Mac - Wrigley's "Comic Club" King Features Syndicate - Einson Freeman Co. Mask (1933)
Made by Einson-Freeman Co. • Licensed by King Features Syndicate
Issued for Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit Chewing Gum Promotion
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Here’s Mac, one of the rarest and least-known characters from the 1933 Wrigley’s “Comic Club” mask series. Produced by Einson-Freeman Co. of Long Island City, N.Y., under license from King Features Syndicate, this mask represents Mac McTavish from the long-running newspaper strip Toots and Casper by Jimmy Murphy.
First appearing in the early 1920s, Mac was the friendly, mustached neighbor and supporting comic relief to Toots and Casper. His inclusion in this Wrigley’s premium promotion captures a now-forgotten corner of Depression-era American pop culture—when gum wrappers could be traded for full-color comic masks by mail.
(Newspaper ad shown for reference only — not included.)
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Character: Mac (from “Toots and Casper”)
Creator: Jimmy Murphy
Year: 1933
Maker: Einson-Freeman Co., Long Island City, N.Y.
License: King Features Syndicate
Material: Lithographed heavy paper with fold-tab straps
Dimensions: Approx. 9 inches tall
Condition: Bright original inks with moderate age wear and surface toning; “PAT. APPLIED FOR — EINSON-FREEMAN CO.” and copyright markings clearly visible.
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Rarity & Known Survivors
Mac is among the most difficult masks to locate from the entire Wrigley’s series. As a secondary character in Toots and Casper, his mask was likely printed in far smaller numbers than main-line characters like Popeye or Barney Google.
Estimated surviving examples: 20–35 worldwide.
Character Est. Survivors Rarity Tier
Popeye <30
Barney Google 25–35
Mac 20–35 Ultra-rare
Casper 30–45
Toots 35–50
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The Toots and Casper characters form one of the earliest examples of family-style newspaper comedy, running for nearly four decades. The 1933 Wrigley’s mask series immortalized them in pop-art form, making Mac a tangible relic from the golden age of American humor and advertising crossovers.