Linus the Lionhearted

Linus the Lionhearted
Linus is guided by his royal subjects during his test flight in November 1964. (Photo: The Bill Smith Collection)
Years active	1964-1983, 1991
Sponsor	Post Cereals (1964-1968) Macy's (1969-1983, 1991)
Type	Giant Balloon
Designers	Bill Ludwick George Lucas
Manufacturer	Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
Height	55 feet
Width	26 feet
Weight	220 lbs.
Helium Volume	9,000 cubic ft.
Handling Lines	43
Handlers	45
NBC Underscore	Generic Milton DeLugg music (1976) "Jolly Cholly", composed by Milton Delugg (1972, 1980, 1982-1983, 1991)

Linus the Lionhearted is an advertising character created by the Ed Graham advertising agency in 1959 for Post Cereals. Originally a spokesman for the short-lived "Heart of Oats" breakfast cereal, Linus was redesigned in 1963 to sell another one of Post Cereals’ products, "Crispy Critters".

The ads featuring the Linus character were so popular that a television series titled Linus the Lionhearted was produced in 1964.The series featured the titular character as the King of the Jungle, ruling the land from his very own barber chair. Though timid and a bit self-conscious, Linus is able to help his subjects deal with whatever problem persists with them—or persevere through whichever problem they cause for him. The show aired on CBS from its debut until 1966, when it was moved to ABC, where it aired until August 1969.

History with the Parade

Linus the Lionhearted made his first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade appearance in 1964 as a giant helium balloon, publicizing the titular television program. Goodyear engineer George Lucas designed the balloon in March of that year using original artwork provided by the show’s creators, Ed Graham Productions.

The Linus balloon was built by 17 skilled craftspeople from Goodyear’s Industrial Products division in Rockmart, Georgia using 500 square yards of balloon fabric and 75 gallons of rubber-based paint, totaling $21,000 in costs. The 220-pound balloon’s construction ultimately required 1,000 man-hours of work before its public announcement in late October.

When inflated, the Linus balloon measured 55 feet tall and 26 feet from whisker to whisker. Forgoing his usual meal of hamburger, 9,000 cubic feet of helium were needed to satisfy Linus’ ferocious appetite and to get the balloon’s 21 separate air chambers aloft.

To announce the balloon, Ed Graham Productions and General Foods produced a special episode showcasing the larger-than-life Linus. Viewers at home were given a different explanation for the balloon’s origins—it was under the possession of Linus himself, who, alongside friends Sugar Bear and Billie Bird, would fly it to New York in order to appear in the Parade.

The balloon made its first public flight in early November at Goodyear’s Wingfoot Lake Airship Hangar in Akron, Ohio. For this test, a promotional film was made showcasing the balloon intimidating a big game hunter.

For his debut stroll down Broadway, Linus was crowned as the king-sized king of the concrete jungle, guided by 45 of its royal subjects despite strong winds. Linus proved to be vastly popular among audiences, and made a return appearance the following year, when he was given the honor of leading the Parade for the first time. This time, he was joined on the route by Sugar Bear, alongside fellow Post mascots Lovable Truly and So-Hi.

Post Cereals ultimately ceased sponsoring the balloon in the late 1960s, by which point production on the television show had culminated. As a result, ownership of the balloon was transferred to Goodyear and Macy's, who proceeded to keep the balloon in the parade lineup for many more years, solidifying him as one of its signature elements.

Unlike many of Linus' contemporaries, the balloon suffered from no major incidents throughout its career. In 1971, however, Linus and all the other balloons could not be flown at all due to extreme rain and wind that prevented them from being inflated or flown.

Linus would go on to become a consistent part of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for years, even receiving a special banner of himself hung outside of Macy’s Herald Square in 1974. By 1981, however, discussions of his longevity had begun among Macy's officials. Following a troublesome trek to Herald Square, Macy's employee and four-year parade veteran Keith Muldona was quoted as remarking "Every year they say this is his last year".

The Linus the Lionhearted balloon eventually ceased making regular appearances following the 1983 Parade, having become only the third character to appear in twenty parades. His retirement was announced the following year, where he instead partook in the soon-to-be Macy's-Egleston Christmas Parade in Atlanta. Although marketed as his final appearance altogether, he made a return flight at Egleston in 1985.

Following the Christmas Parade, the balloon was not seen publicly for several years. In 1991, however, with the Parade's 65^th anniversary celebration on the horizon, a multitude of old balloons were tested to see if they could return for one last flight. Linus was judged as one of the few Goodyear balloons still capable of making the journey, and after months of restoration work, he was able to return to the Parade that Thanksgiving, now billed as an antique balloon. Much like his first flight, high winds once again caused trouble for the balloons, but Linus was ultimately able to fly without incident.

Following the 1991 Parade, Linus was retired for good, having made a landmark twenty-one flights. The balloon remained at Macy’s Parade Studio in Hoboken until 2005, when all current and retired balloons were given an air inflation test. It was found that the Linus balloon, and many of his Goodyear contemporaries, could no longer hold helium or air.

Consequently, the balloon was cut into swatches and disposed of. A small portion of the balloon's neck was saved and framed at Macy's Annual Events offices. The framed piece of fabric was later used in the Macy's Parade on Parade Tour for the Parade's 80th anniversary in 2006.

Trivia

• 60 unique fabric patterns were used to build the Linus balloon, as were 44 holding patches for the balloon's handling lines.
• Bodily statistics for the Linus the Lionhearted balloon include an 18-foot head, 13-foot long arms, and 10-foot long legs.
• It took three people one week (120 hours in total) to hand-paint the Linus balloon.
• In 2003, Macy’s historians and employees decided on a list of the most famous and iconic balloons from the Parade. Linus was among other balloon characters including Underdog, Happy Dragon, Pink Panther, Snoopy, and Mickey Mouse.

See also

• Linus the Lionhearted/Gallery