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| PERFORMER | Jim Henson |
| DEBUT | 1957 |
| DESIGN | Jim Henson |
Wilkins and Wontkins in color as printed in the July 27, 1963 issue of TV Guide.
An original Wilkins puppet, which was donated to the Smithsonian Institution in 2013.
US patent for character designs.
Wilkins and Wontkins are the Muppet stars of one of the earliest, and perhaps longest running, commercial series made by Jim Henson, appearing in 8-second spots for Wilkins Coffee. The two were created and named to be the polar opposite of one another; Wilkins, who "will" drink the coffee, and Wontkins, who "won't."
Wilkins was a smiling character named for the coffee, and Wontkins was his generally dour counterpart, a grumpy blob who couldn't stand the Wilkins brand. Wilkins would be a strong proponent of drinking Wilkins Coffee, and would attempt to convince Wontkins to drink it, too. Wontkins however, almost always refused, leading Wilkins to maim, destroy, assault, harass, and even kill Wontkins over his dislike of Wilkins Coffee. Sometimes, Wilkins would be abetted by an assisting force, such as a hand, an animal, or company president Mr. Wilkins. On a few occasions, Wontkins admitted to actually liking Wilkins Coffee.
The characters proved so popular that in October 1958, the company offered vinyl puppets of Wilkins and Wontkins through the mail for $1.00 and a coffee can label. The offer on the can said, "Hey Kids! I'm Wilkins and he's Wontkins—you see us on TV!" These puppets are difficult to find today. Years later, Community Coffee offered hand puppets of the characters.[1]
The pair were also used in ads for other products, including Wilkins tea, and assorted other brands, and established a basic pattern which would be reflected in later commercial teams, such as Scoop and Skip, Tommy and Fred, Mack and Kermit, and then, Mack and Suzy.
In October 1990, the company attempted to reboot the characters, without the Henson Company's approval. The company offered t-shirts[2] and ran ads from at least December 1990 to February 1991. John T. Brady & Associates and the Wilkins Coffee Co. were sued by Jim Henson Productions.[3]
Rebuilt versions of the puppets were on display in the touring exhibit Jim Henson's Fantastic World, while the original puppet for Wilkins has been donated to the Smithsonian.
In 2019, Wilkins and Wontkins made an illustrated cameo in The Muppet Christmas Carol: The Illustrated Holiday Classic.
Filmography[]
- Wilkins Coffee (1957-1961)
- Faygo (1958-1959)
- La Touraine Coffee (1958-1962) (as "Will" and "Waine")
- Nash's Coffee (1958-1961)
- Community Coffee (1959-1969)
- Jomar Instant (1959)
- National City Bank (1959)
- Calso Water (1961) (as "Cal" and "So")
- Donovan Coffee Company (1961-1966)
- Frank's Beverages (1961-1963) (as "Frank" and "Fink")
- Kraml Dairy (1962)
- Merita Bread (1963)
- Taystee Bread (1967)
- Blue Like an Orange (1967, Wontkins cameo)
- Muppets on Puppets (1968, Wontkins cameo)
- Standard Oil of Ohio (SOHIO) (Unknown)
- Dugan's Bread (Unknown)
Reproductions[]
The characters were recreated by builders in The Muppet Workshop in 1979 with fleece fabric and polyurethane foam based on the original puppets.[4] These versions are often seen on display in museum exhibits, such as Jim Henson's Fantastic World.
Merchandise[]
Press Kit[]
Videos[]
Sources[]
- ↑ Falk, Karen. "Jim Henson's Red Book", 3/13-14/1969 – Shoot Community Coffee.
- ↑ Wilkins and Wontkins T-Shirt Offer, The Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, Maryland), October 21, 1990.
- ↑ Eben Shapiro (The New York Times), "Legal fight brewing over use of two Muppets", The Arizona Daily Star (Tuscon, Arizona), July 19, 1992, pg 5.
- ↑ museum placard, pictured