One of the most unique advertising promotions in history was created by Oscar Mayer in the 1930's to promote his company. He created a character called "Little Oscar," then sent out real-life impersonators of this character, who travelled across country in a microbus shaped like a giant hot dog in a bun. These Weinermobiles became a recognized part of the American landscape for more than 40 years. The most famous "Little Oscar" chef was portrayed by George Molchan. He and the other Oscars rode their Weinermobiles from town to town, they were seen in parades and in supermarket parking lots, and they visited hospitals and foster homes. During the 1950's and 60's, the Weinermobiles reached their peak of popularity, handing out more than five million "weiner whistles" to the people they met.
This Weinermobile is a real original from 1952. It is made of plastic with many metal parts, including the axel and wheels. Little Oscar lives inside and pops up when the Weinermobile gets rolling.
