The Origins of Betty Crocker

Have you ever wondered who Betty Crocker, a well known name in kitchens across the nation, really is? Have you noticed her portrait has changed over the years? If so, you may find today's post on "Life And Living" very interesting!

Betty Crocker was created in the year 1921 by the Washburn Crosby Company of Minneapolis after a promotion for Gold Medal Flour, when they began receiving thousands of questions regarding baking during the late 1910's and early 1920's. Washburn and Crosby was one of the six big milling companies that merged into General Mills in 1928.

The managers thought a person's name would seem more intimate and friendly, so they created a fictitious person to answer customers questions in a more personal fashion. They combined the last name of a retired company executive, William Crocker, with a first name, Betty, they regarded as warm and friendly. A contest was held among the female employees, and the winner provided the official Betty Crocker signature. That signature is used to this day.

In 1924, Betty Crocker took to the radio, first on a local Minneapolis station, then was featured later on the national radio network, NBC. It was the nation's first cooking show and thirteen different actresses filled the role. "The Betty Crocker Cooking School of the Air" ran for 24 years.

In 1936 artist, Neysa McMein, blended features of all the women working in the Home Service Department, and made an official likeness to represent Betty Crocker. The portrait helped reinforce the belief that Betty Crocker was a real woman, garnering her the distinction of being the second most famous woman in America after Eleanor Roosevelt in a public opinion poll.

Betty made numerous guest appearances on the television broadcasting networks, CBS, and NBC, then had her own show, "The Betty Crocker Search for the All-American Homemaker of Tomorrow" which featured many actresses playing her part. It ran from 1954 to 1976.

During the years of national broadcasts, Betty Crocker Cookbooks were being written and since the 1950's more than 200 of them have been published. Over the span of 75 years, Betty Crocker's face has changed eight times, becoming younger in 1955, gaining a more professional appearance in 1980, and in 1996 she was given a darker, more mulit-cultural look.

To this day, the name Betty Crocker is a popular personification of fine home cooking, and Betty Crocker Cookbooks are commonly found in homes and stores across the nation.