Mr. Jingeling
Encyclopedia
Mr. Jingeling is the "Keeper of the Keys" to Santa
's workshop - a holiday tradition in the region around Cleveland, Ohio
. Mr. Jingeling was originally sponsored by Halle's, a local department store. He served as the store's holiday season spokesman on television and also acted as Santa's representative in the store.
Mr. Jingeling became the "Keeper of the Keys" as a reward for saving Christmas when Santa lost the key to his Treasure House of Toys. Jingeling saved the day by making a new key.
Mr. Jingeling was created in 1956 by Frank Jacobi, head of a Chicago advertising agency to promote the toys sold at Halle's Department Store in Cleveland. This was originally planned as a one-time promotion for the 1956 holiday season, but was immediately popular and became an annual tradition.
Mr. Jingeling was Santa's top elf who counted down the days from Thanksgiving to Christmas for Santa. He wore a green and gold costume with a wide black belt and carried a large keyring with all the keys for Santa's workshop. He had white hair like Santa, but was bald on top and had no beard.
He could be found between Thanksgiving
and Christmas
on the seventh floor of Halle's. After Halle's closed in 1982, Mr. Jingeling moved to Santaland on the tenth floor of Higbee's
Department Store.
Children could sit on his lap and tell Mr. Jingeling what they wanted for Christmas, knowing he had a direct connection to Santa. At the end of the visit, he gave each child a large cardboard key. The children were told to put the key under their pillow on Christmas Eve. This would help them fall asleep and have good dreams while waiting for Santa to come.
During the Christmas season, Mr. Jingeling also appeared for a five-minute daily segment on the Captain Penny
local children's television series
on WEWS-TV
(Channel 5) where he would tell stories and sing songs about the North Pole. His appearances began and ended with the Mr Jingeling advertising jingle, which reminded children that he could be seen in person on the seventh floor of Halle's Department Store.
Mr. Jingeling's theme song:
Variation:
Mr. Jingeling was first played in personal appearances by Tom Moviel, a Cleveland policeman who worked at the jail and actually carried jail cell door keys while playing the part.
The television appearances were by Cleveland Play House actor Max Ellis for the first eight seasons. When Ellis died from a heart attack in the summer of 1964, Karl Mackey, managing director of Lakewood Little Theatre took over for one season. Then appropriately named Earl Keyes, (the producer/director of the Captain Penny show) took over in 1965. His wife Nadine was occasionally called on to play Mrs. Jingeling.
Along with the department stores that had sponsored him, Mr. Jingeling went out of business in the late 1980s, Keyes acquired the copyright for the character and continued making holiday season appearances as Mr. Jingeling for many years. His last official appearance in costume was in 1995 at the Tower City Center
.
In the late 1990s, the Penitentiary Glen Nature Center began a nostalgic Halle's 7th Floor Holiday Memories Exhibit including a re-creation of Mr. Jingeling's seventh-floor castle from 1956. When Keyes visited the exhibit in 1999, he was recognized by fans who formed a long line to get his autograph.
Keyes died of congestive heart failure the day after Christmas in 2000.
After several years with no Mr. Jingeling, Jonathan Wilhelm took over the role and began making public appearances during the holiday season in 2003. He hands out cardboard keys just like the ones from Halle's. Unlike previous performers, the new Mr. Jingeling shaves his head to play the part.
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...
's workshop - a holiday tradition in the region around Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. Mr. Jingeling was originally sponsored by Halle's, a local department store. He served as the store's holiday season spokesman on television and also acted as Santa's representative in the store.
Mr. Jingeling became the "Keeper of the Keys" as a reward for saving Christmas when Santa lost the key to his Treasure House of Toys. Jingeling saved the day by making a new key.
Mr. Jingeling was created in 1956 by Frank Jacobi, head of a Chicago advertising agency to promote the toys sold at Halle's Department Store in Cleveland. This was originally planned as a one-time promotion for the 1956 holiday season, but was immediately popular and became an annual tradition.
Mr. Jingeling was Santa's top elf who counted down the days from Thanksgiving to Christmas for Santa. He wore a green and gold costume with a wide black belt and carried a large keyring with all the keys for Santa's workshop. He had white hair like Santa, but was bald on top and had no beard.
He could be found between Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
and 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...
on the seventh floor of Halle's. After Halle's closed in 1982, Mr. Jingeling moved to Santaland on the tenth floor of Higbee's
Higbee's
Higbee's was a department store founded 1860 in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1992, Higbee's stores were re-branded as part of Dillard's.-History:Higbee's was founded by Edwin Converse Higbee and John G. Hower on September 10, 1860 as Higbee & Hower Dry Goods. The first day of business saw $100 in sales. ...
Department Store.
Children could sit on his lap and tell Mr. Jingeling what they wanted for Christmas, knowing he had a direct connection to Santa. At the end of the visit, he gave each child a large cardboard key. The children were told to put the key under their pillow on Christmas Eve. This would help them fall asleep and have good dreams while waiting for Santa to come.
During the Christmas season, Mr. Jingeling also appeared for a five-minute daily segment on the Captain Penny
Captain Penny
Captain Penny was the host of a children's television series on WEWS-TV in Cleveland, Ohio from 1955 to 1971. The show starred Ron Penfound as "Captain Penny" and was produced by Earl Keyes....
local children's television series
Children's television series
Children's television series, are commercial television programs designed for, and marketed to children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run in the early evening, for the children that go to school...
on WEWS-TV
WEWS-TV
WEWS-TV, virtual channel 5 , is a television station in Cleveland, Ohio. WEWS has been owned by the E. W. Scripps Company since its inception, and is an affiliate of the ABC television network...
(Channel 5) where he would tell stories and sing songs about the North Pole. His appearances began and ended with the Mr Jingeling advertising jingle, which reminded children that he could be seen in person on the seventh floor of Halle's Department Store.
Mr. Jingeling's theme song:
- Mister Jingeling/How You Tingeling/Keeper of the Keys
- On Halle's Seventh Floor/We'll be Looking for/You to Turn the Keys
- He Keeps Track/Of Santa's Sack/And Treasure House of Toys
- With Wind Up Things/That Santa Brings/To All Good Girls and Boys
Variation:
- "Mr. Jingeling/How you tingeling/Keeper of the Keys"
- "Don't you dare be late/For you have a date/On Halles' Seventh Floor"
Mr. Jingeling was first played in personal appearances by Tom Moviel, a Cleveland policeman who worked at the jail and actually carried jail cell door keys while playing the part.
The television appearances were by Cleveland Play House actor Max Ellis for the first eight seasons. When Ellis died from a heart attack in the summer of 1964, Karl Mackey, managing director of Lakewood Little Theatre took over for one season. Then appropriately named Earl Keyes, (the producer/director of the Captain Penny show) took over in 1965. His wife Nadine was occasionally called on to play Mrs. Jingeling.
Along with the department stores that had sponsored him, Mr. Jingeling went out of business in the late 1980s, Keyes acquired the copyright for the character and continued making holiday season appearances as Mr. Jingeling for many years. His last official appearance in costume was in 1995 at the Tower City Center
Tower City Center
Tower City Center is a large mixed-use facility located on Public Square in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. The facility is composed of a number of interconnected office buildings, including the landmark Terminal Tower, a shopping mall, two hotels, and the main hub of Cleveland's three rapid transit lines...
.
In the late 1990s, the Penitentiary Glen Nature Center began a nostalgic Halle's 7th Floor Holiday Memories Exhibit including a re-creation of Mr. Jingeling's seventh-floor castle from 1956. When Keyes visited the exhibit in 1999, he was recognized by fans who formed a long line to get his autograph.
Keyes died of congestive heart failure the day after Christmas in 2000.
After several years with no Mr. Jingeling, Jonathan Wilhelm took over the role and began making public appearances during the holiday season in 2003. He hands out cardboard keys just like the ones from Halle's. Unlike previous performers, the new Mr. Jingeling shaves his head to play the part.