Rudolf the Red-Nosed Rock Chunk

This post was originally published on Astrology News Service

Alex Miller

OK, actually, there are no visible red noses on this bit of space debris, but it does seem to have an affinity with persons instrumental in the development and dissemination of an American holiday classic, celebrating its 60^th year in 2024. We all know the tale of Rudolph – a misfit reindeer, rejected by his peers due to an unusually ruddy proboscis, unexpectedly becomes the hero of a particularly bleak and foggy Christmas Eve when his luminous red nose lights the way for Santa’s sleigh, thus saving the holiday.

The story of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” first appeared in 1939, when Robert L. May, a Montgomery Ward copywriter, penned a Christmas poem as text for a coloring book the department store chain was giving away to customers.  A decade after its creation, Johnny Marks, the composer brother-in-law of May, adapted the poem into the classic Christmas song we’re familiar with, first popularized by singer Gene Autry in 1949.   “Rudolph” was later recorded by dozens of artists, including Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Alvin and the Chipmunks, and the Jackson 5.  Rudolph made his TV debut in 1964 with the Rankin/Bass-produced stop-motion animation classic holiday special, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, still aired annually.  The special is narrated by actor and country performer Burl Ives (in his animated guise as Sam the Snowman), who duly released his own version of the song.

Unlike its ruddy ruminant namesake, the asteroid Rudolf (alternate spelling) is actually named for a 16th century Habsburg emperor and wasn’t discovered until almost 60 years after May created his reindeer character. But its resonance with the pivotal actors in the other Rudolph’s saga is undeniable.

Rudolph’s creator, Robert L. May, born 27 July 1905, has asteroid Rudolf at 3 Taurus, prominently placed in two major configurations. Rudolf appears in a Grand Trine (three points placed equidistant from each other, at 120-degree intervals) with Mercury (writing) at 0 Virgo and Uranus (misfits, creators, creation) at 0 Capricorn, and a T-Square (two points in opposition to each other, with a third on their midpoint, squared to each) with the Sun (creativity/self-identity) at 4 Leo and Chiron (rejected, wounded or handicapped individuals) at 3 Aquarius. Rudolf is also semisquare to Venus (ancient ruler of poetry) at 19 Gemini.

Rudolf’s commercial destiny was sealed in 1947 when Montgomery Ward transferred the patent to the story, previously a free giveaway with no fiscal-generating potential, back to its creator, and May convinced his brother-in-law, composer Johnny Marks, to convert the story into song. Johnny Marks (born 10 November 1909) also has a well-connected asteroid Rudolf, which at 4 Gemini forms the apex of a Yod, or Finger of Destiny, with inconjunct aspects to natal Mercury (writing) at 4 Scorpio and Venus (poetry, musical composition) at 3 Capricorn. Rudolf is also on the midpoint of a Saturn (career, public recognition)/Neptune (modern ruler of music and poetry) square from 17 Aries to 19 Cancer, thus lying in semisquare to each.

“The Singing Cowboy” Gene Autry was the first to record “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” after the property had been turned down by such American musical icons as Bing Crosby (who later got on the Rudolph bandwagon and recorded his own version) and Dinah Shore, and it became his biggest hit. Born 29 September 1907, Gene Autry’s natal asteroid Rudolf at 23 Libra conjoins Mercury (the voice, records and recordings) at 22 Libra, as well as being exactly inconjunct Saturn (career) at 23 Pisces. Rudolf also aspects natal Mars at 22 Capricorn by square (helping to energize Autry’s career), and natal Pluto at 24 Gemini by trine (a transformational influence).

Burl Ives is perhaps best remembered today for his role as narrator Sam the Snowman in the 1964 TV special “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” for which Johnny Marks wrote the score (continuing his Rudolf/Rudolph interactions, which also included a second smash holiday hit, “Run Rudolph Run” in 1958). Ives later recorded and released the title song, as well as “Holly Jolly Christmas” and “Silver and Gold,” still popular today. Born 14 June 1909, Burl Ives’ natal asteroid Rudolf at 6 Taurus is the least well-connected of the group, but may conjoin his Moon (exact birth time unknown, he has a Moon in early Taurus). Rudolf forms a semisquare to an exact Sun/Mercury pairing at 23 Gemini, Mercury ruling the voice and narration, and is also sextile Venus (singers) at 5 Cancer and trine Jupiter (renown, reputation) at 7 Virgo.

Canadian voice actress Billie Mae Richards voiced Rudolph in the TV special; it is the role for which she is best known. Born 21 November 1921, Richards’ natal Rudolf at 28 Leo is tightly squared the Sun (self-identity) at 29 Scorpio, and exactly quintile (72 degrees, one-fifth of the circle) Mercury (voice talents) at 10 Scorpio, paired with Venus (acting) at 9 Scorpio. Rudolf is also semisquare Jupiter (renown, reputation) at 11 Libra.

When “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” premiered on 6 December 1964, asteroid Rudolf at 1 Capricorn was conjoined Mercury, ruling storytelling, at 4 Capricorn.  A semisquare (45 degrees) from a Venus/Neptune pairing at 14 and 18 Scorpio assured popular acclaim (Venus) for the fantasy (Neptune).  A sextile (sixty degrees) to Saturn at 29 Capricorn indicates longevity for the production, while a sesquiquadrate (135 degrees) to Jupiter at 18 Taurus guarantees fame and celebrity.

From the creator of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to the writers, singers, composers and actors who made the character famous and disseminated it to the world, asteroid Rudolf weaves its magic holiday spell, making its ruddy-beaked namesake truly “the most famous reindeer of all.”  Happy Sixtieth Birthday, Rudolph – long may you glow!

Title Image Credit: by jggraphicstj from Pixabay.