Rankin/Bass - Kings of X-mas

I have no idea who Rankin and Bass are, but those guys know how to make Children's Christmas Programs.

This Holiday Season, I will be highlighting many Rankin/Bass Christmas Programs, starting with grandaddy of them all...

It all started with 1964's Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Rudolph became one of the most popular and longest-running Christmas specials in television history.

Not only is Rudolph entertaining and enlightning, but it was ground-breaking.

Rudolph was the original underdog who triumphed against all odds and physical deformities.

Long before "Rudy" and "Mask" (the Cher movie about the kid with the big head, not the Jim Carey movie), there was Rudolph.

Long before "The Bad News Bears" there was Rudolph's gang of misfit toys.

Rudolph was also groundbreaking in that it featured the first homosexual clay-mation character in prime-time, Kirby, the elf who wanted to be a dentist.