Johnny Marks - Biography

Johnny Marks (November 10, 1909 - September 3, 1985) was an American songwriter. Although he was Jewish, he specialized in Christmas songs and wrote many standards, including "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (a hit for Gene Autry and others), "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" (first recorded by Bing Crosby), "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (a hit for Brenda Lee), and "A Holly Jolly Christmas" (recorded by the Quinto Sisters and later by Burl Ives), and Run Rudolph Run (recorded by Chuck Berry).

Early life

Marks was born in Mount Vernon, New York. A graduate of the McBurney School in Trumbull, CT, Colgate, and Columbia Universities, Marks later studied in Paris. He earned a Bronze Star and four Battle Stars as a Captain in the 26th Special Service Company during World War II. Marks had three children: Michael, Laura and David. He is a great-uncle of economist Steven Levitt

Career

Among Marks's many works is "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer", which was based on a poem by the same name, written by Marks’s brother-in-law, Robert L. May, Rudolph's creator. Although "Frosty the Snowman" and "Jingle Bell Rock" have the same musical structure as "Rudolph," "Rockin'," and "Holly Jolly," they were written by different authors.

In addition to his songwriting, he founded St. Nicholas Music in 1949, and served as director of ASCAP from 1957 to 1961. In 1981, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Works (incomplete list)

Christmas Songs

• Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer – 1949 (inspired by a poem by Robert L. May, Marks' brother-in-law)
• When Santa Claus Gets Your Letter – 1952
• The Night Before Christmas Song – 1952
• An Old-Fashioned Christmas – 1952
• Everyone's a Child at Christmas – 1956
• I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day – 1956 (words by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, adapted by Marks)
• Run Rudolph Run - 1958
• Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree – 1958
• A Merry, Merry Christmas to You – 1959
• The Santa Claus Parade – 1959
• A Caroling We Go - 1966
• Joyous Christmas - 1969

From the 1964 CBS/Rankin-Bass TV Production Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer

• A Holly Jolly Christmas – 1965 (separate single release), 1964-65**Jingle, Jingle, Jingle – 1964
• The Most Wonderful Day of the Year – 1964
• Silver and Gold – 1964-65**We Are Santa's Elves – 1964
• There's Always Tomorrow - 1964
• The Island of Misfit Toys - 1964
• We're a Couple of Misfits - 1964

** Burl Ives released "A Holly Jolly Christmas" and "Silver and Gold," two songs he sang as his character Sam the Snowman, as singles for the 1965 holiday season, the year after the TV production.

Other

• Happy New Year Darling – 1946 (with J. Carmen Lombardo)
• Address Unknown
• Chicken Today and Feathers Tomorrow
• Don't Cross Your Fingers, Cross Your Heart
• Free
• How Long Is Forever?
• I Guess There's an End to Everything
• Neglected
• She'll Always Remember
• Summer Holiday
• There's Always Tomorrow
• We Speak of You Often
• What've You Got to Lose But Your Heart
• Who Calls?