Rory Raccoon Revisited

Remember my post about Kmart's raccoon mascot? Initially, Google AI Overview scoffed at my assertion that the nationwide retailer ever had a ring-tailed critter representing its stores' home improvement offerings. Eventually Google's AI technology saw the error of its ways. 

Well, here's another look at raccoon mascot I've written about before: Rory Raccoon, who represented two Post Cereals over the years.

As noted back on this post, Rory Raccoon was one of the cartoon characters on the Linus the Lionhearted TV show (which my siblings and I watched). You might remember that each character on the show had his own segment and was a mascot for a Post cereal, such as Sugar Bear for Sugar Crisp, Linus for Crispy Critters, Lovable Truly the Postman for Alpha-Bits, etc.

Rory Raccoon initially plugged Post Toasties, the Post equivalent of Kellogg's Corn Flakes. In the commercials, Rory matched wits with C. Claudius Crow, who was always trying to steal the cereal. This setup mirrored the Linus the Lionhearted segments, where the crow concocted various schemes to help himself to Rory's cornfield. 

Here's one of the commercials. That's Jesse White (the Maytag Man) as C. Claudius Crow.

And here's a Rory Raccoon cartoon. This is one of the funnier ones, in which the conflict between Rory and the crow is escalated to actual warfare, with a retired U. S. Army general advising the raccoon in the use of military tactics.

Back when cereal boxes were fun, there was always something interesting on the back of the box. This vintage Post Toasties box had a neat little "How to Draw Rory Raccoon" lesson on the back.

Rory eventually was reassigned from Post Toasties to Sugar Sparkled Flakes, the equivalent of – what else? – Kellogg's Sugar Frosted Flakes.

Apparently the decision was made to get rid of Rory's odd (hunting?) hat. Several boxes featured Rory and his crow adversary in various colorful scenarios (as seem on this flattened box).

Eventually Linus the Lionhearted was pushed off the air by the FCC, who wasn't crazy about the idea of  the cartoon characters on a TV show appearing in commercials during the program. With the cancellation of the program, many of the characters disappeared from the boxes of their respective cereals. There were a few survivors: Sugar Bear (on Sugar Crisp) and Lovable Truly (on Alpha Bits) and Rory Raccoon. As time went on, Rory stayed on the box, but without any headgear.

Years after the TV show ended, Rory was still on the box, but looking rather odd.

Anyway, today most of the Post Cereals that Baby Boomers grew up with are gone: Post Toasties, Alpha Bits, Rice Krinkles, Sparkled Flakes and Crispy Critters (which made a brief comeback in the 1990s sans Linus). 

Only Sugar Bear (on Golden Crisp) survives to tell the tale of a time when the Post Cereals menagerie ruled the TV airwaves and the cereal aisle.

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Good news! The Linus the Lionhearted Show will be coming out this fall (supposedly) on a DVD set issued by MPI Home Video. You can read about its restoration here on the Cartoon Research website.

You can bet I'll be buying the DVD, and eating a bowl of Sugar Crisp Golden Crisp when I watch it!