The 1982 film ET prominently featured Reese's Pieces Candy (ET's favorite treat). I guess Reese's couldn't get ET for their ads, so they came up with this alien character as a substitute. In the commercials, this character was portrayed with a puppet and an actor in a costume, just like ET was.I thought ET was much cuter and more appealing than this creature.
As a kid, I had a stuffed ET that I loved and I was so excited to get it for Christmas. He was stored in the attic years later, and when I found him again, his leather-like skin had cracked off the plush body and peeled away. So if you have an ET doll in your attic, he may have shed his skin!
That's pretty skeazy that Amblin/Universal would use Reese's prominently in the movie and then refuse to license the character in return.
ReplyDeleteI remember those leather/vinyl E.T. dolls, but I had forgotten about the Reese's Pieces ads with the alien. I just finished watching a couple of them on YouTube...gee, those were the days!
ReplyDeletePeyton: Yes, I think ET might still be a popular character now if he had been the official mascot of Reese's Pieces. Missed Golden Opportunity!!
ReplyDeleteTokyoMagic!: I didn't even think to look on YouTube for these commercials. Gotta check those out!
That thing actually predates ET. I saw it in a comic ad from 1973 (I collect old comics)
ReplyDeleteWhoa! I had no idea!
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