Horatio Magellen Crunch has encountered more than a few unusual personalities in his time spent sailing the Milk Sea on the S.S. Guppy! The Cap’n Crunch icon spent his 1960s voyages often accompanied by crew mates like Sea Dog and Crunchberry Beast. Occasional journeys included a swashbuckling showdown with the nefarious pirate Jean LaFoote to protect boxes of Cap’n Crunch cereal below deck.
Sometimes, Cap’n Crunch’s seafaring days would be interrupted by the siren song of a mermaid named Magnolia Bulkhead.
Who Is Magnolia Bulkhead?
Magnolia Bulkhead debuted ahead of Jean LaFoote in Cap’n Crunch commercials in the early 1960s. Bulkhead was another design creation from the creative minds of Jay Ward and Bill Scott for the Quaker Oats Company. She was beguiling, as all mermaids tend to be, when viewed from a distance.
The Cap’n saw her brushing her hair through his binoculars. She was singing a lovely siren song about his cereal! How could he not be instantly smitten with her?
Cap’n Crunch orders Sea Dog to steer the S.S. Guppy closer to the mermaid’s island. The Cap’n is still too far away to see what the viewer sees: Magnolia Bulkhead isn’t a real mermaid! She’s wearing a fake fin. Her island is actually a ship designed to look like an island. Her real voice is scratchy. She has a record player playing with her siren song — and it’s starting to skip.
A pirate named Otis is ready at the helm to sink the S.S. Guppy. Why would Magnolia want to sink Cap’n Crunch’s ship? It’s simple. She wants his cereal! It’s made of corn, oats, and always stays crunchy. The perfect breakfast in bed treat, served by the Cap’n himself. (Magnolia kind of has a huge crush on Horatio Magellen Crunch. Carries a framed photo around of him and everything.)
The Truth About Magnolia Bulkhead, Revealed
Remember that skipping record player of Magnolia singing about Cap’n Crunch cereal? It’s still skipping. The closer Cap’n gets to Magnolia, the more he can hear it. He’s been duped!
Cap’n Crunch urges Sea Dog to turn left. Magnolia urges Otis to fire away at the S.S. Guppy. Instead, Otis accidentally fires at Magnolia’s ship. One cartoonish explosion later, and the pair are ready to sink.
As Cap’n Crunch watches Magnolia’s ship start to sink, he quips that every mermaid is a bit fishy to his crew mates.
Who’s Voicing Magnolia Bulkhead?
Loyal Cap’n Crunch fans know that the voice of Cap’n Crunch throughout the 1960s was voice actor Daws Butler. He provided the vocal talent for several iconic cartoons including Yogi Bear and Huckleberry Hound.
Actress June Foray voiced Magnolia Bulkhead in Cap’n Crunch commercials. She famously provided vocal talent for characters like Cindy Lou Who in How The Grinch Stole Christmas! And Rocky the Flying Squirrel in Rocky and Bullwinkle. Foray’s first recording session began in 1962 and ended in the spring of 1984. Foray recalls that Ward declared, “That’s a wrap!” during their final recording session together.
