We'll Be Right Back Part 3

While breakfast cereal reigns supreme in the realm of cartoon advertisements, there are many products that feature popular cartoon spokesmen. Today we'll look at some of the most memorable and interesting characters from vintage television commercials.

Bucky Beaver
Though Bucky Beaver is iconic on his own--one of those characters who is synonymous with the product he advertised: Ipana Toothpaste--he is interesting to me for another reason. Many people, especially those who grew up when he was on the air, remember Bucky, and in the musical Grease they even parody his famous "brusha, brusha, brusha" song, but many people don't realize that Bucky Beaver is actually a Disney character.

Long forgotten by most, the Disney company had its own commercial production division back in the 1950's. One of the chief designers there was Tom Oreb, who designed Bucky and is most known at Disney--and in the animation community--as one of the people responsible for the "cartoon modern" style of animation popular in the 1950's. Most memorable from the cartoons of UPA, the style was implemented at Disney in 101 Dalmatians; Toot, Whistle, Plunk, and Boom; and even a strange looking Mickey Mouse:

Bucky Beaver, voiced by Jimmie Dodd (who also wrote that famous jingle), helped to make Ipana the most popular toothpaste in America, through the 1960's, although you wouldn't know it today.



Charlie Tuna
Like Tony the Tiger, Charlie the Tuna was created by the Leo Burnett Co., and gave way to a slogan that has become a part of the American vernacular. Starkist Tuna's "Sorry Charlie" has been referenced in countless TV shows and movies. Charlie is also a remarkably fun character, kind of an early hipster in his fishing hat and horn-rimed glasses. Charlie was voiced by popular stage actor Herschel Bernardi and animated by DePatie -Freleng, who you may remember as creating the Pink Panther and animating some Looney Tunes and Dr. Seuss specials.



Mr. Clean
Proctor and Gamble's Mr. Clean character first appeared in 1958 and has become an icon in advertising over the years. I really only mention him because in recent appearances, the use of CG animation has made him look weird.



Also, I'm pretty sure he's gay, and I don't have anyone on this list that is yet, so I thought I'd diversify.

These are some of my favorites because they have interesting animators, histories, or sexual preferences, but if these aren't enough for you, you may want to revisit the Keebler Elves or the Jolly Green Giant. (Also all gay.)

CG