Rudolph' started as a children's book at a department store “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” started out as a children's story first released by Montgomery Ward in 1939. The department store ...

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, with Santa Claus and Rudolph shown here, aired in 1964. Burl Ives — disguised as Sam the Snowman — made the tune memorable for a new generation of Rudolph fans.