The Resume

(November 10, 1909-September 3, 1985)
Born in Mount Vernon, New York
Wrote or co-wrote:
'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' for Gene Autry (1949)
'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' for Bing Crosby (1956)
'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' for Brenda Lee (1958)
'Run Rudolph Run' for Chuck Berry (1958)
'A Holly Jolly Christmas' for Burl Ives (1964)
Composed music for the <13891>Rankin/Bass

Why he might be annoying:

He was a Jewish songwriter who had his biggest success with Christmas songs.
He even named his publishing company St. Nicholas Music.
He complained about 'Rudolph,' 'This is not exactly what I hoped to be remembered for.'

Why he might not be annoying:

During World War II, he was originally assigned to a unit to entertain front-line troops, but ended up earning a Bronze Star for leading 20 men in an attack on a castle and capturing the 100 Germans inside.
He was selected for a USO songwriters unit to entertain soldiers in the Far East (1963).
He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (1981).
Various recordings of 'Rudolph' collectively sold over 140 million records, making it second only to Irving Berlin's 'White Christmas' among holiday songs.

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• ASCAP Top 25 Holiday Songs [December 2005] (Ranked: 7)
• ASCAP Top 25 Holiday Songs [December 2005] (Ranked: 14)
• ASCAP Top 25 Holiday Songs [December 2005] (Ranked: 18)
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 40]
• I Attended Columbia
• I Covered Brenda Lee’s ‘Rockin Around the Christmas Tree’
• I Died in 1985 (Ranked: 75)
• I'm Buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx
• Jewish Composers of Christmas Songs
• Look at My Keyboard
• People with John or Mary in their Names
• Phi Beta Kappa Fraternity
• Profiles 32251-32500 (Ranked: 32288)
• Satirized on Rocko’s Modern Life
• Served in World War II

Year In Review:

For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 12 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 5 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 13 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 11 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 16 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 83 Votes: 49.40% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 12 Votes: 83.33% Annoying