Well, ya learn something new everyday… for example, I never knew Disney helped the British Government win the war by promoting carrot recipes in the Yorkshire Post newspapers – until now!
These carrot characters – including Carroty George, Clara Carrot and Pop Carrot – appeared in print circa 1942 and were designed by Hank Porter.
Carroty George’s motto was “I’ll tell you what to do with me!“. You can meet young Carroty George any day at the ‘Hot Pot’ if you’re a member. He belongs of course, to all the best clubs, and what’s more he has the entrée of all the best kitchens. That’s because a fellow of tact and resource and can so quickly adapt himself to any occasion, sweet or savoury.
“It’s a question of good taste,” says Pop Carrot. “And my taste is delicious. I’m equally welcome in sweet or savoury, stew pot or saucepan. Of course I could tell you all about my Vitamin A. But that would be boasting, and besides it’s the flavour that counts.” Here’s a recipe for a good savoury.
Clara Carrot is the picture of -health, though the neighbours say she leads a double life. Sometimes she’s a sweet, some- times she’s a savoury: it all depends on how you treat her. She adds piquancy to meat, fish and vegetable dishes ; and in puddings, pies and cakes, she’s sweet and spicy. She’s the making of Portman Pudding.
Above: “Four WVS members man a table, which holds samples and recipes for confections and sweets as well as four stuffed carrot figures at a Carrot Campaign exhibition in Leeds, Yorkshire. In the background three floor to ceiling posters of carrot characters and a small stand ‘My favourite carrot recipes by famous people, Dr Carrot monthly feature’. Copyright: The Yorkshire Post.” Picture courtesy of Yorkshire Post Newspapers.
For more information on Carroty George (and some delicious carrot recipes), visit The Carrot Museum.
(Thanks, to Jennifer Klein and the sharp eye of former-Disney ARL archivist Joanna Samija – along with a shout-out to David Lesjack)
Jerry Beck is a writer, animation producer, college professor and author of more than 15 books on animation history. He is a former studio exec with Nickelodeon Movies and Disney, and has written for The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. He has curated cartoons for DVD and blu-ray compilations and has lent his expertise to dozens of bonus documentaries and audio commentaries on such. Beck is currently on the faculty of Cal Arts in Valencia, UCLA in Westwood and Woodbury University in Burbank – teaching animation history. More about Jerry Beck [
Jerry, you are on fire. Your posts since leaving that other place are really out there. So quirky. Of course I love them.
I do remember that an article about the Disney studio during World War II published in Funnyworld #17 does mention briefly there “carrot” characters created by Disney for the British government, but never had seen pictures of them until now (I wonder if some animation was done with them as well?). Thnaks for posting this, Jerry -your daily doses of animation history are just what the doctor ordered for us cartoon-o-holics!
There’s a book called “London 1945” which is a survey of what England was like in the closing months of World War II. A long chapter, of course, is in there about food rationing, and there’s a different carrot character (Doc Carrot) which shows up, illustrated. Details available upon request, including ISBN.
The British already had a Doctor Carrot character. Disney sent one as well, and this was then converted into Pop Carrot.
http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/history4.html#disney