In 1978 Mr. Whipple was named the third-best-known American — just behind former President Nixon and Billy Graham.
From 1964 to 1985, and over the course of more than 500 different TV commercials we saw Mr. Whipple lecture shoppers on squeezing the Charmin. Mr. Whipple was really neurotic with the Charmin.
Dick Wilson was a character actor who got the role as Mr. Whipple and turned “Please don’t squeeze the Charmin” into a national catchphrase as exasperated shopkeeper Mr. Whipple in the Charmin TV commercial campaign that ran for more than two decades
The character of Mr. Whipple was created by an advertising executive, John Chervokas. He is credited with developing the character, his persona, and his most memorable catchphrase, “Please don’t squeeze the Charmin!”
Procter & Gamble eventually replaced the Whipple ads with cartoon bears. When Mr. Whipple returned in 1999, he was shown coming out of retirement against the advice of his buddies for one more chance to peddle Charmin.
Dick Wilson passed away at 91 in 2007.
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Even as a kid I knew he was a pervert!
Lol that’s my first laugh of the day.
He may have died more than a decade ago; he still lives on.
As a child growing up with those commercials, I could never get over seeing HIM squeezing. LoL
LOL
I never liked those ads much, but they must’ve been excellent since we all remember them decades later. I had an uncle, who when I was a kid, worked in TV advertising. He created several jingles and commercials well known in Canada. My mom once told him she hated one of his commercials, it was annoying and “corny.” He asked her what it was for, she told him. He said it was a good ad then since she recalled what prodcut it was selling.
He was right! If you still remember it…it works or worked.
Mr. Whipple elevated toilet paper into something special. 500 commercials! He probably had fingers like steel after squeezing all that TP. lol
LOL…
I’m with the others who didn’t care for these commercials. But there’s no denying that they basically defined an industry.
Dick Wilson was on “Hogan’s Heroes” a few times, playing one of the Nazis.
I think using the bears was a stroke of genius. Wonder how many people don’t get the unstated joke…
There are probably a lot that don’t get it.
I need to watch some more Hogan’s Heroes…it’s been a while