Today, February 23rd:
THE TOOTSIE ROLL WAS INTRODUCED 124 YEARS AGO TODAY. It was the first penny candy to be individually wrapped in America; and over 60 million are produced daily. In 1931, its candy cousin, the Tootsie Pop, was introduced—its iconic status cemented with the memorable 70s commercial, “How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie pop?” With people unable to keep from biting into it, the voice-over declares, “The world may never know.” What we do know is:
The candy even had its own comic, which debuted in 1943
The ubiquitous candy was named after creator Leo Hirschfield’s 5-year-old daughter Clara, whose nickname was “Tootsie.”
A source of “quick energy” and impervious to melting or going bad over time, Tootsie Rolls were placed in every WWII soldier’s rations.
It was Sinatra’s favorite candy… and rumor has it that the singer was buried with cigarettes, a lighter, a bottle of Jack Daniels and Tootsie Rolls!
The candy had its own comic. Launched in 1943 and published for almost a decade, it followed Captain Tootsie and his sidekick Rollo (who always turned to Tootsie Rolls for the energy their adventures demanded).