Cuddly Dudley
Encyclopedia
Cuddly Dudley is a lifesize (at 28.5 inch tall) shiny plush
stuffed animal
nostalgic cocker spaniel doll
that was used as a subscription sales promotional item by the Chicago Tribune
in the mid-1960s. In addition, the animal took on a life of its own as a recurring character on Chicago children's TV for many years.
, a fixture on WGN's kid vid for decades, subsequently retrofitted the plush animal as a working puppet. He performed as the voice and puppeteer behind Cuddly for many years on "Ray Rayner and Friends
", a classic morning show on WGN, which was also owned by the Chicago Tribune
. The segment appeared weekly on Fridays near the end of the show, for the last 10–15 minutes. Ray would begin singing "The Cuddly Dudley Song" (to the music of "The Whistler and His Dog" by Arthur Pryor) and walk over to Cuddly's doghouse. Dudley would proceed to read jokes and display artwork submitted by local Chicago children. The big draw was getting one's name mentioned on air, as Dudley would always namedrop each submitter's name before the joke/artwork was read/ shown. Knock-knock joke
s were a recurring theme. Ray would give a wonderful forced laugh after each joke. There were always adult ad-libs between Brown and Rayner, and Roy Brown often would get Ray to crack up if he was feeling particularly silly that morning. Cuddly Dudley also appeared on the Bozo the Clown
show. The puppet and his doghouse are part of the collection of the Museum of Broadcast Communications
.
We're off to Cuddly Dudley's house he's cute as he can be.
With his fur of gold and his nose so cold he's cuddly as can be.
He's got riddles and jokes and the fun that he pokes is never aimed at me.
Here's the place that he lives and the name that he gives is Cuddly.
He is mentioned in the Animaniacs
song "I'm Cute" by Dot Warner.
. Further, the Chicago Cubs
has been referred to as Cuddly Duddly clones.
Plush
Plush is a textile having a cut nap or pile the same as fustian or velvet.Originally the pile of plush consisted of mohair or worsted yarn, but now silk by itself or with a cotton backing is used for plush, the distinction from velvet being found in the longer and less dense pile of plush...
stuffed animal
Stuffed animal
A stuffed toy is a toy sewn from cloth, plush, or other textiles, and stuffed with straw, beans, plastic pellets, cotton, synthetic fibres, or other similar materials. Stuffed toys are also known as plush toys A stuffed toy is a toy sewn from cloth, plush, or other textiles, and stuffed with straw,...
nostalgic cocker spaniel doll
Doll
A doll is a model of a human being, often used as a toy for children. Dolls have traditionally been used in magic and religious rituals throughout the world, and traditional dolls made of materials like clay and wood are found in the Americas, Asia, Africa and Europe. The earliest documented dolls...
that was used as a subscription sales promotional item by the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
in the mid-1960s. In addition, the animal took on a life of its own as a recurring character on Chicago children's TV for many years.
Promotional gimmick
Cuddly Dudley was an idea Jerry Glasspiegel came up with in the middle of the night when he was thinking of a good promotion idea for his customer, The Chicago Tribune. Francis A. Schumacher, the then-home circulation supervisor for the Chicago Tribune, helped start the Cuddly Dudley promotion program. As part of the program, home subscribers received a stuffed dog for subscribing. The idea was very similar to Disney or McDonald's, in that the hope was that the kids would pester the parents for the animal, effectively shilling for the paper. As part of the scheme a 1967 Sunday paper, the newspaper's largest issue of the week, included a cut and fold insert encouraging kids to "save" Dudley from the "runaway Christmas train." Vintage dolls with the original box, which converts into Dudley's cardboard car, get up to $200 at auction.On television
Roy BrownRoy Brown (clown)
Roy Thomas Brown was an American television personality, puppeteer, clown and artist best known for playing "Cooky the Cook" on Chicago's long running Bozo's Circus.-Early years:...
, a fixture on WGN's kid vid for decades, subsequently retrofitted the plush animal as a working puppet. He performed as the voice and puppeteer behind Cuddly for many years on "Ray Rayner and Friends
Ray Rayner
Ray Rayner was a staple of Chicago children's television in the 1960s and 1970s on WGN-TV.-Early life:...
", a classic morning show on WGN, which was also owned by the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
. The segment appeared weekly on Fridays near the end of the show, for the last 10–15 minutes. Ray would begin singing "The Cuddly Dudley Song" (to the music of "The Whistler and His Dog" by Arthur Pryor) and walk over to Cuddly's doghouse. Dudley would proceed to read jokes and display artwork submitted by local Chicago children. The big draw was getting one's name mentioned on air, as Dudley would always namedrop each submitter's name before the joke/artwork was read/ shown. Knock-knock joke
Knock-knock joke
The knock-knock joke is a type of joke, probably the best-known format of the pun, and is a time-honored "call and answer" exercise.It is a role-play exercise, with a punster and a recipient of wit.The standard format has five lines:...
s were a recurring theme. Ray would give a wonderful forced laugh after each joke. There were always adult ad-libs between Brown and Rayner, and Roy Brown often would get Ray to crack up if he was feeling particularly silly that morning. Cuddly Dudley also appeared on the Bozo the Clown
Bozo the Clown
Bozo the Clown is a clown character very popular in the United States, peaking in the 1960s as a result of widespread franchising in early television.Originally created by Alan W...
show. The puppet and his doghouse are part of the collection of the Museum of Broadcast Communications
Museum of Broadcast Communications
The Museum of Broadcast Communications is an American museum that currently exists exclusively on the Internet and not in any physical capacity. Its stated mission is "to collect, preserve, and present historic and contemporary radio and television content as well as educate, inform and entertain...
.
Theme song
As Rayner began the segment he would sing the following song. Music by Arthur Pryor. Lyrics by an unknown source.We're off to Cuddly Dudley's house he's cute as he can be.
With his fur of gold and his nose so cold he's cuddly as can be.
He's got riddles and jokes and the fun that he pokes is never aimed at me.
Here's the place that he lives and the name that he gives is Cuddly.
In popular culture
"The Whistler and His Dog" by Arthur Pryor, used as music for "The Cuddly Dudley Song" sung by Ray Rayner, is featured in the Kia Spectra Musical Cars commercial.He is mentioned in the Animaniacs
Animaniacs
Steven Spielberg Presents Animaniacs, usually referred to as simply Animaniacs, is an American animated series, distributed by Warner Bros. Television and produced by Amblin Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation. The cartoon was the second animated series produced by the collaboration of Steven...
song "I'm Cute" by Dot Warner.
Other meanings
In addition, Cuddley Dudley was Britain's first black Rock and Roller; Cuddly Duddly was a nickname given to actor Dudley MooreDudley Moore
Dudley Stuart John Moore, CBE was an English actor, comedian, composer and musician.Moore first came to prominence as one of the four writer-performers in the ground-breaking comedy revue Beyond the Fringe in the early 1960s, and then became famous as half of the highly popular television...
. Further, the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
has been referred to as Cuddly Duddly clones.