Posted on 06/05/2022 9:10:41 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Ann Turner Cook, whose cherubic baby face was known the world over as the original Gerber baby, has died. She was 95.
Gerber announced Cook's passing in an Instagram post on Friday.
“Many years before becoming an extraordinary mother, teacher and writer, her smile and expressive curiosity captured hearts everywhere and will continue to live on as a symbol for all babies," the company said.
Cook was 5 months old when a neighbor, artist Dorothy Hope Smith, drew a charcoal sketch of her that was later submitted for a contest Gerber was holding for a national marketing campaign for baby food.
The image was a hit, so much so that it became the company's trademark in 1931 and has been used in all packaging and advertising since.
For decades, though, the identity of the baby was kept secret, spurring rumors about who it was with guesses including Humphrey Bogart and Elizabeth Taylor.
In the late 1970s, it was revealed to be Cook, who grew up to be an English teacher in Tampa, Florida, and later a mystery novelist.
Cook told The Associated Press in a 1998 interview that her mother had told her when she was young that she was the baby in the illustration.
She said, ``If you’re going to be a symbol for something, what could be more pleasant than a symbol for baby food?″
As for the image itself, she said, “All babies are appealing. The reason that drawing has been so popular is the artist captured the appeal that all babies have.″
(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...
Never considered there was a model the sketch was based on. She lived a long life. pretty neat!
she even kept the look all those years mostly- good for her-
Sweet old dear. Cute baby. R.I.P.
Beautiful drawing. RIP Miss Gerber baby.
RIP
Thanks for posting that, something good and wholesome.
The end of a different more wholesome time and a different generation of family values. Sad.
Yes. And Nestle the brand name owner is so smitten with the “woke” now and obviously quiet on this subject without any official press release comment that this stance must be their typical management tool strategy crisis policy.
Silence the yodeling, alpenhorn playing, and give those private dog meat sandwiches a rest for this brand name historical figure wake. Not one will notice those associations with Starbucks—the Planned Parenthood supporter either. Aren’t we being so good with the baby formula supply crisis under the auspices of Joe Biden
Biden too? No one will ever say we did the dirty with our
formula business in Africa again. With Joe as the gatekeeper for all things “racist”, out of Africa means our return to more potential baby formula business there. Nothing like putting a crisis to work for the company benefit, etc....
So blessed, we’ve arrived at our destination of management tool heaven. Amen, John Calvin and Henri Nestle.
For those who don’t know, Ann was married to James Cook, a criminologist with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, until his death in 2004. They had four children and 10 grandchildren.
She also lived to see 9 great grandchildren.
RIP, and say hi to Nancy Green for us (the original model for Aunt Jemima).
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