Mr. Bingle At The Annual Christmas Parade Downtown December 2020 New Orleans
by Michael Hoard
Title
Mr. Bingle At The Annual Christmas Parade Downtown December 2020 New Orleans
Artist
Michael Hoard
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
An original Christmas Holiday subject greets revelers at the annual Christmas Holiday Parade In New Orleans, Louisiana Saturday December 7, 2020
The story of how Mr. Bingle was created:
The History of Mr. Bingle
Since 1948, a little white snow fairy named Mr. Bingle has been a magical part of the Holiday Season for children and adults in New Orleans and throughout the South. Created by Mr. Emile Alline, a window decorator at the former Maison Blanche Department Store on Canal Street in New Orleans, Mr. Bingle came to life as a miniature snowman with an upside-down ice cream cone for a hat, holly-leaf wings on his back, a red ribbon and bells around his neck, red-striped mittens on his little hands, cherries for eyes and a licorice smile. Mr. Alline also dreamed of presenting elaborate puppet shows with the doll, and for the task, he recruited Mr. Edwin H. Oscar Isentrout, an eccentric puppeteer who had been performing with his puppets at (of all places) a Bourbon Street burlesque club. With Isentrout providing movement and a squeaky voice for the character, legend has it that Mr. Bingle truly came to life, if only in the imaginations of the thousands of children who adored him.
Each year at Christmas time, Maison Blanche would erect a giant paper mache mannequin in front of the store, and Isentrout would perform four shows a day on the stores third-floor stage. With the advent of television, Mr. Bingle began a daily 15- minute show that aired each weekday just before the evening news. He made frequent visits to Childrens Hospital to bring cheer to many sick or terminally ill children. For many, Mr. Bingle was their first TV friend, and he even had his own theme song:
Jingle jangle jingle,
Here comes Mr. Bingle,
With a message from Kris Kringle
As the Maison Blanche chain spread, so, too, did Mr. Bingles popularity, at one time reaching as far as Tennessee and Florida. Mr. Bingle has even made an appearance at the White House as well as at the 1989 Citrus Bowl in Florida. Aside from the popular stuffed dolls, Mr. Bingles image could be found on everything from Christmas ornaments to coffee cups to clothing.
The Dillards Department Store chain bought Maison Blanche in 1998 and closed the Canal Street store shortly thereafter, but Mr. Bingle still lives on at the Dillards in Lakeside Shopping Center. Although his reach is limited to the Greater New Orleans area, he still makes the rounds to Dillards stores on the Westbank and across Lake Pontchartrain in Slidell and Covington.
Mr. Bingles creators, however, are no longer with us. Oscar Isentrout passed away in 1985 at the age of 61, and Emile Alline left us in 1998 at the age of 81. But these men, together, have left a gift that will endure forever in the hearts of all the children who have come to know Mr. Bingle.
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December 7th, 2019
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Comments (5)
Michael Hoard
Season Greetings and thank you to the wonderful buyer from Thibodaux, LA may this cup be filled with your favorite brew and cheers, Michael Hoard Art and Photogrpahy
Michael Hoard
Thank you to the wonderful buyer from Baton Rouge, Louisiana on your purchase of Mr. Bingle At The Annual Christmas Parade Downtown t-shirt. Wishing you Season Greetings!!!! Cheers, Michael Hoard Art and Photography
Michael Hoard
Greetings Scott, thank you so much for the recent feature of Mr. Bingle At The Annual Christmas Parade Downtown December 2020 New Orleans in the group FAA Portraits I sure appreciate this, Cheers and Happy Holidays, Michael Hoard photography
Dora Hembree
A wonderful photograph of Mr. Bingle at the parade.
Michael Hoard replied:
Greetings Dora, thank you so much for viewing Mr. bingle At The Annual Christmas Parade Downtown December 2020 New Orleans, it pleases me this New Orleans icon appeals to you and I appreciate the generous comment, Cheers, Michael Hoard photography
Kathi Isserman
Congratulations! Your wonderful image is featured on the homepage of “SHOWCASING THE SOUTH“ L
Michael Hoard replied:
Greetings Kathi, thank you so much for the recent feature of Mr. bingle At The Annual Christmas Parade Downtown December 2020 New Orleans in the group Showcasing The South, I sure appreciate this, Cheers, eyeseeColors, Michael Hoard photography