermey lures the Snow Monster away from the reindeer by squealing like a pig, after Cornelius tells him, "I've never seen a Bumble turn down a pork dinner for deer meat." And it works.
* TriumphantReprise: "We're a Couple of Misfits" functions as one for both Rudolph's and Hermie's earlier renditions of "Why Am I Such a Misfit?".
* UnderTheMistletoe: Clarice catches Rudolph under it during "Holly Jolly Christmas" towards the end.
* ViewersAreMorons: The Toy Taker doesn't know the meaning of the word "surrender", just for the sake of having it be explained to the target audience.
* VocalDissonance:
** During the opening for the "We are Santa's elves" song, the Head Elf jarringly switches from his normal Yosemite Sam-esque growl to a nasally Porky Pig-like whine, clearly voiced by a different actor, for several lines with no explanation.[[note]]Though, as detailed under FridgeBrilliance in the fridge page for this, this may have been deliberate, as he may have been trying to kiss up to Santa and not yell while he was in the room.[[/note]]
** Despite being the same age as Rudolph, Clarice sounds more like an adult woman than a young girl.[[note]]Her voice actress, Janice Orenstein, would have been a teenager at the time.[[/note]]
* WaxingLyrical: Several times.
* WellDoneSonGuy: Rudolph and his father's relationship can be summed up this way.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: The Toy Taker in ''Island of Misfit Toys'' abducts toys with the purpose of protecting them from kids he believes are neglectful and abusive. [[spoiler: As it turns out, he is in fact a teddy bear who spent a lot of his life forgotten and accidentally sent away by his owner.]]
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Initially played straight. In the original 1964 presentation of the special, the Misfit Toys are never seen again after Rudolph leaves their island (though it's strongly implied that Rudolph did come to Santa about this when Santa assures him he'll find them homes). This was then averted when viewer complaints about this led to the first ReCut; see above.
* WhatTheHellIsThatAccent: MrsClaus sounds vaguely Italian or Slavic.
* WhyCouldntYouBeDifferent: Santa's harsh reaction when Rudolph's fake nose cap comes off leads Coach Comet and the others to shun Rudolph, embarrasses Rudolph and makes Donner feel ashamed of his son.
* WideEyesAndShrunkenIrises: Happens to a reindeer Rudolph befriends when the cover pops off his nose during the reindeer games scene.
* WomenAreWiser: The does are the only reindeer who don't show any prejudice towards Rudolph regarding his nose; Clarice is the more notable in that she has an entire song dedicated to consoling Rudolph after he'd just been humiliated over his nose at the reindeer games.
* WoodlandCreatures: Used in "There's Always Tomorrow".
* WorthlessYellowRocks: A squirrel chucks a gold nugget away after discovering it's inedible. Also, Rudolph thinks that Yukon's desire for silver means he's looking for tinsel.
* WritersCannotDoMath: The opening title sequence lists the copyright date in Roman numerals as MCLXIV (1164) instead of MCMLXIV (1964).
* YourSizeMayVary: The Abominable is clearly ''much'' bigger in his first scene, where he's so big you can only see his legs striding by, never see his torso at all, and Rudolph can jump down inside his footprint (at least 35-50 feet). When we see him in a full body shot, he's only a little taller than twice Yukon Cornelius' height (12-14 feet).
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''Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer'' is a StopMotion animated ChristmasSpecial based on the classic storybook by Robert L. May, made by Creator/RankinBassProductions and first broadcast on Creator/{{NBC}} (under the ''General Electric Fantasy Hour'' umbrella) in 1964.