Who's coming to Town?
As we enter the holiday season, some of us will inevitably return to fond memories of our childhood. I, for one, like to go back to the early seventies when I was a child and think about the exciting weekend lineup of television shows featuring Santa Claus and his friends.
For those who weren't born before the 80s, we had a magazine called The TV Guide that showed us the time and channel that programs would appear. As a result, the picture on the magazine cover would be of a TV character featured that week. I knew I was in for a treat if I saw the Rankin/Bass "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and Santa Clause on the cover. As a result, I would know it was a TV dinner in front of the television, and my family and I were in for a treat.
Firstly, Rankin/Bass Productions has left an unforgettable mark on the landscape of holiday entertainment, primarily through its unique and imaginative Christmas television specials.
We are Santa's Elves
Founded by Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass in 1960, the studio gained widespread recognition for its innovative use of stop-motion animation, known as "Animagic."
Their holiday specials, beginning with the iconic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in 1964, captured the hearts of audiences and set a new standard for Christmas programming.
Initially, Rankin/Bass sought to create programming that stood apart from traditional animation, employing stop-motion techniques to bring a distinct charm and texture to their work. As a result, new technology was developed in Tokyo, Japan. Throughout the 1960s, the Animagic productions were headed by Japanese stop-motion animator Tadahito Mochinaga at his studio, MOM Production.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was a groundbreaking adaptation of the 1939 poem and the subsequent hit song by Johnny Marks. Likewise, the production's meticulous craftsmanship, coupled with a heartfelt narrative, resonated deeply with viewers. As a result, it became an annual tradition, airing on television every holiday season and establishing Rankin/Bass as a trusted name in Christmas entertainment.
Freeze Meister
Above all, Rudolph opened the door for other successful Rankin/Bass specials, including Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970), The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974), and Frosty the Snowman (1969). Each show combined engaging storytelling, memorable musical scores, and an array of charming characters, ensuring their enduring appeal.
Further, Rankin/Bass Christmas specials became seasonal staples and fundamentally changed how audiences embraced holiday programming. Before their arrival, most Christmas entertainment was live-action variety shows or straightforward adaptations of classic stories like A Christmas Carol. However, Rankin/Bass blended whimsy with moral lessons, creating shows that appealed to children and adults alike. For instance, the themes of acceptance in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and generosity in The Year Without a Santa Claus struck a universal chord.
Meanwhile, these specials also set a precedent for using television as a medium to establish new holiday traditions. By creating content that aired annually, Rankin/Bass forged a cultural expectation for holiday-themed programming. Consequently, networks began to prioritize Christmas specials as a way to attract family audiences during the holiday season, solidifying their presence in pop culture. For example, the Nielsen ratings, a trusted metric for gauging television viewership, provide valuable insights for Networks to gauge the success of Rankin/Bass's beloved Christmas specials.
Reach!
When Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer first aired on December 6, 1964, it had widespread acclaim. According to Nielsen ratings at the time, the show attracted an audience share of over 55% (97M households), making it one of the highest-rated broadcasts of the season.
This impressive performance demonstrated the universal appeal of the story and its characters. Consequently, the success of Rudolph marked a turning point for animated Christmas specials, solidifying their viability as prime-time television events. Importantly, its strong Nielsen performance encouraged Rankin/Bass to produce more holiday-themed shows, creating an enduring legacy.
During the late 1960s and 1970s, Rankin/Bass productions reached the height of their popularity, coinciding with television's golden age. Specials like Frosty the Snowman (1969) and Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970) achieved similarly impressive ratings, often commanding a viewership share exceeding 50%. These high Nielsen ratings reflected the specials' appeal and the broader cultural shift toward family-oriented programming during the holiday season.
Legacy
For example, Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town drew over 20 million viewers in its first broadcast, a remarkable feat rivaling the ratings of the era's top live-action shows. These numbers underscored the widespread appeal of Rankin/Bass specials and their ability to compete with mainstream entertainment, further cementing their place in television history.
The legacy of Rankin/Bass is evident in the countless Christmas specials and films that have followed. While stop-motion animation remains a hallmark of their brand, their emphasis on storytelling and character development inspired future creators to innovate within the genre. For example, modern classics like The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) and Klaus (2019) owe a creative debt to the visual and narrative style popularized by Rankin/Bass.
Furthermore, the Rankin/Bass specials established a template for holiday marketing, intertwining merchandise with programming. Iconic characters like Rudolph and Frosty became commercial successes, spurring a wave of Christmas-themed toys, books, and music that further embedded these stories into the fabric of holiday celebrations.
On Demand
While the content creation landscape has evolved significantly since the television-only era of Rankin/Bass, the enduring popularity of their specials highlights their timeless appeal. Today, platforms like streaming services have made these classics more accessible, and adults and children can access them anytime. Consequently, appointment viewing is no longer a thing, which may take some of the magic away. Nonetheless, the legacy of Rankin/Bass as pioneers of high-rated quality Christmas programming remains unparalleled.
Even decades after their original release, Rankin/Bass specials remain beloved by audiences. Their timeless quality lies in the combination of nostalgia, artistry, and universal themes. In addition, their annual broadcasts still bring families together, bridging generational gaps and reinforcing the cultural significance of shared traditions. My daughter is no longer a child. However, she and I will still make time for Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and relive our love of the story.
Blinded by the Light
In short, Rankin/Bass TV shows revolutionized Christmas programming in the 60s by elevating it from mere seasonal entertainment and creating a zeitgeist for the ages. Their contributions and focus on fun enriched the holiday season and influenced the broader television and animation industries. As a result, their specials serve as a testament to the power of storytelling in shaping traditions and bringing people together.
As we look forward to the holidays, take some time out and invite your young or older children or friends to watch a Rankin/Bass Christmas special. You may just go back in time to your childhood and have fun again.
