what year did rudolph the red nosed reindeer come out

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer first appeared in a 1939 story published in a Montgomery Ward department store catalog. The story was later adapted into a popular Christmas song in 1949, and the song's success led to the creation of the popular TV special in 1964. So, the character of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer has been around for quite some time, and he has become a beloved figure in Christmas culture.