'Rudolph the red-nosed Reindeer'
Ad-man Robert L. May created ‘Rudolph’ in 1939. He wrote a whimsical little story and circulated it at Christmas time in pamphlet form among the Montgomery Ward mail-order department. Ten years later, composer Johnny Marks composed a musical setting, and ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ burst onto the holiday scene in Gene Autry’s hugely successful recording. The whole story of ‘Rudolf’ appeared, out of nowhere, in 1939. The Santas at Montgomery Ward stores gave away 2.4 million copies of the booklet entitled ‘Rudolf the Red-Nose Reindeer.’ May, who worked in the advertising department at Montgomery Ward, wrote the story, and Denver Gillen illustrated the booklet. Robert May was rather sickly, shy and introverted as a child and he loosely based the Rudolph character on his childhood feelings of alienation from children his own age. The original name of the red-nosed reindeer was to be Rollo, but executives didn’t like that name, or the other suggested name of Reginald. The name Rudolf came from May’s young daughter!
[As a side note to this story: Robert May’s wife passed away from a long and terminal illness about the same time he created Rudolph. Since he had created Rudolph as a Montgomery Ward employee, the company held the copyright to all royalties received from the story. Deeply in debt from all the medical bills resulting from his wife’s illness, May persuaded Montgomery Ward’s corporate president, Sewell Avery, to turn the copyright over to him in January 1947.
With the rights in hand, May’s financial security was assured.]
Ad-man Robert L. May created ‘Rudolph’ in 1939. He wrote a whimsical little story and circulated it at Christmas time in pamphlet form among the Montgomery Ward mail-order department. Ten years later, composer Johnny Marks composed a musical setting, and ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ burst onto the holiday scene in Gene Autry’s hugely successful recording. The whole story of ‘Rudolf’ appeared, out of nowhere, in 1939. The Santas at Montgomery Ward stores gave away 2.4 million copies of the booklet entitled ‘Rudolf the Red-Nose Reindeer.’ May, who worked in the advertising department at Montgomery Ward, wrote the story, and Denver Gillen illustrated the booklet. Robert May was rather sickly, shy and introverted as a child and he loosely based the Rudolph character on his childhood feelings of alienation from children his own age. The original name of the red-nosed reindeer was to be Rollo, but executives didn’t like that name, or the other suggested name of Reginald. The name Rudolf came from May’s young daughter!
[As a side note to this story: Robert May’s wife passed away from a long and terminal illness about the same time he created Rudolph. Since he had created Rudolph as a Montgomery Ward employee, the company held the copyright to all royalties received from the story. Deeply in debt from all the medical bills resulting from his wife’s illness, May persuaded Montgomery Ward’s corporate president, Sewell Avery, to turn the copyright over to him in January 1947.
With the rights in hand, May’s financial security was assured.]
From the Choir Loft
This afternoon at 3:00, we will be singing our Christmas musical, ‘Noel’ at St. Joe’s Roman Catholic Church (1451 Payne Ave. in North Tonawanda). It is a special honor for me since this is Father Louis Dolinic’s church. Father Louis is one of my very favorite people, and a very talented organist! If you’d like to join us, a large group is meeting in our church parking lot to car-pool up to North Tonawanda. They will be leaving the church at 12:30 and will be returning after the concert. If you'd like to join us, you are more than welcome. We can use your support!
History of Christmas Toys
In 1949, Ole Christiansen, a Danish toy maker, began to manufacture toy blocks with a new twist. Christiansen created a plastic brick that can be locked together in different configurations…The Lego, which comes from the Danish ‘leg godt,’ meaning “play well” was born. The world's children spend 5 billion hours a year playing with LEGO bricks. The Lego Blocks fit together in 102,981,500 different ways! (For those of us from N.T., that’s almost 103 million!)
Today in history
December 9
1793 – Noah Webster established NY’s 1st daily newspaper (‘American Minerva’)
1907 – Christmas seals went on sale for the 1st time in Wilmington, Delaware
1965 – “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” premiered on television
Church office: (716) 672-2048, Bud: (716) 934-7734, email: tubamanbud@gmail.com
www.frombudsworld.blogspot.com
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