“When Magoo Flew” - by UPA
Abe Levitow’s original model sheet drawings for the 1960s Mr. Magoo model for UPA. (via mrmagooschristmascarol.blogspot.com)
In the 1950s, the Piels brewery hired the Young & Rubicam ad agency for new commercials for their beer. Animated by the New York wing of UPA, Y & R created Bert and Harry Piel, the fictitious animated owners and pitchmen for the brewery.
Voices were provided by the comedians Bob and Ray. Harry (Bob Elliott) was tall and soft-spoken, always calming down the short loudmouth Bert (Ray Goulding) when something went wrong.
The first Bert and Harry commercials aired December 1955 and ran until 1960.
A 1988 Sports Illustrated article on beer and sports (“Beer: How It Influences the Games We Play and Watch”) suggests the popularity of the Piels ads actually hurt beer sales because people liked the ads, tried the beer, and found out they did not actually enjoy it.
