Author Rick Goldschmidt’s Oak Lawn home is a treasure trove of collectible items related to TV producers Arthur Rankin and Jules Bass.
Rankin/Bass produced such memorable Christmas classics as “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” and “Frosty the Snowman.”
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“Christmas was a big thing for them. They became the fathers of Christmas television,” Goldschmidt said.
His fascination with Rankin/Bass productions began after he finished college with an art degree. A serendipitous encounter prompted him to write a book about the pair almost thirty years ago.
This initial book was a hit, leading to the production of merchandise featuring characters from their TV shows and inspiring Goldschmidt to write six more books about the productive duo, both of whom have since passed away.
“It’s basically preserving the legacy of Arthur Rankin and Jules Bass,” Goldschmidt said.
Even the bathroom is filled with memorabilia. Goldschmidt says he enjoys living among all the items. It helps inspire his work.
He says he never planned on making this his life’s work. He says it was a calling and seems like it was meant to be. And he’s grateful, especially during this time of year.
“It puts you in the spirit of Christmas like no other. It has so much heat and warmth, which is lacking in today’s entertainment,” Goldschmidt said.
Some of the characters Rankin and Bass introduced to us, like Snow Miser and Heat Miser, they are 50 years old on Tuesday, and Bumble from Rudolf is 60 years old. And all of them are likely to remain Christmas traditions for many generations.
You can learn more about Goldschmidt’s latest work here.
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