Fred Tuttle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fred Tuttle |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | Frederick Herman Tuttle July 18, 1919 Tunbridge, Vermont, U.S. |
| Died | October 4, 2003 (aged 84) Burlington, Vermont, U.S. |
| Resting place | Spring Road Cemetery, Tunbridge, Vermont |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) |
Dorothy Louise Savage
(m. 1961) |
| Education | South Royalton High School |
| Occupation | Dairy farmer |
Frederick Herman Tuttle (born July 18, 1919 – died October 4, 2003) was a special person from Vermont, USA. He was a dairy farmer, an actor, and even ran for the United States Senate in 1998. Fred lived in his hometown of Tunbridge, Vermont, for almost his entire life. He was known for his down-to-earth personality and sense of humor.
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Who Was Fred Tuttle?
Fred Tuttle was born in Tunbridge, Vermont. He spent his whole life there, except for when he served in the military. He went to school in Tunbridge and then at South Royalton High School. He left school after the tenth grade to start working on his family's dairy farm.
Early Life and Military Service
Fred grew up helping on the family farm. When World War II started, he joined the United States Army. He served in Europe, first with the Military Police, and later with the Army Corps of Engineers. After the war, he returned home to Vermont and continued his life as a farmer. He was married three times during his life, last to Dorothy L. (Hilts) in 1961.
From Farmer to Movie Star
Fred retired from farming in 1984. He enjoyed gardening and other hobbies. He became friends with a filmmaker named John O'Brien, who lived nearby. John saw that Fred had a very unique and charming personality. He thought Fred would be great in movies.
So, Fred Tuttle became an actor! He appeared in several movies directed by John O'Brien. These included films like Nosey Parker and Man with a Plan. In Man with a Plan, Fred played a retired farmer who decides to run for a political office. This movie helped make him famous.
A Unique Run for Senate
In 1998, Fred and John O'Brien came up with a fun idea. They decided Fred should actually run for the United States Senate. This was partly to help promote their movie, Man with a Plan. It was also a way to make a point about another candidate, Jack McMullen. McMullen had recently moved to Vermont from Massachusetts, and some people thought he only moved there to run for the Senate.
Fred ran for the Republican nomination. His opponent was Jack McMullen, a wealthy man. Many Vermonters felt McMullen was an outsider. Vermont's election rules allowed people from other parties, like Democrats and Independents, to vote in the Republican primary election. This meant Fred had a chance to win.
The Primary Election
Fred's campaign was very unusual and funny. He didn't talk about typical political issues. Instead, during a radio debate, he asked McMullen questions about Vermont. For example, he asked how to pronounce local town names. He also famously asked, "How many teats a Holstein got?" McMullen answered "Six," but the correct answer for a cow is four.
Fred Tuttle won the Republican primary election! He beat Jack McMullen by about 10 percentage points. He received 55 percent of the votes.
The General Election
After winning the primary, Fred announced that he didn't actually want to be a Senator. He said he had no plans to leave his home in Tunbridge and move to Washington, D.C.. He then publicly supported the current Senator, Patrick Leahy, who was a Democrat.
Even though he supported his opponent, Fred Tuttle still received a lot of votes in the main election. He got 48,051 votes, which was 22 percent of all votes cast. Senator Leahy easily won reelection.
His Legacy
Fred Tuttle became a beloved folk hero in Vermont. Senator Leahy even called him "the distilled essence of Vermonthood." This means Fred represented the true spirit of Vermont people. He was seen as an "everyman" – a regular person – but also a very unique individual. After his Senate run, he continued to make public appearances.
Passing Away
Fred Tuttle passed away on October 4, 2003, in Burlington, Vermont. He had a heart attack after spending a day digging potatoes at his home. He was buried in Tunbridge's Spring Road Cemetery. He was buried wearing his overalls, with a pen for autographs and a can of his favorite drink, Moxie, by his side.
