How 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' (and its writer) went down in history

Johnny Marks created 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' which became a major hit after being recorded by Gene Autry in 1949. Despite his many other contributions, this song overshadowed his career. Over the years, it has been performed by various artists and remains a holiday classic, now part of the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry.