The Woman Who Voiced Rudolph

On this episode of Our American Stories, the most famous reindeer in the world was voiced by someone most people have never heard of. Billie Mae Richards, a Canadian actress and mother of five, gave Rudolph his voice in the 1964 holiday special that became a staple of American television. She recorded the part in just a few hours, never expecting the character to last. What followed were decades of reruns, toy lines, and a place in Christmas history. In this rare archival interview, Richards shares how she landed the role, what it meant to her family, and why she’s proud to have played a misfit who found his way.

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