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Howdy Doody Finger Puppets

National Museum of American History

Object Details

previous owner
Rollins, Hazelle H.
manufacturer
Molded Latex Products, Inc.
Molded Latex Products, Inc.
Description (Brief)
These three finger puppets are part of child's toy set based on characters from the popular children's television series, The Howdy Doody Show that aired from 1947-1960. The puppets include Howdy Doody the cowboy, Phineas T. Butler the mayor, and Clara Bell the clown.
Made of soft molded latex, the heads are attached to a paper body with a cardboard backing printed to look like clothing. There is a small hole at the bottom of the head for your finger. Originally, the set was packaged in a cardboard box that doubled as a stage. The popularity of Howdy Doody created a sensation and this toy set was just one of many toys created to market the show to children.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Anne W. and John W. Rollins, Jr.
1947 - 1960
ID Number
1980.0910.10
accession number
1980.0910
catalog number
1980.0910.10
Object Name
puppet
Physical Description
rubber (overall material)
fabric (overall material)
cardboard (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 6 in x 2 in x 2 in; 15.24 cm x 5.08 cm x 5.08 cm
place made
United States: New Jersey, Paterson
Associated Place
United States: New York, New York
See more items in
Culture and the Arts: Entertainment
Puppets
National Museum of American History
general subject association
Puppetry
Radio and television broadcasting
Subject
Television broadcasts
Children's television programs
Consumerism
general subject association
Television
Subject
Toys
Record ID
nmah_662709
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a4-dda5-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Related Content

  • 1947: A Year in the Collections

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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