Josephine the Plumber - TVs favorite plumber was Josephine, the mascot and spokesperson for Comet Cleanser. Played by veteran actress Jane Withers, Josephine the plumber dressed in white workers overalls and freely gave advice to her customers on the best way to get stubborn stains from sinks and tubs. Of course, her recommended product was "Comet Cleanser." Comet is a tough cleanser with a no-scratch formula. It can be used on porcelain, stainless steel and fiberglass safely and it kills germs like Staph, Salmonella and Pseudomonas. And because Comet contains bleach it is ideal for cleaning toilets, sinks and tubs. Wow! no wonder Josephine likes this stuff. In 2001 Procter & Gamble Company sold their Comet Cleanser product line to Prestige Brands International.

Comet Print Advertisement

TRIVIA NOTE: Jane Withers (a.k.a. "Josephine") was born April 12, 1926 in Atlanta, Georgia. In her early days in film she played the part of an outspoken, nasty little girl who gave Shirley Temple a hard time in Bright Eyes (1934) and later in her own films Patty O'Day (1935), Little Miss Nobody (1936) and The Holly Terror (1937). On her own radio program, Jane was known to listeners as "Dixie's Dainty Dewdrop." As an adult Withers appeared in such movies as Danger Street (1947), Giant (1956), Captain Newman M.D (1963) and a 1975 TV Movie All Together. And, of course, the 1960s and 70s found Jane playing the part of Josephine the Plumber in a  series of very successful Procter & Gamble Comet Cleanser TV commercials. In recent years Jane appeared as Aunt Daisy in the TV movie Zack & the Magic Factory (1981); the voice of Laverne in the Disney animated feature films The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) and its sequel; and Clarabell the Cow in the Disney TV series MICKEY MOUSE WORKS (1999) and HOUSE OF MOUSE (2001). As of 2002, Jane, a widow, lives in Northridge, CA with her world-class collection of dolls that she hopes one day to place in a museum for all the world to see.  

   

Back to Top

Home  |  Site Map  |  Search  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy  |  Archive