How an Illinois Writer Created the Legend of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

We all know the story of the young reindeer with the world’s most famous glow-up -  Rudolph and his very shiny nose. Kids know it, grandparents know it, and honestly, you could hum the tune in pretty much any country and someone would join in. But have you ever stopped and wondered where this whole tale came from? Who dreamed up this little red-nosed underdog who ended up guiding Santa’s sleigh? Believe it or not, it all started with a regular guy from Illinois.

The Surprising Origins of Rudolph’s Famous Glowing Nose

Let’s rewind to 1939 in Chicago, where a 34-year-old named Robert “Bob” May is working as a catalog writer for the old Montgomery Ward department store. It was the tail end of the Great Depression – that means money was tight and spirits were low - and on top of everything, Bob was trying to care for his young daughter while his wife battled terminal cancer. Life was heavy.

A Holiday Assignment Born from Hard Times

In an effort to brighten the holidays, Montgomery Ward wanted to create an original Christmas story to hand out to customers. They asked Bob to write it, and from that assignment came the spark of an idea - a reindeer who didn’t quite fit in. Bob drew on his own childhood, where skipping grades had left him smaller, younger, and often feeling like the odd one out. And that’s how Rudolph was born.

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Bob’s wife sadly passed away during the writing process, and when his boss offered to let someone else finish the story, Bob refused. “I needed Rudolph now more than ever,” he said. And he pushed through.

The Christmas Miracle That Changed Bob’s Life

When Rudolph’s story debuted that Christmas, it absolutely took off. Montgomery Ward handed out two million free copies. That was great for business, but not so great for Bob, who was drowning in medical debt. And then came the true Christmas miracle. On January 1, 1947, Montgomery Ward gifted Bob the rights to his own story. Suddenly, he could finally profit from Rudolph.

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But there is more Christmas magic to this story! Bob’s brother-in-law, a songwriter named Johnny Marks, loved the story so much he decided to turn it into a song. They pitched it to Gene Autry, who originally passed on the song. Luckily, Gene’s wife stepped in with the ultimate nudge. He recorded it, and the rest is holiday history. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” sold nearly two million copies in its first year and quickly became one of the most beloved Christmas songs of all time.

[h/t: nrp.org and chicagotribune.com]