>The wiki link you shared actually mentions the inspiration for Gene was a children's book. And even mentions May, specifically: >In 1939, Marks' brother-in-l

>The wiki link you shared actually mentions the inspiration for Gene was a children's book. And even mentions May, specifically: >In 1939, Marks' brother-in-law, Robert L. May, created the character Rudolph as an assignment for Montgomery Ward, and Marks decided to adapt the story of Rudolph into a song.