[Ads-l] propeller beanie

[Jonathan Lighter]

FWIW, this is one geezer who's never heard "helicopter beanie."

1948 _Jackson [Mich.] Citizen Patriot_ (May 20) 27 [GenealogyBank] : HEY
KIDS ! GET YOUR DR. PEPPER HELICOPTER BEANIE AND 6 BOTTLES OF DR. PEPPER
all for 67c

JL

On Sat, Feb 7, 2026 at 12:29 PM Jeff Prucher <
000000b93183dc86-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:

>  That Fancyclopedia article is quite a read -- I was not aware of the
> direct relationship between fandom and "Beany and Cecil". The world is a
> very strange place (thank goodness).
> The earliest references I can find in the fanzines are for "helicopter
> beanie", starting in 1950:
> Summer 1950Rapp, ArthurTimewarp #6unp. (7th page, counting the
> cover)Incidentally, I hear George Young is preparing a clockwork mechanism
> so that his helicopter beanie will revolve even indoors at future cons.
> https://www.fanac.org/fanzines/Time_Warp/timewarp_6_rapp_1950-su_saps_12.pdf
> The earliest "propeller beanie" I can find is from 1953, which is well
> after Jon's ad.
> March 1953Science Fantasy Bulletin (v. 2, no. 1, #13)Calkins, Gregg
> (letter)p. 41 With which I’ll quit, leaving you with only the philosophical
> -- “Old faneds never die, theyjust propellor-beanie away.”
> The two phrases seem to exist in somewhat free variation.
> Jesse, these might be worth considering for HD/SF at some point.
> Jeff
>
>     On Saturday, February 7, 2026 at 05:43:33 AM PST, Jesse Sheidlower <
> jester at panix.com> wrote:
>
>  This is said to have been invented in 1947 among science-fiction fans:
>
> https://fancyclopedia.org/wiki/Propeller_Beanie
>
> Jesse Sheidlower
>
> On Sat, Feb 07, 2026 at 08:28:20AM -0500, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> > Not in OED.
> >
> > I always wanted one of these, but never got one. (Instead I had a beanie
> > that blew bubbles. It was OK.) They came with one, two, or an excessive
> > three propellers.  Beany on the TV show "Time for Beany" wore one.
> >
> > >From Newspapers.com:
> >
> > 1948 _Fremont [Neb.] Guide & Tribune_ (Apr. 27) 11: Join The Atomic
> > Club...wear the atomic whirling propeller beanie hat for boys and girls.
> > Just walk along and the propellers whirl...ready to take off at a moments
> > [sic] notice! 49c.
> >
> > Etc., etc.
> >
> > 2025 _ Kearney (Neb.) Hub_ (Sept. 13) A8: Marvin was known for riding
> > bicycles backward on the handlebars, wearing a propeller beanie to
> > embarrass his kids, and attempting to teach every grandchild to do a
> > handstand.
> >
> > Hey, kids !! Still Available Online !!!  But Not For 49c. !!!!
> >
> > JL
> >
> > --
> > "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
> truth."
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
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>
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>
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-- 
"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

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