Photo: NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty; Jules Bass/Twitter

RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER – Pictured: (l-r) Front Row: Hermey, Rudolph, Head Elf, Yukon Cornelius, Sam the Snowman, Santa Claus (Photo by NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images); https://mobile.twitter.com/julesbassfilm

Jules Bass, the director behind classic animated Christmas specials likeFrosty the Snowman, has died. He was 87.

According toVariety, Bass' daughter Jean Nicole Bass died in January at 61.

Along with producing partner Arthur Rankin Jr., Bass co-directed holiday classics likeThe Little Drummer Boy(1968),Frosty the Snowman(1969),Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town(1970),The Year Without a Santa Claus(1974) andJack Frost(1979).

Under their Rankin/Bass company, they also produced 1964’sRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Rankin-Bass Prods/Kobal/Shutterstock

Editorial use only. No book cover usage. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Rankin-Bass Prods/Kobal/Shutterstock (5858815a) Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town (1970) Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town - 1970 Director: Jules Bass Rankin-Bass Productions USA Animation Animation Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

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Bass and Rankin Jr. — who died in January 2014 at 89 — also directed the crossovers and sequelsRudolph’s Shiny New Year(1976),Frosty’s Winter Wonderland(1976) andRudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July(1979). In 1977,The Little Drummer Boy Book IIearned them an Emmy nomination for outstanding children’s special.

Also an author, Bass' 2001 novelHeadhunterswas adapted into the 2011Selena GomezmovieMonte Carlo, which also starred Katie Cassidy, Leighton Meester and Cory Monteith.

source: people.com