Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer



In the original Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer special, just as the song suggests, Rudolph was born with an unusually shiny red nose. Donner was ashamed of his son's unusual trait, so he placed a fake nose on Rudolph, which later fell off.

Rudolph leaves home because he feels ashamed of this. He later befriends Hermey, an elf outcast who wanted to be a dentist, and the miner Yukon Cornelius. They arrived at the Island of Misfit Toys, a place where all of the unwanted toys go.

After spending the night, Rudolph travels back to his home, and finds out that his family left to go look for him. He searches for them, saving them from the Abominable Snowmonster of the North. Once they arrive at the North Pole, Rudolph learns that Christmas will have to be canceled because of the weather conditions. However, Santa Claus asks Rudolph to use his nose to light the way and lead his team. Thus, Christmas is saved and Rudolph is praised as a hero instead of a misfit.

Rudolph also makes a brief cameo in Santa Claus is Comin' to Town, immediately following the introduction of the original eight reindeer. As a continuity nod, S. D. Kluger points out to his audience that Rudolph does not have a role in the story he's telling, since his backstory is another story altogether.

Oddly enough, Rudolph is not accompanied by any of his co-stars from the original special in Shiny New Year nor Christmas in July. Also, although he was a fully-grown reindeer by the end of the original special, in these sequels, he appears to have de-aged back to his younger form.

Rudolph returned in two sequels, Rudolph's Shiny New Year and Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July. The latter provides a detailed backstory for Rudolph's nose, explaining that the Lady Borealis made it shine as a defense against the evil Winterbolt, and that its power lasts only as long as Rudolph uses his gift for good.

Rudolph later starred in another sequel to the Rankin/Bass Rudolph, titled Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys.