Perz soon shared the Doughboy idea with agency head Leo Burnett, who loved it. Pillsbury executives were equally excited after they heard the pitch.

Taking Him to TV

Pillsbury approved a plan for 13 Doughboy commercials out of the gate. Perz and the creative team wanted to bring him to life with stop motion animation.

Cascade Studios in Los Angeles, California, made a bendable puppet out of plaster and foam. The animators used five bodies and 15 heads to create numerous looks and positions for the Doughboy’s ads. It took 24 individual shots of the Doughboy for every second of animated action in each commercial.

The model cost about $16,000 (about $160,000 in today’s dollars) and would be used in the first commercial. That spot, for Pillsbury Crescent Dinner Rolls, is referred to as “Dancing Fingers.”

It includes a singing Doughboy who dances with a woman’s hand. For the voice, Paul Frees was chosen by Perz and the team, beating out roughly 50 actors who auditioned (including Paul Winchell, “Tigger” from Winnie the Pooh).

The Doughboy Family

A companion character for the Doughboy, Poppie Fresh, was introduced in 1973 and was seen in television and print advertising. Granmommer and Granpopper also appeared in 1974, along with Uncle Rollie. There was also a Fresh family teddy bear, Cup Cake, that was produced as a stuffed animal.

In 1974, a white vinyl playhouse that doubled as a carrying case for the Doughboy family finger puppets was introduced. The set included Poppin’ Fresh, Poppie, their son Popper and daughter Bun-Bun. The family would not be complete without the family’s dog, Flapjack, and the cat named Biscuit.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Since 2009, a giant balloon of Poppin’ Fresh has been part of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. A new version of the balloon made its debut in 2023.

Global Reach

Today, the Doughboy is in nearly 30 countries — and is featured on products ranging from atta flour in India to frozen pizza in Greece.