Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (song) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (song) "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" is a song by songwriter Johnny Marks based on the 1939 story "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" published by the Montgomery Ward Company. Gene Autry's recording hit No. 1 on the U.S. charts the week of Christmas 1949. In 1939 Marks's brother-in-law, Robert L. May, created the character Rudolph as an assignment for Montgomery Ward and Marks decided to adapt the story of Rudolph into a song. The song had an added introduction, paraphrasing the poem "A Visit from Saint Nicholas" (public domain by the time the song was written), stating the
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1948 film) Red-Nosed Reindeer" and the animated 1964 version. It was based on Robert L. May's 1939 story, rather than the song. The 1964 film more closely resembles the song rather than the original story. This short film was created to advertise Montgomery Ward department stores, the publisher of the original story. The original release included a credit for the company, and it lacked the "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" song, with the opening credits instead playing over an instrumental version of Silent Night, Holy Night. The 1951 re-release of the film added a choral version of the song to the credits