Tuesday, June 30, 2009

It looks like a pumpkin pie... with its clothes on.



A classic 7 minute treat from the Hallowe'en lovin'est doughnut place in history.
This was a promotional giveaway item at their stores in 1975 and '76, and has ever since been a kind of cult favorite among those of us who were of the right age group when it came out.
Winchell's Donut House was a family Hallowe'en tradition; my grandmother's Hallowe'en treat table always had Winchell's donuts -- with orange and black and green icings and sprinkles in plenty -- and they (Winchell's) always had clever and generous Hallowe'en offerings and promotions during October.
One of the more exciting indicators of the approaching Hallowe'en season was the moment we'd first spy our nearest Winchell's proudly flying the paper pumpkins, bats and spiders on their windows... and the myriad posters for that October's spooky giveaway.
Like this beauty here.
I don't know who the kid is (anyone from the child of Winchell's CEO to the nephew of the ad agency maintenance guy) but he's wearing (nearly) what appears to be a Don Post '100 Line' latex rubber Phantom half mask, and holding a donut that I can taste even now.
From the amateur, real and very cute kids' voices, to the 'jack o'lantern' actor being a bit of a killjoy (sort of; this is a trick-or-treat safety psa first and foremost) to the Winchell's ad jingle at the 5:26 mark, the whole feel is very innocent and delightfully 'back then'.
If you're looking for a download, this has been shared all over the 'Net, and you can find it in a million places that have the space and funds to host it, so do a search for Winchell's Hear The Monsters record.
But to just listen?:

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