Robert L. May (Rudolph)
Encyclopedia
Robert Lewis May was the creator of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
.
Graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Dartmouth College
in 1926. He then went on to join Montgomery Ward
as a copywriter during the Great Depression.
Montgomery Ward had been buying and giving away coloring books for Christmas
every year and it was decided that creating their own book would save money. Montgomery Ward went on to print Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer and distribute it to children visiting Santa Claus in their stores. In its first year 2.4 million copies of Rudolph's story were distributed by Montgomery Ward and by 1946 Wards had printed and distributed more than six million copies of Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer. In 1946 a major publisher wanted to purchase the rights from Montgomery Ward to print an updated version of the book. In 1947, the company's corporate president, Sewell Avery
decided to give the copyright to Bob May.
The book became a best seller. Johnny Marks made a song adaptation to Rudolph. Though the song was turned down by such popular vocalists as Bing Crosby
and Dinah Shore
, it was recorded by the singing cowboy, Gene Autry
. "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was released in 1949 and became a phenomenal success, selling more records than any other Christmas song, with the exception of "White Christmas
".
He is a great-uncle of economist Steven Levitt
.
May is buried in Saint Joseph Cemetery in River Grove, Illinois
.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer is a fictional reindeer with a glowing red nose. He is popularly known as "Santa's 9th Reindeer" and, when depicted, is the lead reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve. The luminosity of his nose is so great that it illuminates the team's path through...
.
Life and career
Graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
in 1926. He then went on to join Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward is an online retailer that carries the same name as the former American department store chain, founded as the world's #1 mail order business in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward, and which went out of business in 2001...
as a copywriter during the Great Depression.
Montgomery Ward had been buying and giving away coloring books for Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
every year and it was decided that creating their own book would save money. Montgomery Ward went on to print Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer and distribute it to children visiting Santa Claus in their stores. In its first year 2.4 million copies of Rudolph's story were distributed by Montgomery Ward and by 1946 Wards had printed and distributed more than six million copies of Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer. In 1946 a major publisher wanted to purchase the rights from Montgomery Ward to print an updated version of the book. In 1947, the company's corporate president, Sewell Avery
Sewell Avery
Sewell Avery was an American businessman.Born in a wealthy family of lumber barons in Michigan, Avery attended public schools in Saginaw and Detroit and the Michigan Military Academy. He was a financier of the American Liberty League and a National Advisor for one of its front organizations, the...
decided to give the copyright to Bob May.
The book became a best seller. Johnny Marks made a song adaptation to Rudolph. Though the song was turned down by such popular vocalists as Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
and Dinah Shore
Dinah Shore
Dinah Shore was an American singer, actress, and television personality...
, it was recorded by the singing cowboy, Gene Autry
Gene Autry
Orvon Grover Autry , better known as Gene Autry, was an American performer who gained fame as The Singing Cowboy on the radio, in movies and on television for more than three decades beginning in the 1930s...
. "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was released in 1949 and became a phenomenal success, selling more records than any other Christmas song, with the exception of "White Christmas
White Christmas
A white Christmas refers to the presence of snow on Christmas Day. This phenomenon is most common in the northern countries of the Northern Hemisphere...
".
He is a great-uncle of economist Steven Levitt
Steven Levitt
Steven David "Steve" Levitt is an American economist known for his work in the field of crime, in particular on the link between legalized abortion and crime rates. Winner of the 2004 John Bates Clark Medal, he is currently the William B...
.
May is buried in Saint Joseph Cemetery in River Grove, Illinois
River Grove, Illinois
River Grove is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 10,668 at the 2000 census.-Geography:River Grove is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of ....
.