Want THREE POUNDS Of Mickey Rooney’s Potatoes?
Well, it’s a stupid question, because of COURSE YOU DO!
I love this ad, which promises that Mickey Rooney, one of Hollywood’s most legendary stars, wanted to do one thing:
“he serves great potato dishes at great potato prices to great potato families like yours.”
Look at this ad again and note the menu – and offer for free handshakes for seniors and veterans!
My friend Alison Martino recently shared this on her remarkable Vintage Los Angeles Facebook page. Alison posts lots of great vintage content about the classic part of Hollywood that shouldn’t be forgotten – or torn down!
Check her out here:
https://twitter.com/alisonmartino
Now, back to “Mickey’s Potato Fantasy.” Guess what?
IT IS A FANTASY!
I found the story on a website that highlighted this parody ad in order to highlight Mickey Rooney and his penchant for starting wacky businesses like these:
Mickey Melon – a watermelon flavored drink made by Canfield Beverage
A chain of 52 “Mickey’s Weenie World” that featured round hot dogs also featuring relish called “McLish”, Mickey’s “Pancho Weenie” and the best selling “Eric-Von-Weenie”…
Rooney also sold BBQ sauces – it seems he was open to selling ANYTHING!
It’s a terrific article on “TheLifeAndTimesOfHollywood.com” describing Rooney’s many businesses, and his non-stop energy in promoting them!
Here is the link to the piece about ALL of Rooney’s wacky businesses:
One last thing about Mickey’s “Potato Palace” – I also found this story from the newspaper about a tragic fire at the restaurant:
Apparently this was a hoax as well!
Now, I’m not knocking the late Actor’s businesses, and he certainly wasn’t alone in using his fame to promote other products…for example:
Damon Runyan’s Frankfurts!
I love the internet. It gave me this classic ad, for a “Frankfurt” dish courtesy of “Mrs. Damon Runyon!”
Note the “Creamed diced carrots in onion cups” that go along with it…and after a fine meal like that, you need a smoke!
Classic Celebrity Holiday Smoking Gifts!
Can you imagine that today? Still, really funny to see these classic ads pop up – and there are tons of ads showing celebs shilling smokes all year long as well, like this one with John Wayne:
After all that food and smoking, you may need an Alka-Seltzer – don’t worry, Sammy Davis Jr. has you covered:
I love that all of this vintage Hollywood stuff is on the internet – for example, do you want to see pictures of Celebrities playing with their food?
Yes, now you can own a picture of Robert Plant eating an ice cream cone – rather sloppily I might add…check out tons of celebrities playing with their food here:
Speaking of celebrities and food, did you know that legendary Actor Humphrey Bogart used to sell chocolates?
How could you NOT buy these treats knowing that Bogie approved of them? See more funny celebrity ads here:
If you enjoy these posts, why not subscribe and never miss out? It’s easy, and there are NO ads of any kind, just stuff I like…click on the main page and “follow” me on the upper right…
Let me know if you WOULD HAVE eaten at Mickey Rooney’s” Potato Fantasy!”
Categories: Books / Media, cookbooks, Food, food blog, Funny Pictures, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Memoirs, Pop Culture, Restaurants, Talent/Celebrities, Wacky Food
johnrieber 
If Pope Leo XIII counts as a celebrity then a pretty strange ad is his poster for Vin Mariani.
If that’s not bizarre enough, add to it that Vin Mariani was a wine with cocaine!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love that – thanks for sharing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I, too, would have gone there — at least once — to experience The Grand Royale sampler. But I am not sure if I and my dining companions would have needed the free bread (with orders over $5.00). Plenty of carbs in the baked, French fried, scalloped and mashed potato offerings!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed, bread seems a bit of overkill, right? Thanks for commenting!
LikeLike
I love these vintage ads, it’s so strange to think that once upon a time all ads looked like this! You’ve found some good’uns here!
Also, as a huge lover of potato’s I would definitely have eaten at Rooney’s Potato Palace!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I love vintage ads like this as well…thanks for commenting, I appreciate it!
LikeLike
Celebrities are a great way to promote all sorts of things, John. I remember all the cigarette adverts that featured celebrities. It was the done thing at the time, even in the 80’s.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes, and today we have celebrities shilling EVERYTHING here in the US…Matthew McConaughy sells cars!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s hilarious! ‘Free Handshakes’, ‘Live Drumming’. Priceless.
That made me really chuckle, John.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pete, my friend shared it a while ago and when I did the research I found it was fake, prompted by Rooney’s legendary willingness to put his name on ANYTHING! They used to say about some stars: “they’d show up at the opening of an envelope!”
LikeLiked by 2 people