News Summary
The Janssen family has donated Creamy, the original puppet from ‘Milky’s Movie Party,’ to the Detroit Historical Museum. This significant addition reflects the family’s dairy legacy and its impact on Detroit’s television history. The museum aims to enhance its collection with local artifacts and welcomes visitors to see Creamy on display.
Detroit – The Janssen family, known for establishing Twin Pines Farm, has donated the original puppet Creamy from the beloved children’s show “Milky’s Movie Party” to the Detroit Historical Museum. The donation took place on Friday, marking a significant addition to the museum’s extensive collection of over 250,000 artifacts.
The family made the journey from North Carolina and Maryland to celebrate their dairy legacy and the puppet’s historical importance. Joining them during the event were Jeremy Dimick, the director of collections at the museum, and Ed Golick, a notable Detroit television historian.
“Milky,” a character portrayed by Clarence R. Cummings, and Creamy have been cherished parts of Detroit’s television history since the 1950s. Creamy originally debuted in a show titled “Peter, Clare and Oscar,” which aired for 13 weeks before it transitioned into “Milky’s Movie Party.” The show, sponsored by Twin Pines Milk, premiered on December 16, 1950, quickly becoming a favorite among local children.
Historical Context of Twin Pines Farm
Twin Pines Farm’s roots stretch back before World War II, with the Janssen family delivering milk since the early 1900s. Christian Janssen, the family’s founder, emigrated from the Netherlands and initially worked at Borden Dairy in Detroit. The early years of milk delivery were marked by horse and buggy, with horses memorizing their routes throughout the city.
Throughout the years, the family business expanded beyond milk to include fresh eggs sourced from a farm in Toledo, adapting delivery methods to enhance efficiency. Jeremy Janssen, a family member, reminisced about his childhood experiences assisting with milk deliveries, highlighting the unforgettable scent of fresh milk that permeated their routes.
As Twin Pines grew, it transformed into a community-centered business. Employees engaged in various social activities, including leagues and family picnics. The famous “Milky the Clown” made appearances at many of these events, further embedding the farm’s identity within the local culture.
Legacy of “Milky’s Movie Party”
The television series “Milky’s Party Time,” which attracted many viewers, concluded in 1967, coinciding with changes in family structures and a decline in milk consumption trends, leading to the eventual cessation of Twin Pines operations. Despite this, the Janssen family maintained a close affinity with Creamy, safeguarding the puppet since 2006. Creamy was initially inherited from “Milky the Clown’s” puppet performer, Peggy Tibbits, before being acquired by the Janssen family at an estate sale.
Jeremy Dimick acknowledged the importance of this donation, noting that it provides a permanent representation of the ephemeral nature of television history. Prior to receiving Creamy, the museum only showcased a limited selection of milk bottles from Twin Pines.
Visiting Creamy at the Museum
The Detroit Historical Museum is actively seeking additional artifacts related to the local area and its television history to enhance its collection. Visitors to the museum can see Creamy on display from Wednesday to Saturday, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., and on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission fees are structured to be accessible, with children aged six and under entering for free, children aged six to 17 charged $6, and adults required to pay $10. This initiative aims to promote community engagement with the rich history of Detroit and its television legacy.
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HERE Resources
Janssen Family Donates ‘Creamy’ Puppet to Detroit Museum
Additional Resources
- Detroit News
- Wikipedia: Milky the Clown
- ClickOnDetroit
- Google Search: Detroit television history
- Detroit News Weekend Events
- Google Scholar: Detroit Historical Museum
- WRKR
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Detroit television
