Not to be confused with the Pumpkin novelty balloons.
Ol' Man Pumpkin was a giant helium character balloon that appeared in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
History with the Macy's Parade[]
Ol' Man Pumpkin made its first parade appearance in 1945, as one of the five brand-new balloons in the lineup.
The balloon took the appearance a giant orange pumpkin with a spooky face carved (or painted, rather) on the front of the balloon.
It was briefly retired after that year's procession, but later returned for one more flight in 1947.
Two months later in January of 1948, the Pumpkin balloon would travel across the country to appear in that year's March of Dimes Parade in Los Angeles, California. Five other Macy's Parade balloons including the Panda Bear, The Gnome, Young Man on the Flying Trapeze, The Pirate, and The Comical Cop were inflated and floated down Wilshire Boulevard. The balloons were on loan to the crew of the Warner Brothers studios for this appearance.
The balloon was disposed of sometime after.