Of The 50s – The Artists – The Songs
The Golden 50sThe Golden 60s The Golden 70sArticles Home
DANCER, PRANCER & NERVOUS
“The Happy Reindeer”
(Harold Rustigion, Robert Plaisted)
Capitol 4300
No. 34 December 28, 1959
.
.
Okay, these were singing reindeer. Uh Huh. They were at the time to be seen as competition to those other
singing “things”–Chipmunks, NUTTY SQUIRRELS, SINGING DOGS, “Witch Doctor” and that Purple People
Eater.” The “brains” behind this reindeer act was Harold Rustigian, aka, Russ Regan. Now, Russ’ name has
not been widely known on the streets; not so behind the scenes.
.
Regan’s had been in the music business for three decades-plus; at the time. He had palyed the part of a
promo man, A&R chief, and for a bit headed the Warner Brothers’ subsidiary Lomo, followed by the vice
presidency and general managership of Uni during its’ Neil Diamond and Elton John heyday. In the ’70s he
was responsible as president of 20th Century-Fox for their momentary resurgence and strong R&B showing.
.
“The Happy Reindeer” disk was one of his flaky flights. “In 1959, I teamed up with Bobby Plaisted, probably
the diriest man I have ever been around,” Regan explained to Joe Smith, President of Capitol Records and
author of Off the Record. “He never bathed. But I put up with him because he was talented. We wrote a
song in ’59 called ‘The Happy Reindeer’ by Dancer, Prancer and Nervous. Big Christmas record. Probably
the last big Christmas record.” Regon and his odorous peer tried once more with “I Wanna Be An Easter
Bunny.” The label credits were shifted to read “The Singing Reindeer.” No luck was theirs. The follow-
up was a dog.
.