Jules Bass, Producer of Animated Classics ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ and ‘The Last Unicorn,’ Dies at 87

I remember watching these as a kid. I think Rankin/Bass was a major influence for Robot Chicken!

https://www.thewrap.com/jules-bass-animation-rudolph-rankin-bass-obit/

Jules Bass, the co-producer and co-director of such animated classics as “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty the Snowman” and “The Last Unicorn,” died Tuesday of age-related illness at an assisted living facility in Rye, New York, his publicist confirmed to TheWrap. He was 87.

Through their banner Rankin/Bass, Bass and Arthur Rankin Jr. (who died in 2014) made some of the most beloved children’s programming of all time, including stop-motion classics “Rudolph” (1964), “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” (1970), and “The Year Without a Santa Claus” (1974). Bass also wrote many of the iconic songs, including Heat Miser and Snow Miser’s catchy showstopper and “Put One Foot in Front of the Other” with composer/conductor Maury Laws.

Bass also produced and directed the 1967’s “” starring Boris Karloff and Phyllis Diller.