Johnny Marks adapted the poem into what would become the Gene Autry hit 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,' which instantly became-and still remains-one of the most popular Christmas songs of all time. More than 2.4 million copies were printed and given away that holiday season. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was the creation of Robert May, a staff copywriter who wrote the original poem as a Montgomery Ward Christmas giveaway in 1939.

Lankford has written the definitive history of this iconic and much-loved Christmas character.