So Much More Than Ever Imagined
Little Bits of History VIII
Paul Winchell had a long and successful career on stage, screen and TV.
Paul and his dummy, Jerry Mahoney, were famous in the early days of broadcasting. He did so much voice talent and ventriloquist work that lasts to this day, from Dick Dastardly for Hanna-Barbera to Gargamel in the Smurfs to Tigger in Disney’s Winnie the Pooh.
He was an incredibly gifted talent in that field…yet so much more that so many never truly knew about.
Winchell was also an inventor of and held patents on a large number of diverse devices. He’s been credited with coming up with a flameless cigarette lighter, an invisible garter belt, a method of breeding Tilapia fish so that poorer countries could feed their citizens, and an indicator to show when frozen food had gone bad after a power outage. In all, some 30 items were patented by Winchell over time.
The big one — that he is virtually unknown for now — will blow you away.