Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) is one of the most well-known Rankin/Bass Christmas specials of all time, partly because it was the first. Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (1970) offered viewers a further look at Kris Kringle’s origins, but 1969’s Frosty the Snowman is quite different. Unlike Santa and Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman is a cel-animated special, not stop-motion.
Everyone knows Santa, but Rankin/Bass effectively popularized the characters of Rudolph and Frosty back in the 1960s. Each holiday creation is unique, and both have endured for decades, but which one has the ultimate Christmas special?
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Frosty: Made Of Snow
Just as the song says, “He was made of snow, but the children know how he came to life one day.” One of Frosty’s defining features is his wintry composition.
He’s a snowman, but not just any snowman. With a special hat, a corncob pipe, a button nose, eyes of coal, and a nice scarf, the snowman comes to life. That spectacle is a memorable one for kids who have watched it through the years.
Rudolph: Red Nose
Obviously, fans love watching Rudolph because of his red nose. This is the legendary nose that, against all odds, guided Santa’s sleigh through a foggy Christmas Eve night.
Even though Rudolph (voiced by Billie Richards) was treated poorly because of this distinctive trait, his nose ends up saving Christmas entirely.
Frosty: Happy Birthday!
Viewers love hearing those words whenever Frosty comes to life again: “Happy Birthday!” The kindly snowman, voiced by Jackie Vernon, feels like he’s just been born every time he wakes up for a new winter.
The “happy birthday” line adds so much to Frosty’s sweet personality, and it’s fun to remember hearing him say it over and over again.
Rudolph: Deals With Being A Misfit
Rudolph is easy to relate to because he has trouble fitting in. The reindeer’s red nose is initially the laughing stock of the entire fleet of reindeer. Even his father, Donner, can’t see any good in the light-up nose, and Santa is just as disapproving.
Rudolph is upset and hurt by the poor treatment Coach Comet and the other reindeer give him, so he wanders off and heads to the Island of Misfit Toys. The song of these toys is legendary and makes people feel like they aren’t alone in being different.
Frosty: Hilarious Villain
Professor Hinkle takes the cake as the most hilarious villain of these two specials. Rudolph’s foe, the Abominable Snowman, has his funny moments, but he’s mostly terrifying. Professor Hinkle, on the other hand, is quite comical. The bumbling magician is jealous of Frosty’s magic hat, so he follows Frosty and a little girl named Karen to the North Pole.
Then, Hinkle traps the snowman in a greenhouse to melt him down and take the hat. This is not nice behavior, and Santa puts a stop to it. It’s still funny to hear Hinkle say things like “Think nasty! Think nasty!”
Rudolph: Memorable Friends
Rudolph isn’t alone when he journeys to that Island of Misfit Toys. He has found some companions in a prospector named Yukon Cornelius and an elf named Hermey. Hermey’s story adds another important layer to the Christmas special. The elf desperately wants to become a dentist, and no one can understand why or accept Hermey’s dream.
Hermey and Yukon are instrumental in showing that Rudolph doesn’t have to be by himself. The reindeer embraces other people who are different, and he knows that they are his true friends.
Frosty: Delightful Children
Rudolph’s world is full of other reindeer, woodland animals, and elves. It’s a lovely picture, but it lacks the atmosphere of cheering school children that fill the scenes of Frosty the Snowman.
Frosty is remembered for his strong bond with the children who create him, especially Karen. He loves to play and sing and march about the town with the kids. Those happy voices are such a heartwarming part of the special.
Rudolph: Snowman Narrator
Frosty is not the only snowman in the Rankin/Bass universe. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is narrated by another wintry creation, Sam the Snowman.
As Sam, Burl Ives tells and sings Rudolph’s story. Sam the Snowman is a dapper narrator who wears a green vest and a top hat. He is remembered for favorite tunes like “Silver and Gold” and “Holly Jolly Christmas.” In the land of Christmas soundtracks, Sam is a superstar.
Frosty: Gets Married In A Sequel
Frosty the Snowman sets up its main character for a long, happy life. In 1976, the snowman got his very own official Rankin/Bass sequel, Frosty’s Winter Wonderland. The cel-animated special doesn’t specifically take place during Christmas, but it features another round of joyful children.
They all decide that Frosty needs a wife who can stay with him through those long months at the North Pole. Thus, Crystal is born. She is the perfect snow-wife for Frosty, but Jack Frost threatens to ruin everything. While Jimmy Durante narrated Frosty the Snowman, Andy Griffith narrates Frosty’s Winter Wonderland.
Rudolph: Saves The Day In A Sequel
Rudolph is also featured in other Rankin/Bass works, most notably in Rudolph’s Shiny New Year (1976), which coincidentally premiered the same year as Frosty’s Winter Wonderland. In his New Year’s special, Rudolph is tasked with locating the lost Baby New Year. Father Time explains the necessity of installing the Baby before another year can begin.
This mission is perfect for Rudolph. Happy (Baby New Year) ran away because he was so upset that everyone made fun of his big ears. Rudolph knows how it feels to be made fun of, so he sets out to save the Baby just in time. A few years later, Rudolph and Frosty would be featured in a stop-motion special together, Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July (1979).