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Johnny Marks: Mr. Christmas

By Aleta Mayne

From “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and other Yuletide tunes — to mainstream hits sung by Bing Crosby, Glenn Miller, and Sammy Davis Jr. — Johnny Marks, Class of 1931, made an enduring mark on popular songwriting.

1931
Santa and Rudolph from the "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" TV special
Santa and Rudolph from the "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" TV special

Santa and Rudolph in the 1964 stop-motion animated TV special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Johnny Marks headshot from the Salmagundi

John D. Marks portrait, 1931 Salmagundi

Johnny Marks headshot from the Salmagundi

Dubbed “Mr. Christmas of the music world,” songwriter and composer Johnny Marks, Class of 1931 (1909–1985) brought the world such yuletide favorites as “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “Holly Jolly Christmas,” “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” and “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.”1 But, most notable was a little ditty called “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

At Colgate, John D. Marks was accompanist for the glee club, manager of the music club, on the Salmagundi board, member of the Willow Path literary magazine staff, and belonged to Phi Beta Kappa, Mu Pi Delta, Kappa Phi Kappa, and the Commons Club.2 He wrote four numbers for the Colgate songbook as well as “Men of the Club of Commons” for the now-defunct organization.3

After Colgate, he continued his musical studies at Columbia and then lived in Paris, where he reportedly once played for Ernest Hemingway. During World War II, he served four years in the Army, under General Patton in Normandy, and was awarded a Bronze Star and four battle stars.4 After the war, he continued composing — a passion he’d been working at since the age of 13. 

Sheet music for "A Colgate Day"

“A Colgate Day,” words and music by John D. Marks, Class of 1931, from Songs of Colgate, published in 1932

Sheet music for "A Colgate Day"

In 1949, Marks founded St. Nicholas Music, Inc., which became the foremost publisher of Christmas songs. That year, he also wrote “Rudolph,” based on a holiday promotional book given away by Montgomery Ward, where his brother-in-law Robert May was a copywriter who had penned the story of the lovable character with a cherry proboscis. Although the song’s original performer, Gene Autry, didn’t think it fit his cowboy image, he reluctantly agreed to lend his voice after much cajoling from his wife, who loved the tune. The song swept the nation, becoming the second-highest selling record of all time at more than 12.5 million copies. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” has been called one of the most monetarily valuable songs in the world.5

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
puppets from Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July

Still image from Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July

puppets from Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July

monster and Rudolph from "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" TV specialIn 1964, the stop-motion animated TV special by Rankin/Bass aired on NBC as part of the General Electric Fantasy Hour.

Marks wrote the words and music for the special, and for several years he also composed the music for the commercials during the special “to avoid any break in the spell of his imaginative fantasy,” according to the Mid-York Weekly.6

Mr. Christmas went on to write the words and music for other TV specials including Rudolph’s Shiny New Year with Red Skelton; Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July with Ethel Merman, Shelley Winters, Mickey Rooney, and Red Buttons; The Tiny Tree with Roberta Flack and Buddy Ebsen; and The Ballad of Smokey the Bear with James Cagney. 

Of the 175 songs Marks published, he had several hits unrelated to Christmas, including “Who Calls” with Bing Crosby, “She’ll Always Remember” with Glenn Miller, and “Don’t Cross Your Fingers, Cross Your Heart” with Sammy Kaye.

In fact, according to a 1980 People article, the then–71-year-old Marks did not want his legacy to be associated with Christmas or the most famous reindeer of all. “This is not exactly what I hope to be remembered for,” he told People.7 The article went on to say that Marks never shopped for presents, put up a tree, or sent Christmas cards. Although these facts made him sound like a Grinch, “Mr. Christmas” was, in fact, Jewish.

Regardless, Johnny Marks, you’ll go down in history…

Marks in Concert

On December 13, 1974, Marks returned to Hamilton, N.Y., to appear with the Colgate Chamber Singers and the Colgate Thirteen in a public holiday concert celebrating Rudolph’s 25th birthday in Memorial Chapel. The ensembles performed several songs written by Marks, in addition to “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”: “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” “A Holly, Jolly Christmas,” and “Silver and Gold.” At the time, Marks, who told the story of how he came to write “Rudolph,” was serving on Colgate’s Board of Trustees.8

Ticket to 1974 Colgate Christmas concert in honor of Johnny Marks, Class of 1931, who wrote “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”
Archive photo of man singing at Christmas concert
Archive photo of singing group onstage at Christmas concert
Archive photo of Johnny Marks at Christmas concert
Johnny Marks signing autograph
Johnny Marks with Colgate President Thomas Bartlett

Notes & Sources

Endnotes
  1. Biography file for John Marks, Colgate Special Collections and University Archives
  2. Salmagundi yearbook, 1931
  3. Colgate University, Songs of Colgate, Hamilton, N.Y.: Colgate University Alumni Corporation, 1932
  4. Biography file for John Marks, Colgate Special Collections and University Archives
  5. Ibid.
  6. “Rudolph romps again on TV,” The Mid-York Weekly, December 3, 1970
  7. Barbara Rowes, “Johnny Marks Has Made Millions Off 'Rudolph,' but the Songwriter Still Says Humbug,” People, December 22, 1980
  8. “‘Rudolph’” Guest at Concert,” Colgate News, December 6, 1974
  9. Colgate University Press Release, December 1974, Biography file for John Marks, Colgate Special Collections and University Archives
Images in order of appearance
  • Still from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, ©Rankin/Bass Productions/Rick Goldschmidt Archives 
    John D. Marks portrait, 1931 Salmagundi
  • “A Colgate Day,” Songs of Colgate, 1932
  • “Rudolph” sheet music, Biography file for John Marks, Colgate Special Collections and University Archives
  • Still from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, ©Rankin/Bass Productions/Rick Goldschmidt Archives
  • Still from Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July, ©Rankin/Bass Productions/Rick Goldschmidt Archives
  • Memo written Colgate, Biography file for John Marks, Colgate Special Collections and University Archives
  • 1974 concert images: Biography file for John Marks, Colgate Special Collections and University Archives