Ugly Hedgehog - Photography Forum
Home Active Topics Newest Pictures Search Login Register
General Chit-Chat (non-photography talk)
The Story of Rudolph
Dec 27, 2018 19:50:01   #
FrumCA
 
[My apologies if this has already been posted]

A man named Bob May, depressed and brokenhearted, stared out his drafty apartment window into the chilling December night.

His 4-year-old daughter, Barbara, sat on his lap quietly sobbing. Bob's wife, Evelyn, was dying of cancer. Little Barbara couldn't understand why her mommy could never come home. Barbara looked up into her dad's eyes and asked, "Why isn't Mommy just like everybody else's Mommy?" Bob's jaw tightened and his eyes welled with tears. Her question brought waves of grief, but also of anger. It had been the story of Bob's life. Life always had to be different for Bob.

Small when he was a kid, Bob was often bullied by other boys. He was too little at the time to compete in sports. He was often called names he'd rather not remember. From childhood, Bob was different and never seemed to fit in. Bob did complete college, married his loving wife and was grateful to get his job as a copywriter at Montgomery Ward during the Great Depression. Then he was blessed with his little girl. But it was all short-lived. Evelyn's bout with cancer stripped them of all their savings and now Bob and his daughter were forced to live in a two-room apartment in the Chicago slums. Evelyn died just days before Christmas in 1938.

Bob struggled to give hope to his child, for whom he couldn't even afford to buy a Christmas gift. But if he couldn't buy a gift, he was determined to make one...a storybook! Bob had created an animal character in his own mind and told the animal's story to Barbara to give her comfort and hope. Again and again Bob told the story, embellishing it more with each telling. Who was the character? What was the story all about?

The story Bob May created was his own autobiography in fable form. The character he created was a misfit outcast like he was. The name of the character? A little reindeer named Rudolph, with a big shiny nose. Bob finished the book just in time to give it to his little girl on Christmas Day. But the story doesn't end there.

The general manager of Montgomery Ward caught wind of the little storybook and offered Bob May a nominal fee to purchase the rights to print the book. Wards went on to print, 'Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer' and distribute it to children visiting Santa Claus in their stores. By 1946, Wards had printed and distributed more than six million copies of Rudolph. That same year, a major publisher wanted to purchase the rights from Wards to print an updated version of the book.

In an unprecedented gesture of kindness, the CEO of Wards returned all rights back to Bob May. The book became a best seller. Many toy and marketing deals followed and Bob May, now remarried with a growing family, became wealthy from the story he created to comfort his grieving daughter. But the story doesn't end there either.

Bob's brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, made a song adaptation to Rudolph. Though the song was turned down by such popular vocalists as Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore, it was recorded by the singing cowboy, Gene Autry. "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was released in 1949 and became a phenomenal success, selling more records than any other Christmas song, with the exception of "White Christmas."

The gift of love that Bob May created for his daughter so long ago kept on returning back to bless him again and again. And Bob May learned the lesson, just like his dear friend, Rudolph, that being different isn't so bad. In fact, being different can be a blessing.

MERRY CHRISTMAS
[Edit - before someone takes me to task I know the reason for writing this story isn't completely accurate. I still hope it brings a smile to your face.]

Reply
Dec 27, 2018 21:16:58   #
NMGal Loc: NE NM
 
I never did know the story behind “Rudolph “. Thanks for this. It is a good one.

Reply
Dec 27, 2018 21:58:16   #
HardworkingGal
 
Very nice, thank you!

Reply
 
 
Dec 27, 2018 22:40:51   #
sjb3
 
Like NMGal, I didn't know about how the story and subsequent song came to be, though I did know about how the only one interested in recording the song was Gene Autry (and I can't picture anybody else doing it to this day, and I'll turn 70 in 2019). Thanks very much for posting this!

Reply
Dec 28, 2018 10:02:26   #
Marg Loc: Canadian transplanted to NW Alabama
 
What a moving story!

Reply
Dec 28, 2018 10:06:34   #
Earnest Botello Loc: Hockley, Texas
 
Great story.

Reply
Dec 28, 2018 11:07:10   #
Wuligal Loc: Slippery Rock, Pa.
 
I was touring with the Gene Autry road show when he was promoting the Rudolph song. The tour was in mid July but the kids still loved hearing the tune. Gene used the song to close the first act with a very un-PC stunt - on the last note of the song he took his gun from his holster, took aim at the spot light and sure enough -when he pulled the trigger there was a loud crack and the light went out. We got to exit stage right to the cheers of the kids.

Reply
 
 
Dec 28, 2018 12:09:50   #
Floyd Loc: Misplaced Texan in Florence, Alabama
 
Recently heard a recording of Gene Autry saying he did not want to record the song either, thinking it was too childish, but he did and was surprised at its success.

Reply
Dec 28, 2018 17:35:34   #
Country Boy Loc: Beckley, WV
 
Great story, thanks for sharing it!

Reply
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.
General Chit-Chat (non-photography talk)
UglyHedgehog.com - Forum
Copyright 2011-2024 Ugly Hedgehog, Inc.