Trivia / Olive, the Other Reindeer

• Adored by the Network: From the early 2000s to mid 2010s, Cartoon Network and Fox would both give this special an annual airing during the Christmas season (typically after Thanksgiving). They gave similar treatment to Annabelle's Wish around the same period, but for an occasional airing.
• Celebrity Voice Actor: In addition to Drew Barrymore voicing the titular character, the special also features Joe Pantoliano as Martini, Michael Stipe as Schnitzel, Ed Asner as Santa Claus, Peter MacNicol as Fido, Jay Mohr as Tim, Tim Meadows as Richard Stands and Dan Castellaneta as the Postman.
• Channel Hop: After premiering on FOX in 1999 and rerunning one year later, cable rights went to Nickelodeon in 2001, then to Cartoon Network the year after that, where they aired it every year for over a decade.
• Creator's Oddball:
  • This is Matt Groening's only family friendly work as opposed to his adult cartoons.
  • The special's pop-up book art design is a sharp contrast to DNA's other CG cartoons while also serving as Matt Groening's first production to be entirely CG.
• Descended Creator:
  • Executive producer Drew Barrymore voices the special's title character.
  • Producer Michael Stipe provides the voice of Blitzen's flightless cousin Schnitzel.
  • Matt Groening provided the uncredited voice of Arturo the Elf that Olive accidentally bumps into.
• Domestic-Only Cartoon: The special was animated entirely by Dallas-based DNA Productions.
• Edited for Syndication: Certain scenes were cut from the TV broadcast and all non-VHS prints, to make more time for commercials.
• Keep Circulating the Tapes: Since Cartoon Network's rights expired after its 2012 airing, the special hasn't aired on any television network since, nor has it been made available on any streaming platforms. The only legal way to watch it in The New '20s is to buy the DVD. A rip of the DVD was posted on YouTube in August 2014 and remains available to this day.
• Kids' Meal Toy: Carl's Jr. and Hardee's had four toys in the 2001 holiday season. There was the Olive Picture Frame, Olive's Slide and Flip Present, the Glacier Glider, and the Flying Olive Motion Ornament.
• One-Book Author: This special is the only voice credit for Mitch Rouse (who voiced Round John Virgin and Comet) as all of his other credits were on-camera roles.
• Production Posse: Dan Castellaneta, voice of Homer Simpson and many other characters on The Simpsons, voices the Postman.
  • Billy West, Tress MacNeille, David Herman and Kath Soucie, all regular voice actors on Futurama, provide incidental voices throughout the special.
  • Additionally, Futurama's composer Christopher Tyng composed the special's music.
• Tyop on the Cover: Martini spells Rolex as "Rolexxx". Olive lampshades it.

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