Fireball

Fireball is a minor character in the 1964 Rankin/Bass television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. According to the read-along version of the tie-in storybook T.E.A.M. Rudolph and the Reindeer Games (seen on the special's 2018 DVD and Blu-ray release), he is the son of Blitzen.

A yearling buck, Fireball attempts to befriend Rudolph (whose glowing red nose is hidden by a false one) before the start of the "reindeer games." Shortly after introducing himself to Rudolph, Fireball playfully tells him of the attention he immediately receives at a distance from Clarice, a yearling doe.

Told by Clarice that he was "cute," Rudolph is overcome with joy and leaps into the air, flying farther and faster than any other yearling in the reindeer games. A playful tussle with Fireball ensues and the false nose that has hidden Rudolph's unusual nose falls off, causing the terrified Fireball to recoil in fear at the sight and ending their friendship. When he, the other yearling bucks and coach Comet recover from the initial shock, the other yearlings mock Rudolph, ending with Comet's proclamation that Rudolph is banned from the reindeer games. It is possible that Fireball feels some regret about this, as we see him hesitate to join the other bucks when Rudolph is cast off.

Upon Rudolph's return, we do not see Fireball again, although the reason is unknown, either due to an adult version of him not being made into a puppet, or possibly having left town.

The attraction short Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4D, despite its much shorter runtime, slightly expands Fireball's role a bit. At the beginning, during the reindeer games, he is shown attempting a take-off first and crashing into a tree. (The original special had a similar gag with an unnamed buck who is identified as Dasher's son.) Later, when Rudolph and the others return to Santa's workshop after their battle with the Abominable Snowmonster of the North, the fully-grown Fireball (whose design is more evident here than in the original special) is among the group greeting them. He is seen interacting with Rudolph, implying that he has indeed come to accept Rudolph's oddness.

The voices of all of the jeering reindeer were provided by voice actor Alfie Scopp.

Trivia[]

• It is possible that he was the inspiration for Arrow in the 1998 film Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie; both characters have blonde hair and they both oppose Rudolph, though in Fireball's case he originally started out as Rudolph's friend.

External links[]

• Fireball at Behind the Voice Actors