News Summary
The Janssen family has donated the original puppet named Creamy from the children’s show ‘Milky’s Movie Party’ to the Detroit Historical Museum. This addition highlights Detroit’s cultural heritage and commemorates the family’s dairy legacy. The donation, made during a special event, is the first of its kind from the city’s television history to be included in the museum’s collection. Attended by family members and local historians, the event celebrates Creamy’s significance in preserving local broadcast history.
Detroit – The Janssen family, known for founding Twin Pines Farm, has donated the original puppet named Creamy from the beloved children’s television show “Milky’s Movie Party” to the Detroit Historical Museum. This significant event took place on Friday and represents a key addition to the museum’s extensive collection of over 250,000 items that showcase Detroit’s rich cultural heritage.
The donation was made during a special event attended by family members who traveled from North Carolina and Maryland. They shared insights about their family’s longstanding dairy legacy, which began before World War II. Creamy is notable for being the first authentic object from Detroit’s prime television era to be included in the museum’s archives.
In addition to the Janssen family, the event featured Jeremy Dimick, the museum’s director of collections, and Ed Golick, a respected historian specializing in Detroit television history. The character “Milky,” portrayed by Clarence R. Cummings alongside his sidekick Creamy, first appeared on WXYZ in Detroit in 1950. The duo debuted on a show called “Peter, Clare and Oscar,” which aired for just 13 weeks.
Historical Significance of Creamy
“Milky’s Movie Party” started broadcasting on December 16, 1950, with sponsorship from Twin Pines Milk. The history of Twin Pines Farm extends back to the early 20th century when Christian Janssen, the family patriarch, began working at Borden Dairy after immigrating from the Netherlands. The farm was known for delivering fresh milk and building strong community ties.
Jeremy Janssen, one of the family members present at the donation, shared nostalgic memories of his ancestors delivering milk using horse and buggy, emphasizing that the horses were well-acquainted with their routes. Over time, Twin Pines expanded its services to include fresh eggs from Toledo and modernized its delivery methods. Family memories included helping with deliveries and experiencing the distinctive smell of fresh milk.
Legacy of a Beloved Puppet
The puppet CREAMY has been a cherished part of the Janssen family since 2006 when Jim Janssen purchased it at an estate sale. It originally belonged to Peggy Tibbits, who inherited it from her father, known as “Milky the Clown.” The family viewed Creamy as a treasured heirloom and an essential part of their heritage.
Jeremy Dimick expressed the importance of this donation for preserving a significant representation of Detroit’s ephemeral television history. Prior to acquiring Creamy, the museum had only a handful of artifacts related to Twin Pines, including a few milk bottles. This recent addition exemplifies the museum’s effort to enhance its collection and celebrate the contributions of local broadcasts.
Visiting Creamy at the Museum
The Detroit Historical Museum is open to the public, welcoming visitors to meet Creamy from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Children under 6 are admitted free, while admission fees for older children and adults are set at $6 and $10, respectively.
As the museum continues to seek more artifacts that showcase Detroit’s broadcasting history, the donation of Creamy stands as a testament to the cultural legacy of the region and the Janssen family’s enduring contributions to both the dairy industry and local television history.
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Additional Resources
- Detroit News: Twin Pines Family Donates Beloved TV Puppet
- Google Search: Twin Pines Farm Detroit
- Legacy: Armando Annarelli Obituary
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Detroit
- Detroit News: Former Michigan Football Coach Mike DeBord Dies
- Google News: Detroit Television History
- Betzler Life Story: Larry Janssen Obituary
- Google Scholar: Milky’s Movie Party
