Fruit Pie The Magician

Some illusionists have a penchant for pulling rabbits from a hat; others seem to enjoy sawing lovely ladies in two. But this guy had his own tasty tricks up his sleeve. He was the Houdini of all things Hostess and his name was Fruit Pie the Magician. And for over 30 years, his face graced each and every wrapper of Hostess Fruit Pies.

This magical mascot dressed the part, with his flowing cape, top hat and mystical wand – able to save the day by making fruit-filled snack treats appear out of thin air. Created by artist Don Duga in 1973, Fruit Pie was one of seven memorable characters that he designed, along with such icons as Captain Cupcake and Twinkie the Kid (who is the only one of the seven yet to be retired.) Fruit Pie would often appear alongside the other characters in various commercials and comic book advertisements. Let’s take a look:

Sadly, Fruit Pie the Magician’s biggest vanishing act was when his career as a mascot for Hostess Foods ended in 2006, after 33 years of dedicated service. If you fondly remember Mr. Fruit Pie and his other Hostess cohorts, feel free to share those memories with all of us, as we pay tribute to this conjurer of confectionery goodness at Retroland.