November 28, 2005

RUDOLPH TAKES HOLLYWOOD BY STORM
IN BRAND-NEW ANIMATED ON-AIR PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN TO PREMIERE THANKSGIVING DAY ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK IN CELEBRATION OF THE HOLIDAYS AND THE REBROADCAST OF THE CLASSIC SPECIAL "RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER"

New "Animagic" Holiday On-Air Promos, Offering a Different Twist On CBS's Award-Winning "Animagic" Holiday Spots that Debuted Last Year, Again Feature Rudolph and Sam the Snowman, Joined by 3-D Hand-Crafted Likenesses of CBS Stars Jon Cryer, Marg Helgenberger, Kevin James, Angus T. Jones, David Letterman, William Petersen, Jeff Probst, Leah Remini, Charlie Sheen And CBS Sports Announcers Jim Nantz and Greg Gumbel

This Marks the First Network Holiday Campaign Available in High Definition

Rudolph shines in the brand-new "Animagic" CBS holiday on-air promotional campaign, set "behind the scenes" in Hollywood that, like last year's award-winning holiday campaign, features his North Pole friends and an array of 3-D caricatures of current Network personalities.

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This second installment marks the first Network holiday campaign available in high definition. The spots, premiering on Thanksgiving Day, celebrate the holidays and the classic longest-running holiday special, RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER, to be broadcast Wednesday, Nov. 30 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

This year, Rudolph and Sam the Snowman are joined in their "Animagic" world by similarly hand-crafted likenesses of CBS stars Jon Cryer, Marg Helgenberger, Kevin James, Angus T. Jones, David Letterman, William Petersen, Jeff Probst, Leah Remini, Charlie Sheen and CBS Sports Announcers Jim Nantz and Greg Gumbel for holiday promotional spots on the Network and customized spots for CBS affiliates. In the promos, the CBS actors portray their characters from their hit CBS shows.

The second incarnation of this unique Rankin and Bass-inspired campaign will run through late December. Last year's Rudolph Holiday Campaign earned the Promax Gold Award for Best Holiday Image Campaign.???

The new Network holiday promos start with Rudolph excitedly relaying to Sam the Snowman that "This is going to be the best holiday ever." However, after someone suddenly yells, "Cut! That's a wrap," the camera pans back to reveal the twist: Rudolph and Sam the Snowman have been shooting the familiar North Pole scene in a CBS studio in sunny California. As Rudolph readies himself to leave the busy set, he proves to be as warm and gracious as he is on TV. He gladly gives Charlie Harper (Sheen) a requested hoof-print autographed photo for his delighted nephew, Jake (Jones), and offers the additional bevy of admiring and intrigued CBS personalities and sports announcers a lift in Santa's sleigh. They happily jump in to "spread some holiday cheer" and soar over the palm-tree adorned Hollywood Hills, shouting, "Happy Holidays from CBS!"

CBS affiliates have the opportunity to broadcast customized versions of the holiday promotional spots -- and a modified version to promote their local charity and toy drives.

The eight to 10 inch tall sculpted wax models of the CBS personalities in the promotional spots were based on a series of sketches of each star. Costumers then fashioned appropriately styled fabric garments for each of the tiny figures. The retro stop-motion filming process to create the 30-second Network promo took 12 weeks to complete. This project was produced by Ileene Mittleman, Sr. Vice President Advertising and Creative Services, and Michael Pollack, Vice President, Advertising & Promotion, in association with animation company Bent Image Lab.

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RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER was produced by "Animagic" pioneers Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass and directed by Larry Roemer. Romeo Muller wrote the television adaptation from a story by Robert L. May. It returns for its 41st annual broadcast Wednesday, Nov. 30 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. (Originally broadcast on CBS 12/8/72 after an eight-year run on another network.) Last year's Dec. 1 broadcast of RUDOLPH was the most-watched and highest-rated broadcast since December 2000 -- and the highest rated program of the season in children 2-11 and children 6-11. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer © and ® The Rudolph Co., L.P. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" animated program © 1964, renewed 1992 Classic Media, Inc. ?All right reserved.

(NOTE TO EDITORS: Still images from the on-air promotional shoot are available on www.cbspressexpress.com).

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Press Contacts:         Barbara Abseck  212-975-4637            beabseck@cbs.com
Susan J. Marks  323-575-2118            susan.marks@tvc.cbs.com