Please don't squeeze

[tikistitch]

`Mr. Whipple' TV Actor Dick Wilson Dies

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dick Wilson, the actor and pitchman who played the uptight grocer begging customers "Please, don't squeeze the Charmin," died Monday. He was 91.

The man famous as TV's "Mr. Whipple" died of natural causes at the Motion Picture & Television Fund Hospital in Woodland Hills, said his daughter Melanie Wilson, who is known for her role as a flight attendant on the ABC sitcom "Perfect Strangers."

Over 21 years, Wilson made more than 500 commercials as Mr. George Whipple, a man consumed with keeping bubbly housewives from fondling the soft toilet paper. The punch line of most spots was that Whipple himself was a closeted Charmin-squeezer.

Wilson also played a drunk on several episodes of "Bewitched," as appeared as various characters on "Hogan's Heroes," "The Bob Newhart Show," and Walt Disney productions.

Imagine the knowledge that your obit is inevitably going to mention toilet tissue.

Comments

[mmymoon.livejournal.com]

Toilet paper... and playing "a drunk." I only wish my remembrance will be that cool!

[avalonjones.livejournal.com]

When I was like 12, we went to visit my aunt and uncle who lived in New York. Their next-door neighbor was this real nice guy who worked for P&G, and he gave everybody Charmin-related promotional items for Christmas gifts. There was a knit-hat-and-scarf set where the hat had "Please don't squeeze the Charmin" written around it, and the scarf said "Squeeze me instead!" on the ends.

Even better was the beach towel. It had a full-body drawing of Mr. Whipple, wearing an old-fashioned Gay '90s style swimsuit. Via a word balloon, Mr. Whipple is saying "Please don't squeeze the Charmin..." and then the front of the swimsuit shirt has "Squeeze me instead!" on it.

A friend of mine saw the beach towel, and in some amazement she said, "So you're supposed to take that to the beach and LIE ON IT?"

Rest in peace, Mr. Wilson! Thanks for the laughs!