Charles’ 
Slide of the Week: February 23rd, 2006
Animal Crackers
Somewhere, USA, 1961
Could this living room be more Early American? I don’t think so! Don’t you just love that big bow on that ruffled lampshade? How about the tweedy sofa and that mini surrey parked on a doily on top of the maple coffee table. The spittoon and spinning wheel must be just out of frame! This is the perfect place not to share your Animal Crackers.
The other day while on a Dippity-Doo run at Sav-on I got the munchies. So before I stood there and discreetly sped-read the Star and Enquirer cover-to-cover I paroozed the well-stocked aisles of familiar, brightly packaged, bite-size sweets and savories beckoning to be consumed. Without even thinking I went right for the most traditional of all the offerings, Animal Crackers. I chose them not because of the bland-but-still-somehow satisfying mass produced morsels inside, no; I chose them because of the cardboard circus wagon box that was intended to have after-cookie-life as a Christmas ornament. That’s what the string handle is for - to hang it on your tree.
Recalling my childhood Animal Cracker memories as I carefully opened the colorful container (god forbid I should rip it) and tore open the airtight mock wax paper housing what should be called Animal Cookies, I was hopelessly hypnotized as the first bite turned to mush in my mouth. When I came to the box was empty. I had eaten them all.
The National Biscuit Company has been manufacturing Barnum’s Animal Crackers, as they are officially called, and sending them to market in those wonderful little boxes since 1902. Over the past century there have been 54 different animals. Currently there are twenty two in the menagerie. The Koala is the newest. Ironically, circus promoter extraordinaire P.T. Barnum had a nothing to do with the animal crackers that bear his name.
Here’s to Early American Furniture, Animal Crackers and YOU!
Charles Phoenix
Los Angeles
February 2006
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Food & Recipes
24 Comments on “Animal Crackers, Somewhere, USA, 1961”
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February 24th, 2006 at 1:07 am
Oh My God-! It’s the attack of the children with the BIG heads. (Or is it diminutive bodies; I can’t be sure). I think this frightening childhood disease has virtually been eradicated, but back in 1961 the tragedy was in full swing.
Cheers to all who lived through this scourge and came out the other side with anatomically-correct bodies.
February 24th, 2006 at 1:36 am
Charles your emails always make me feel good. I relive my life through your slides and think that you are the BOMB and I hope someday that I get an opportunity to meet you. I love your wit, it always makes me smile!
February 24th, 2006 at 9:18 am
She’s quite the little minx, keeping those treats away from him!
February 24th, 2006 at 9:25 am
I could swear this was our living room in Riverside back in the late 50s. Everything in the house was Early American including my bathroom step stool.
Thanks again Charles for this blast from the past!
February 24th, 2006 at 9:53 am
I’m experiencing a flashback right now. My parents insisted on the “Early American” motif for our house. I swear, we had the exact same lamp shade (actual lamp was a little different), sofa and side table. Only thing missing is our painted red milk can with a gold American eagle on it. Yikes!
Thanks for bringing up these memories, Charles. Thankfully, all of the above items have moved on to happier lives in a dump somewhere in California! Still wish we kept the milk can though…
February 24th, 2006 at 10:55 am
Hi Charles,
I LOVE your newly retooled/redesigned site. Very spiffy and smart…love the colors and layout. Futuristic yet retro! Nice and easy to navigate. And your characature is very fun and perfect. Congrats to your designer. As far as calling the Animal cookies “crackers”…always makes me feel like they’re more of a diet food! I still like to eat a boxfull every now and then. Hope they never change the package. Who wouldn’t want to collect a whole wagon train fleet? (You can cut them up and make them into your own nifty gift tags, too.) Thanks for the ALWAYS fun slide and commentary! It’s a joy to enjoy.
February 24th, 2006 at 10:59 am
Quite the precocious little minx at that! And look how the little boy just takes it - hehe. What a woman.
And is that faux fringe I see atop that little surrey?
February 24th, 2006 at 1:05 pm
Was life ever really this sweet and unpretentious ?
February 24th, 2006 at 2:16 pm
Sweet-as-a-”cracker”-Mr. Charles!
Well, well, well. Little Mary Stingy With The Treats certainly could use a lesson in sharing, so I will absolutely address the issue with some proper etiquette advice. But I am also all atwitter to share some pictures from my vast storehouse of cookbooks of two — count ‘em TWO — fabulous cake decorating ideas utilizing animal crackers. The pictures are so fine and lovely and would certainly set somebody’s weekend on fire if they are so inclined to frost and decorate rounds of cake piled in a simulation of a “cooky carosel.” (Yes, yes, “cooky” we are dealing with the 1950s way of spelling “cookie”). One decorating idea comes from _Betty Crocker’s Cooky Carnival_ (1957) and one from _Betty Crocker’s Cake Mix Magic_ (1951). And, hold on to your hats, they are two different cakes! I personally love the “A-Day-At-The-Zoo-Cake” which boasts chocolate dipped animal crackers ringing the sides of an oddly-orange frosted sheet cake. Looking on from behind the festivities is a google-eye stuffed zebra that would be any child’s delight. If there is a way to share these with the good people of Charles Phoenix comment land, I would be happy to spread the cake joy.
Now, Miss Mary Keeps The Crackers, I believe that Tina Lee’s _Manners to Grow On_ (1955) might be a good birthday present for you, miss. And you might think of reading it carefully from cover to cover. I educate spoiled children with the following inspirational writing, courtesy of the chapter, “Brothers and Sisters”:
“You’re lucky if you have brothers or sisters because you can usually be sure of having someone around with whom to play games or work on projects. Model-making, raising pets, painting pictures, or playing musical instruments are all things that you can enjoy doing with your brothers and sisters.
Act toward them as you would toward friends. Be considerate of their feelings and careful of their property. Avoid teasing or bullying the younger ones. Be thoughtful, helpful, and kind — and see how much fun you’ll have together.”
Mary, look at Billy’s smiling face. Oh he indulges your whims and fancies, but he would also like to have an animal cracker or two. Learn to share! And then go raise pets and make models together!
One nugget of advice which Mary Hold the Cookies might want to keep in mind if she suddenly feels like sharing — this pertains to a different kind of treat but still make sense for our purposes:
“Candy which comes in a box or a bag should be offered to your guest directly from the box or bag, letting him make his selection. Never take a piece out of the container and hand it to him.”
Yeah, Mary! Let Billy reach into that string-handled box and delight in the surprise of what misshapen, vaguely-resembling-an- animal cracker he might find. I got an elephant! I think …
xoxo!
Miss Sharon
February 24th, 2006 at 2:47 pm
Hi Charles,
Doesn’t look like the animal cracker box has changed much in years. I remember eating them when I was the same age as those kids in the picture. The girl looks like she’s wearing a shirt with blue dollar bills on it. I hope to meet you in person someday and go on one of your tours. I’m not originally from California, but they sound like a lot of fun. Have a good one.
Tim Severs
Columbus, OH
February 24th, 2006 at 3:04 pm
I adore your signature Charles! Cheers to the greatest retro-guy alive!
February 24th, 2006 at 6:58 pm
Eegahh! Early American! Even as a CHILD I hated Early American! So of course this brings back delightful memories.
Regarding Steve’s comment: I, too, suffered from Giant Head Syndrome (Giahesy) as a child. Most of my classmates did, too. That’s because we were busy running around outdoors, playing games, riding bikes, and getting EXERCISE. Children today tend to suffer from Giant Body Syndrome (Giabosy) because they’re busy sitting in front of computers…like me!
Charles, you ROCK! I can’t wait to see you in person someday. In the meantime, if you’re ever in Monterey, be sure to let me know so I can invite you to Villa Formica, my swinging bachelor pad, where I’ll greet you at the door in my vintage smoking jacket and offer you a Yoo-Hoo©!
February 24th, 2006 at 8:52 pm
Achie’s tan (compared to Mary’s fair skin tone) tells me these two munchkins are not siblings - unless Mary was forbidden to join the family trip to the beach because she was naughty (I wouldn’t be surprised). My guess is that Mary is the capitalistic neighbour’s daughter (the shirt says a lot) - the one that tends towards individualism. And it seems like Archie is really trying hard to keep his leave-it-to-beaver-face…
I am of the lucky ones who has met Charles and attended one of his shows (the holiday theme at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood this winter). He is absolutely wonderful and the show is unforgettable!
February 27th, 2006 at 12:12 pm
Wow, this slide smells exactly like my grandparent’s house! How did you do that?
February 28th, 2006 at 9:26 am
Yo C.P. “Red” here! Love this slide. I can remember back at our home in Alhambra, like 67′ we had this exact end table and almost the same couch. Of course we can’t forget the sweet coated cousin to the animal cracker !! The circus cookies! Now we are talking kid crack !
February 28th, 2006 at 9:28 pm
I remember going shopping with my mom and dad at the supermarket in Santa Monica. Lady Lee Central. Ocean Park and Lincoln Blvd circa 1961.
We would pass by the Animal Crackers hanging on the rack and if I was really lucky, they would pull one off and give it to me. SCORE.
I held onto that string like there was no tomorrow, strutting my Animal Cracker box self.
March 2nd, 2006 at 1:10 pm
Well, I didn’t mention it in the Sldie of the Week, but I grew up in an early ameriecan living room just like this too. We had two of these lamps - one on each side of the sofa. Our couch was a bit more colorful. It was forrest green. But as a four year old I didn’t think it was quite colorful enough. So one day while mommy-o was out hangin the laundry or somthin’ I decide to make our couch more colorful by dotting it with drops of food coloring. Whoo-whee did I get in trouble!!! Good thing the cushions were reverseable. P.S. Don’t you just love those little plastic, teardrop-shaped bottle that food coloring comes in!!!
March 9th, 2006 at 5:55 pm
Hi Charles, back in the 60’s my Dad’s best friend had his home decorated in “Early American” and most families in San Diego would buy their furnishings at the Maple Cottage store in National City. Never liked it never will, except for the colonial lamps made out of that dark green glass, kinda pretty…but ruffles on the furniture, who ever designed that look anyway? I mean really…
LYNN
April 7th, 2006 at 3:22 pm
What I want to know is, how did these kids get into my grandparents’ living room? They had a remarkable similar sofa, tables, & lamps. In fact, the tables are now residing in my guest room. The lamps, sofa, and children, however, were sold at a yard sale.
October 16th, 2006 at 9:57 pm
What a shock! I grew up in Massachusetts and thought Early American came with the turf. Didn’t know it was a national trend.
October 23rd, 2006 at 3:49 pm
I was wondering if you can tell me if the recipe and the way they make the animal crackers now has changed since the 60’s or 70’s when we were kids. Were they different then??
Thanks, Lori
February 16th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Charles, your slides made me so nostalgic for my past that I just called my mom.We have not talked since last year sometime. I mean it’s been months because we were somewhat estranged.She seemed glad to hear from me and ditto on my end.We used to live in California when I was small.Three of my siblings were born there.Has your website had this effect on others?I see my own family on every slide.We have slides of a ghost town in California called Calico.Would love to see you post some of those shots. Thanks for the memories Peggy
July 9th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
WHY AREN’T ANIMAL CRACKERS CALLED COOKIES!! ACCORDING TO THE DEFINITION OF A COOKIE, THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE AND I’M NOT GETTING ANY ANSWERS!!
July 16th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
ME AND BRIA WANT OUR ANSWER!! WHY ARE THEY CALED CRACKERS IF THEY REALLY COOKIES? SO WE ARE GOING TO SEARCH SOME MORE AND IF WE DONT GET A ANSWER, WE ARE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO WRITE SOMEBODY.