Richard H. Cutting (1912-72) was the actor who played the miniature “Manners the Butler” in the Kleenex Napkins commercials, created in 1957 in Chicago for Kimberly-Clark Corporation. The use of trick photography made Manners appear only inches tall, but full of spunk. Here are a couple of the dozens of spots — a forgotten classic from 1958. “GRACIOUS ME” and “TV DINNER.”
“Honey, how can I enjoy TV dinner with slippery napkins?”
Manners promises these napkins don’t fall off the lap.
For more Steven Heller, check out Design Humor: The Art of Graphic Wit‚ one of the many Heller titles available at MyDesignShop.com.