Happy
Hotpoint
-
The three-inch tall
dancing pixie who advertised Hotpoint appliances during
commercial segments on the ABC sitcom THE ADVENTURES OF OZZIE &
HARRIET beginning in 1955. Wearing a heavy corset, makeup and
costumed in a head-to-toe gray leotard, a very young Mary Tyler
Moore (just out of high school) made her acting debut as Happy
Hotpoint, a tiny pixie with a blonde curl at the forehead who
was superimposed skating on an ice-cube tray or leaping out of
an oven piping such phrases as "Hi! Harriet, Aren't you glad you
bought a Hotpoint?" and "Everyday's a holiday with Hotpoint."
Mary earned about $6,000 for filming 39 Happy Hotpoint TV spots
(in five days) but later was unable to continue in the role of
the slender little sprite when she became pregnant. As Mary
Tyler Moore recalled in her biography After All (Dell
Publishing, 1995 p.81-82) "Fitting into Happy's elf costume for
the next block of commercials proved to be a challenge. I was
now three months pregnant and my breasts reflected that fact. I
remember the pain of that neutering bra to this day (a bandeau,
a sort of bra without cups). I looked a bit egg shaped, but we
got away with Happy's little secret for that group of ads. The
elf bit the dust afterwards, though. The sponsor couldn't stop
showing the character for the duration of my pregnancy and then
bring her it – back again. So off she – "it" – went. TV
history."
