I've been trying forever to find a candy that we always bought that tasted and was packaged similar to a tootsie roll, but I'm sure it was not....it was more of a caramel color...

This item wasn't mentioned in the toy category, but it relates directly to Tootsie Roll. In 1969, Mattel came out with this, similar to Thingmaker, though non-electric, and also similar to the Play-Doh modeling toys. Mattel's Toot Sweet machine. You had to insert a half-melted Tootsie Roll piece down a hatch, crush it, and pull down a lever. Out came a chocolate whistle, or whatever other flavor the candy was. The mold only worked if the candy was soft enough. I found an ad for this in a DC comic book from summer, 1969. This toy, though much safer than Thingmaker, was only produced until 1972. Historically, Tootsie Roll goes back to 1896.

One correction: The name of the toy I described previously is Toot TWEET, not Sweet. The comic book ad also claimed that each candy whistle produced could be blown...and sound like a real whistle! That I find hard to believe.

From the Saturday morning cartoon vault, an animated TV spot with letters that spell TOOTSIE come to life and march down a street in parade form. A candy roll knocks them over when going down a hill. This aired on "Bullwinkle" over NBC (2/8/64). General Mills cereals filled remaining commercial time. Show ends with Ad Council PSA for Keep America Beautiful with Suzy Spotless. The last season of fresh "Bullwinkle" cartoons, still loaded with Cold War jokes and celebrity parody, which made the series quite dated to today's audience. ABC-TV picked up "Bullwinkle" for nine rerun seasons (1964-73).

From the Saturday daytime TV vault, we go back to the 6/18/66 episode of "American Bandstand" on ABC. A Tootsie Roll commercial has a man trying to grab the elusive bar (trick photography). When he finally catches it, the bar whimpers. Other sponsors include Dr. Pepper with Donna Loren and Harmon, the cartoon caveman. Also, Yardley of London Lipstick and Slicker gloss. Certs, Dentyne and Breck Shampoo. Guests appearing: Steve Alaimo, feature singer on "Where the Action Is," and the rock group Love. Dick Clark conducts the normal Rate-A-Record and Top Ten survey, plus announces a bathing beauty contest (photo submission).