Farfel, the floppy-eared hound dog featured for a decade in Nestle's Quick chocolate commercials from 1955 until 1965, is making a conspicuous return as a Nestle spokesdog in a Christmas commercial, airing nationwide in December. It features an updated Farfel and four back-up Farfels singing the classic Nestle's jingle.
Farfel, a canine puppet, began his career in 1950 when he joined ventriloquist Jimmy Nelson and his sidekick doll, Danny O'Day, touring supper clubs before making their national television debut in 1951 on the "Ed Sullivan Show."Farfel engaged in wisecracking sessions with O'Day, such as the typical exchange when O'Day tells the audience, "Say, this is the ugliest dog I've ever seen." Farfel, using a dog-eat-dog tone, says simply, "No, I wouldn't say that."
The quick-witted dog was born in Jimmy Nelson's mind as he stood in a toy store looking at stuffed animals. He was already playing supper clubs with O'Day, but he was looking for a sidekick.
In a phone conversation, Nelson told me the name `Farfel' originated in the Catskill Mountain resorts he used to play in New York, where they served meatballs and farfels. "I discovered a farfel was an egg noodle used in Jewish and Italian cooking. Farfel actually means noodle."
For the past 10 years, Nelson has been assistant vice president for marketing and public relations for First Federal of Fort Myers and lives in Cape Coral, Fla., with his wife, Betty. They have six children and four grandchildren.
Nelson would like to see the Nestle's gig turn into a genuine comeback, "but that depends on how Farfel flies." The commercials this month are "strictly for the Christmas holidays, and there will be another for Easter - beyond that, I don't know. If the reaction to these is good, we'll do more. We're under contract through the end of 1993."
He continues to perform in any case. "Right now, I'm at my desk at First Federal, planning their marketing, and I do their commercials, and very often we'll use Farfel in them. I also do a number of speaking engagements, talking about the early days of TV. We always have to sing the Nestle's song. We had a good long run when TV was still live. It's much more relaxed now when you know you can retape it."
Nelson has been to Utah several times, the last time about 12 yearsago, when he played the Utah State Fair.
The new commercial was Nestle's idea. "They wanted to bring Farfel back for a new generation - to sell more chocolate. He still looks like Farfel."
The 42-year-old hound was given a face lift - from a standard stick operation to a hand puppet. He has shorter, sleeker ears and more teeth for that final snap of the jaw when he says "CHAW-KLIT."
I wondered if this presaged a renewed interest in ventriloquists. Nelson said, "There is not the showcase for them there used to be in the Ed Sullivan days. Ventriloquists have an annual convention at Fort Mitchell, Ky., across the river from Cincinnati, where there is also a museum and a hall of fame. 700-1,000 people come, including lots of children and people who just like ventriloquists."
Nelson says the name recognition for ventriloquists is down from the glory days, when Paul Winchell and Edger Bergen were famous. But he named three up-and-coming ones who now appear in comedy clubs and occasionally on the "Tonight Show" - Jeff Dunham, Ron Lukas and Jay Johnson.
In the meantime, look for Nelson and Farfel to lighten up the TV screen again this holiday season - and maybe beyond.
Dennis Lythgoe's column is published on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.