Howdy Doody Finger Puppets
Howdy Doody Finger Puppets
- 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
- Object Name
- puppet
- Date made
- 1947 - 1960
- previous owner
- Rollins, Hazelle H.
- manufacturer
- Molded Latex Products, Inc.
- maker
- Molded Latex Products, Inc.
- place made
- United States: New Jersey, Paterson
- Associated Place
- United States: New York, New York
- 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
- ID Number
- 1980.0910.10
- accession number
- 1980.0910
- catalog number
- 1980.0910.10
- Credit Line
- Anne W. and John W. Rollins, Jr.
- subject
- Puppetry
- Radio and television broadcasting
- Television broadcasts
- Children's television programs
- Consumerism
- Television
- Toys
- See more items in
- Culture and the Arts: Entertainment
- Puppets
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.
If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.
Note: Comment submission is temporarily unavailable while we make improvements to the site. We apologize for the interruption. If you have a question relating to the museum's collections, please first check our Collections FAQ. If you require a personal response, please use our Contact page.