A Brief History of RANKIN/BASS Christmas Specials! (Prime Time Preservation)

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Let's take a semi-quick look at the history of Rankin/Bass Productions, the makers of many of your favorite holiday specials!

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Next time I won't spend two years on research and putting an episode on the backburner. I promise 🤞


References:

Carey, Emma. “50 Years Later, Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town Is As Immortal As the Bearded Man Himself.” Esquire, 23 Dec. 2020, https://www.esquire.com/entertainment....

Collins, Ace. Stories Behind the Greatest Hits of Christmas. Zondervan, 2010.
Crump, William D. “Rankin/Bass Christmas Cartoons.” The Christmas Encyclopedia, 3rd ed., Macfarland, 2001.

Ehrbar, Greg. “The Rankin/Bass ‘Frosty’ Specials on Records.” Cartoon Research, 12 Dec. 2017, https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php....
Goldschmidt, Rick. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Making of the Rankin/Bass Holiday Classic. Miser Brothers Press, 2001.

Goldschmidt, Rick. The Enchanted World of Rankin/Bass: A Portfolio. Edited by Wes Garlatz et al., Miser Brothers Press, 2016.

“The Japanese Studios of Rankin/Bass.” Cartoon Research, 14 Apr. 2014, https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php....

McKenzie, R. “The Golden Years of TV's Golden Duo: Rankin and Bass.” National Post, https://archive.vn/20140201072851/htt....

Nelson, Valerie J. “Billie Mae Richards Dies at 88; Canadian Actress Best Known as Voice of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Los Angeles Times, 14 Sept. 2010, https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-x....

Sandomir, Richard. “Jules Bass, Co-Producer of TV Holiday Staples, Is Dead at 87.” The New York Times, 28 Oct. 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/28/ar....

Tomoya, Kimura. “Business and Production: Development and Politics of Outsourcing.” Japanese Animation in Asia: Transactional Industry, Audiences and Success, edited by Marco Pellitteri and Wong Heung-wah, 1st ed., Routledge, 2021.

Variety Staff. “'Rudolph' Animator Arthur Rankin Jr. Dead at 89.” Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2014, https://www.chicagotribune.com/entert....

Woolery, George W. Animated TV Specials : The Complete Directory to the First Twenty-Five Years, 1962-1987. Scarecrow Press, 1989.