Throughout the 1970s, Hostess established a series of personalities for their iconic baked goods — Twinkie the Kid, Captain Cupcake, King Ding Dong, and Happy Ho Ho. And that’s not even the full list of characters!
Designed by animator Don Duga, famous for creating Frosty the Snowman and Mr. Magoo, there were no other mascots on the market quite like this ragtag gang of sweets. Take a delicious trip down memory lane with us as we reminisce about them and how they worked together to provide a big delight in every bite.
Twinkie the Kid
Arguably the most famous face associated with the Hostess brand; Twinkie the Kid was the mascot for Twinkies, the golden sponge cake filled with cream.
Twinkie the Kid has not varied much from his original sketches where he was depicted as a wrangler. Then and now, Twinkie wears a pair of boots, a ten-gallon hat, a scarf, and carries a lasso. That lasso often came in handy in commercial spots where the plucky Twinkie would rush to rescue King Ding Dong’s chocolate kingdom from melting away. Voice actor Allen Swift provided Twinkie’s voice and also served as the vocal talent for King Ding Dong, Captain Cupcake, and Fruit Pie the Magician.
King Ding Dong
The ruler of his own chocolate kingdom, King Ding Dong represented — what else? — Ding Dong snack cakes! King Ding Dong was unique in that only children could see him, not adults. Well, maybe if adults took a bite out of a Ding Dong they might be able to see this mascot.
Captain Cupcake
Ahoy! The mascot on behalf of Hostess Cupcakes, Captain Cupcake was depicted in commercials as the captain of the S.S. Hostess. Much like King Ding Dong, however, Captain Cupcake needed Twinkie the Kid to save the day when his seaside adventures took an unexpected turn.
Happy Ho Ho
The mascot for Ho Hos, Happy Ho Ho acted as the Hostess Robin Hood from his feather-adorned hat to the bows and arrows he kept on hand when trouble was brewing for kids and their beloved snacks.
Working in tandem with Twinkie the Kid, the pair made it possible for children to enjoy every bite of their Ho Hos and Twinkies.
Fruit Pie the Magician
Often appearing in commercials with real and animated children, Fruit Pie the Magician billed himself under his secondary job title as “the Hostess pie technician.” Much like King Ding Dong and Captain Cupcake, Fruit Pie the Magician required a little extra help from Twinkie the Kid every now and then.
More often than not, he could use his own magical talents to get out of any jam. As a reward, the kids would get to enjoy his apple, berry, and cherry fruit pies!
Chauncey the Choc-o-dile
Remember Chocodile Twinkies? Long before they were discontinued, they were basically just like regular Twinkies only coated in chocolate. Chauncey the Choc-o-dile represented the snack cakes and would bring to kids stuck in situations where they had to wait for a while. Perfect timing to feast on some Chocodile Twinkies because… “It takes awhile to eat a Chocodile!”
Chief Big Wheels
Another discontinued member of the Hostess snack cake family tree, Big Wheels were like a slightly larger version of Ding Dongs. They came in chocolate and orange flavors and Chief Big Wheels acted as their short-lived mascot.
Been trying to find a Big Wheels commercial, by haven’t had any luck. I know they existed because I remember seeing them as a kid. Do you know where I might find one?