Mr. Bingle
Encyclopedia
Mr. Bingle is a fictional character
, a snowman
assistant to Santa Claus
. Originating as a mascot of the Maison Blanche
department store
in New Orleans, Louisiana
, the character was later marketed by Dillard's
and remains part of the pop-culture of the Greater New Orleans area.
(or marionette
) form at the Canal Street
Maison Blanche
in 1950s, puppeteered by Edwin "Oscar" Isentrout (who also played the voice of Mr. Bingle). These puppet shows occurred each day for the few weeks leading up to Christmas
for about 15 minutes at a time, and were a favorite of local children. Mr. Bingle also appeared in musical radio
and television
commercials. The puppet shows ended in 1985 when Isentrout died.
For years Mr. Bingle related merchandise, especially plush toys, were sold.
Mr. Bingle's theme song:
Jingle, jangle, jingle/Here comes Mr. Bingle/With another message from Kris Kringle/Time to launch your Christmas season/Maison Blanche makes Christmas pleasin'/Gifts galore for you to see/Each a gem from MB!
Later Dillard's bought the Maison Blanche chain and the Mr. Bingle trademark. Today, many locals consider Mr. Bingle a cultural icon
, fondly remembering the times when Mr. Bingle's shows were one of the most anticipated activities of the Christmas
season.
Mr. Bingle was also displayed as a large paper mache figure on the front of the flagship Maison Blanche store on Canal Street, first standing next to Santa Claus
and later in a flying form. The flying figure was displayed at the Metairie, Louisiana
Maison Blanche Store and later at a Dillard's
Metairie location when the Canal Street
store was closed. Dillard's
donated the large display (in disrepair) to New Orleans City Park and it was refurbished and made its return for the 2005 Christmas
season at their "Celebration in the Oaks" light display.
at the department store Lowenstein's and was used in Christmas advertising nationwide at various regional department stores owned by Mercantile Stores
(which acquired MB a few years before itself being acquired by Dillard's). According to the official Mr. Bingle website, merchandise featuring the character was available at 21 Dillard's locations in 10 states during the 2007 holiday shopping season, in addition to the Dillard's website. Ironically, the locations did not include any stores in New Orleans itself, where the character originated. (The items were available, however, in four New Orleans suburbs.)
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a snowman
Snowman
A snowman is an anthropomorphic snow sculpture. They are customarily built by children as part of a family project in celebration of winter. In some cases, participants in winter festivals will build large numbers of snowmen...
assistant to Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
. Originating as a mascot of the Maison Blanche
Maison Blanche
.Maison Blanche was a department store in New Orleans and later also a chain of department stores. It was founded in 1897 by Isidore Newman, an immigrant from Germany....
department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
in New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, the character was later marketed by Dillard's
Dillard's
Dillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,...
and remains part of the pop-culture of the Greater New Orleans area.
History
Mr. Bingle was created and designed by Emile Alline, an employee of Maison Blanche, in 1947. Mister Bingle shared the initials of his home, "M.B.", as the store was often called. Mr. Bingle first appeared in puppetPuppet
A puppet is an inanimate object or representational figure animated or manipulated by an entertainer, who is called a puppeteer. It is used in puppetry, a play or a presentation that is a very ancient form of theatre....
(or marionette
Marionette
A marionette is a puppet controlled from above using wires or strings depending on regional variations. A marionette's puppeteer is called a manipulator. Marionettes are operated with the puppeteer hidden or revealed to an audience by using a vertical or horizontal control bar in different forms...
) form at the Canal Street
Canal Street, New Orleans
Canal Street is a major thoroughfare in the city of New Orleans. Forming the upriver boundary of the city's oldest neighborhood, the French Quarter , it acted as the dividing line between the older French/Spanish Colonial-era city and the newer American Sector, today's Central Business District.The...
Maison Blanche
Maison Blanche
.Maison Blanche was a department store in New Orleans and later also a chain of department stores. It was founded in 1897 by Isidore Newman, an immigrant from Germany....
in 1950s, puppeteered by Edwin "Oscar" Isentrout (who also played the voice of Mr. Bingle). These puppet shows occurred each day for the few weeks leading up to Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
for about 15 minutes at a time, and were a favorite of local children. Mr. Bingle also appeared in musical radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
commercials. The puppet shows ended in 1985 when Isentrout died.
For years Mr. Bingle related merchandise, especially plush toys, were sold.
Jingle, jangle, jingle/Here comes Mr. Bingle/With another message from Kris Kringle/Time to launch your Christmas season/Maison Blanche makes Christmas pleasin'/Gifts galore for you to see/Each a gem from MB!
Later Dillard's bought the Maison Blanche chain and the Mr. Bingle trademark. Today, many locals consider Mr. Bingle a cultural icon
Cultural icon
A cultural icon can be a symbol, logo, picture, name, face, person, building or other image that is readily recognized and generally represents an object or concept with great cultural significance to a wide cultural group...
, fondly remembering the times when Mr. Bingle's shows were one of the most anticipated activities of the Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
season.
Mr. Bingle was also displayed as a large paper mache figure on the front of the flagship Maison Blanche store on Canal Street, first standing next to Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
and later in a flying form. The flying figure was displayed at the Metairie, Louisiana
Metairie, Louisiana
Metairie is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States and is a major part of the New Orleans Metropolitan Area. Metairie is the largest community in Jefferson Parish. It is an unincorporated area that would be larger than most of the state's cities if it were...
Maison Blanche Store and later at a Dillard's
Dillard's
Dillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,...
Metairie location when the Canal Street
Canal Street, New Orleans
Canal Street is a major thoroughfare in the city of New Orleans. Forming the upriver boundary of the city's oldest neighborhood, the French Quarter , it acted as the dividing line between the older French/Spanish Colonial-era city and the newer American Sector, today's Central Business District.The...
store was closed. Dillard's
Dillard's
Dillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,...
donated the large display (in disrepair) to New Orleans City Park and it was refurbished and made its return for the 2005 Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
season at their "Celebration in the Oaks" light display.
Mr. Bingle outside New Orleans
For a short time, Mr. Bingle also appeared in MemphisMemphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
at the department store Lowenstein's and was used in Christmas advertising nationwide at various regional department stores owned by Mercantile Stores
Mercantile Stores
Mercantile Stores Company Inc. until 1998, was a traditional department store retailer operating 102 fashion apparel stores and 16 home fashion stores in 17 states. The stores were operated under 13 different nameplates and varied in size, with the average store approximating . Store names...
(which acquired MB a few years before itself being acquired by Dillard's). According to the official Mr. Bingle website, merchandise featuring the character was available at 21 Dillard's locations in 10 states during the 2007 holiday shopping season, in addition to the Dillard's website. Ironically, the locations did not include any stores in New Orleans itself, where the character originated. (The items were available, however, in four New Orleans suburbs.)