There's a few more things I forgot to mention in the video: For FreeForm's airing of the special, their print contains audio from the old Classic Media Blu-ray releases. This is evident by the fact that in the Silver and Gold song, the "for" in "everyone wishes for silver and gold" was cut out. This is odd considering that the audio is correct on the Deluxe Edition Blu-ray and DVD, which the FreeForm print is based on. This is also an issue on the digital release of the 2022 4K version, despite it being correct on the actual discs. Also Rankin/Bass historian, Rick Goldschmidt (who runs Miser Bros Press), claimed to own a copy of the original ending in full color. He's tried contacting NBCUniversal to see if they could put it in the next home video release. Not only that, but a planned Rankin/Bass documentary was going to feature footage of the full color original ending, but it ultimately went unreleased due to lack of funding and permission from NBCUniversal. I don't know what's stopping Rick from releasing it on KZfaq or Internet Archive, but I digress.

I think the addition of Santa arriving to pick up the Misfit Toys and the montage of them being dropped off Santa’s sleigh during the credits was a smart one as it gives a more satisfying conclusion to the Misfit Toys’ story, where without it, the aforementioned toys just become one-scene wonder characters without much impact or importance to the plot.

That retake of Santa's 'MERRRRY CHRISTMAS!' line-read creeped me out as a kid as well.

I can actually confirm that the scene with Donner setting out to find Rudolph was cut (or rather edited down). I remember having an 80's airing of the special recorded off of TV, and when I got an official VHS copy of it some years later, I noticed it was a little longer with Donner saying, "No! This is man's work!", which was new to me.

Every Christmas when I watch this special, I always watch the crusty, low quality DVD. The reason I do that is because the crust, grain and other natural film elements adds an extra layer of nostalgia that I also heavily associate with other really old things I grew up on like classic MGM, WB & HB cartoons.

I have NEVER seen the peppermint mine scene! That DOES explain a lot! That, and I never knew the misfit song was removed for a while, I'm so glad I've always known that version! That's a longtime favorite of mine. Now to see if I can find the full version online...

The 1965 take of Merry Christmas was honestly a little creepy to me too, so it ain’t just you. Then again, we’re both on the spectrum

Given that the special WILL BE 60 years old next year and that NBCUniversal NOW owns the rights to the pre-1974 Rankin/Bass library (the deal was made 2 YEARS after the 50th Anniversary release so i can see why it isn't released). SURELY the colorized version of the initial airing CAN BE released as a special 60th anniversary Blu-ray/4K Ultra/DVD edition of the special with MORE unreleased Rudolph materials (if there IS one at least)

I remember even as a kid I noticed the TV broadcast of this special was altered a bit. Coz I remember at school, I don't remember what grade I was in, but the teacher played this special for us on the TV through either a DVD or VHS, I can't remember, but then coincidentally later that night the same special would broadcast on TV, and I remember being so confused at the Misfits song, coz I wondered what happened to that one scene where Hermie punched that snowman version of his boss in the face.

I came here from discovering that "Fame and Fortune" existed in the first place. Now I'm tempted to check out the Freeform airing. How did that 2005 onward one EVER go to air? That editing with the Misfits song over Fame and Fortune's animation is frankly inexcusable if you ask me.

Thanks a lot for posting this and the original one too! I used them to help make sure I used the most complete and accurate version of Rudolph I could find for my simulated vintage CBS Rankin/Bass Christmas Special.

Thanks for this very interesting study of a holiday classic. Your close look helps me get even more enjoyment out of a film I have loved for many years.

I agree with how you thought the 1965 version of Santa saying “Merry Christmas” sounds creepy. I’m so glad that they brought back the original of it. I’m very curious on where the 1965 version of the line came from. Did they randomly decide to pitch up the audio of the line to be higher? Or was that just an alternate take that the actor had recorded? What’s interesting is that this change only occurs when Santa says “Merry Christmas” the second time. When he says it the first time, it uses the exact same audio that was in the original version

I find the second take 1965 very fitting, as it's more energetic.

My favorite special

I wanted to watch Frosty and Rudolph on Freeform last year and was met with Life Size 2 instead because the cable company I use blocked them from playing. I was very disappointed. At least I was still able to watch The Year Without a Santa Claus because that one is my favorite Rankin/Bass special.

I love Watching Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer Every Year on CBS

Lane, have you seen any of the Dreamworks holiday specials? you know, Shrek the Halls, Merry Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda Holiday, Dragons gift of the Night Fury, ect? or even The Penguins in a Christmas Caper or Donkey's Caroling Christmas-Tacular? those were some of my favorite Christmas specials to watch over the holidays. even more than the Rankin/Bass ones!

christmas eve 2019 my dad made me go to my uncle's house, and i didn't wanna be forced to interact with family, so i sat alone in my cousin's room watching the freeform cut of rudolph for the first time. i remember freaking out when they played the full unedited misfits song, and freaking out even more when they showed the yukon peppermint mine scene. it was like so shocking to me that they were actually airing that on tv

The higher pitch in the 1990s airings may be because of it being sourced from a UK print as they pitch things up

So glad to find this. I swear I going through a Mandella Effect!

15:28 I remember watching Rudolph on CBS back in 2022.

I actually remember watching the version with the "Fame and Fortune" segment instead of "Misfits" on a Pink vhs box of Rudolph!

Nice Job Talking About the Changes But I am Kinda Curious Of Why CBS Choose To Change Were A Couple Of Misfits In the 2005 and Later Broadcasts (Talking about that Weird Frankenstein Edit They Did)? Did The Footage Of It Disorted or Can't Work In HD Please Someone Tell Universal To Give The Freeform Version To CBS Please

After this season, CBS should trade broadcast rights to Rudolph and Frosty (along with Frosty Returns) to NBC in exchange for broadcast and cable rights to It's a Wonderful Life. This would reflect corporate ownership. The Rudolph and Frosty specials are owned by DreamWorks Animation, a sister company to NBC, while It's a Wonderful Life is owned by Paramount Pictures, a sister company to CBS.

I watched it on CBS and I remember the Yukon Cornelius scene and Santa's lower shout of Merry Christmas

Ah, you weren't the only person to notice the sped-up, higher-pitched versions of those video uploads. I'll tell you exactly what's going on here. There's the genuine bitrate - the bitrate that the video is *supposed* to be played ... the bitrate that the video was recorded. But then, there's the current playback rate ... the one used in KZfaq. If you increase the current playback rate *without* updating the file, the speed of the video playback will increase, and the pitch of the sounds will increase as well. We still see this in modern KZfaq times ... even affecting some mainstream videos of The Smurfs. Check out those 12-minute, 11-minute episodes that are inexplicably reduced to 10 and a half minutes; that's what's going on; the playrate rate is higher than the bitrate the video was recorded in.

You made a mistake Lane; the 1998 Golden Books VHS release still used the 65 version; the restoration wouldn't appear on home media until 1999, when it was rereleased by Golden Books Family Entertainment on VHS and for the first time on DVD.

Sadly, Freeform is not on the spectrum cable due to money and stuff from Disney

There was an audio cleaning from NBC in 1993 that sadly was discarded from the airing of the show. That might partially explain the errors in the audio.

I also remember the general electric commercials that features the characters at that time. Wish thay would put them on a DVD as a special feature. I did find them on KZfaq.

Not the DVD menu selection theme music jumpscare at the end!!! Lol

I can agree Santa does sound creepy. He sounds like an animal screaming in pain, and I think the original cut does sound great

The peppermint mine scene is so important for cannon for the Island of Misfit Toys early 2000s movie

Every time when "misfits" was being spoken, I keep thinking of the band Misfits.

6:55 I’m glad I saw this good ending from Rudolph.

Yeah, DVD is the best way to see this classic, even if they have flaws.

What about the Bumble wearing a polka dot handkerchief at the end because he had a toothache all along? I remember seeing that as well as many other people but there's no footage to be found

Starting In the 90's older re-runs were sped up so they fit more commercials in their time slot. Especially when TNT used to show their MGM /WB / Hanna-Barbera library

@KingLaneCreations so If I understand correctly, the best version out of all was the CBS version from 1998?

also lane for this christmas can you do all changes to frosty returns with the fhe release and the cbs airing please

15:14 salt truck

i'm glad they got the misfit toys

I saw that "We Are Santa's Elves" scene on CBS

isn't there a COMPLETE version with EVERYTHING in it??

Hopefully one day they will bring Rudolph shiny new year to blu-ray,as of now except for compilation dvd's,there's no single release for that special,except vhs.

What’s the best possible version of Rudolph to get on home media? I don’t have it yet, but I want to get it soon.

They don't still air the 1961 version of Babes in Toyland?

Great job with this, you do great research with the differences in each cut of the special. But I do need to let you know the snowman narrator voiced by Burl Ives is not Santa. They are different characters. I mean, they both have white beards and everything, but I just wanted you to know, thanks. Great stuff tho!

I grew up with a vhs including Fame and Fortune. It was so confusing to see the original later. I also prefer Misfits, though.

Interestingly, none of the misfit toys were actually misfits. The jack in the box was named Charlie but who would know? The elephant had spots, that's cute. The squirt gun worked fine just fill it with water instead of jelly. And then we learn from the credit scene that the bird actually could fly. I guess the boat was kind of a misfit but I think lots of toy boats aren't actually made for the water. Or maybe it learned to float.

6:58 It probably is.

13:58 Four was at least.

Not sure if this has been mentioned here or in previous version: look at the Island of Misfit Toys and Final Credits and you only see 6 reindeer plus Rudolph. There are supposed to be 8 reindeer plus Rudolph. Who was left out?

Why did Yukon's snowsuit turn green from the original blue?

I was born in 1996

the cbs nbc logos are current, you should have used logos of the time

Do you really not know why there were scenes cut for the 80s versions and beyond? Because in the 60s, there was 50 minutes of programming and 10 minutes of commercials per hour. In the 70s, that would have been cut to 48 programming, 12 commercials. And in the 80s, just 44 minutes of programming and 16 minutes of commercials. These days, it would be 40-42 minutes of programming and 18-20 minutes of commercials.

8:45 I am on the spectrum too but I don’t think it is creepy, it is just dumb that they re-recorded it.

There is no such person as a memo

do more leapfrog

13:54 Sam.

Cool video well good to know that you are autistic I’m also autistic aswell

I don’t like the Fame and Fortune song

I enjoyed your post but you did not address something that's been troubling me. In the Peppermint scene. As the sleigh is lifting off, Rudolph's parents and Clarisse are watching from the ground and Donner is bragging about his boy. However, in an earlier scene, Santa tells Rudolph that he will never get his sleigh off the ground without his father; who is trapped in the Abominable's cave along with his mother and Clarisse.

15:14 Where is that from lol.

Why not just watch the first original broadcast?

The End

4 Hours Ago.

The elf killed the swimming bird out of revenge for two reasons: 1. The elf was unhappy because he had to relive the year prior to deliver it. 2. It was the first reject toy the elf made and he got a long beating for it, so he backhanded that thing out of the sleigh. You also can't trust anybody involved with the film when they say "the bird learned to fly", considering that they forgot to resolve the story arc. 😊