An amazing addition to my vintage Halloween costume collection materialized earlier this week-- and I didn't even have to travel all the way to Hannibal MO to get it! I mean, you guys know I have a ton of these great old Ben Cooper costumes, but this is the first one from the hilariously branded "Hoot n' Toot" line that I've ever actually stumbled upon, and it's 100% complete in the original groovy box to toot-- err, --to boot! While the overall design of the costume is definitely a hoot, the mask is solely the unique toot part, with a little plastic whistle clenched in the outrageously pursed lips so you can wander around on Halloween night tootin' your lil brains out at cars and other trick 'r treaters, and most importantly --for more candy! "TOOT!" (And no I haven't tooted it-- I'm absolutely NOT putting my lips anywhere near that thing!) Now the box is equally astounding, featuring wonderfully colorful 60's art on the lid and sides, and I really hope they made Hoot n' Toots for the Tin Man, tiger, devil, masked mew mew, and clown, because if they did, I'll be huntin' 'em down! The frock smock part of the costume is also nicely done with bright yellows, blues, and reds showcasing not only handsome Huck, but also Tom Sawyer, --there's even a corn cob pipe tucked in the breast pocket-- yee haw!! (Hmmm, an actual corn cob pipe in the mask might've made for a better tooter idea, just sayin'!) And yes, all of this is based off of the nearly forgotten 1968 Hanna-Barbara tv series, "The New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" which featured live action actors interacting with animated characters and backgrounds. If you've never seen anything from this super surreal and very fun show, here's one of my favorite episodes where they battle a variety of horrors in the Castle of Evil! CLICK HERE for it! (I do believe the entire series is on youtube as well.) So there you have it, a hootin' tootin' Karswell first-- and kudos to my son for allowing me to photograph him with the mask on (see end of post), and no, he didn't toot the whistle either-- ewwww!
Wow.
ReplyDeleteI dig the little Tin Man graphic, but otherwise this is a bridge too far.
Maybe the idea was if your costume DOES catch fire, you can 'toot' for help?
That mask has climbed out the uncanny valley halfway up the Mountains of Madness.
ReplyDeleteI remember that show. Now if you excuse me, I need to get my walker so I can make it back to my grave.
ReplyDeleteIt's so weird to see an anachronism from the 1800s next to colorful 60s imagery! The mask is ... a bit freaky. I'll paint your damn fence if you just keep your creepy friend the hell away from me!
He almost seems to be modeled more on the Alfred E Numan statue near Bagnell Dam in Lake of the Ozarks MO:
ReplyDeleteCheck it out: https://www.lakeexpo.com/boating/history_of_boating/the-ozark-halfwit-goes-to-rehab/article_169060be-3fef-11eb-a84c-e31856d5a9cb.html
Seeing him in the middle of all the tourist shops, arcades, and funhouses was always my favorite part of going down there when I was a kid
Thee's something, er, off about this. The box says "costume" but that mouth says Snuffy Smith Real Doll.
ReplyDeleteLord but I love a fake straw hat.
ReplyDeleteThis thing definitely has a fabulous smock, too. I appreciate the early effort at technological advancement on display here. A fledgling step along the path to voice-modulators and blood pumps that have spiced up traditional Halloween wear since. But I can see why it didn't take off, too--I'm just assuming from the fact that I've never, ever heard of this line before this post. For one, it looks gaggingly close to inserting a feeding tube to wear. And if some intrepid kid removed the whistle for comfort reasons, the mask would look even more provocative than it already does. Like some poolside hillfolk cherub statue with the water turned off.
Solid gold for the collection!
Someone please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks that mask belongs on an "inflatable love doll"...
ReplyDeleteYou are indeed not the only one-- I mean, did you read the previous comments? haha
ReplyDelete