The Rankin/Bass TV special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer has been a television viewing tradition since it first aired on NBC in 1964. I don't remember the first time I watched it, but as a kid it was never to be missed. In the days before DVDs and DVRs, it was a long wait until it aired again. I remember crying big ol' Bumble tears when our television went on the fritz right before Rudolph was to start. I think I was five and all we had on the screen was static. Back then I thought my Christmas was ruined because I missed Rudolph.
The above image is a Polaroid photo that I snapped a couple of years ago, during the last days of Polaroid. I didn't have to travel to the North Pole, I just took a photo of my TV screen. It is one of my favorite 'roids, because it reminds me of how much I anticipated the TV special and the fun I had watching it. The white border kinda reminds me of a television set and there's Rudolph forever on the screen.
As a bonus! Here's some TV Guide ad scans of three different Rudolph specials.
1976 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
1978 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
1976 Rudolph's Shiny New Year
1979 Rudolph's Shiny New Year
1979 Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July
That's one of your better shots. It's a shame nobody can get on the 'roids anymore. They were definitely performance enhancing in a photographic way.
ReplyDeleteIt is a different world, with things available to watch whenever and wherever we want! The long, yearly waits are a bit of nostalgia now.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Happy Holidays!
Also, it was nice that they showed them all during Christmas week instead of starting them on Thanksgiving night like they do now.
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