Mr. Peanut, one of the best known advertising icons in the world, is Italian-American. His "father" was 13-year-old Antonio Gentile, the son of Italian immigrants. In 1916, Antonio entered his drawing of a peanut with arms and legs in a logo contest sponsored by Planters Peanuts. He won the top prize of $5.00 for his Mr. Peanut character. The original rough sketch was refined by a professional artist who dressed up Mr. Peanut in a dapper top hat, monocle, cane and spats.
Mr. Peanut made his 1916 debut in a Saturday Evening Post advertisement and then grew in popularity and fame along with Planters Peanuts. Today, Mr. Peanut memorabilia is highly collectible and beloved by enthusiasts around the world, even in Italy.
Peanut Pals - Mr. Peanut Collectors Club Official Website
October 30, 2007
Mr. Peanut is an Italian-American!
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1 comments:
As a nephew of Antonio Gentile, I feel I should correct a few items here:
(1) Antonio was born on August 8, 1903, in Philadelphia, PA. He was the son of Italian immigrants, but he himself was not.
(2) Most entries on the internet get his age wrong at the time of the Mr. Peanut contest. If the contest was in 1916, Antonio would have been no younger than 12 nor any older than 13 (1916-1903=13).
(3) Tragically, Antonio - who had gone on to become a doctor - died in 1939.
Peyton Lewis August 15, 2008
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