when was rudolph the red nosed reindeer released

The story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was first published in 1939 as a poem by Robert L. May. The story was later adapted into a song by Johnny Marks, and it was released as a single by Gene Autry in 1949. The song became a huge hit, and it has been performed by many other artists over the years. The story has also been adapted into several movies and TV specials, including a popular animated Christmas special that first aired in 1964.