King Vitaman facts for kids
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| Owner | Quaker Oats |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 1968 |
| Discontinued | 2019 |
King Vitaman was a popular breakfast cereal sold in the United States. It was made by the Quaker Oats company. This cereal first appeared in 1968. It was known for changing its mascots several times. Sadly, King Vitaman cereal was stopped being made in 2019.
What Was King Vitaman Cereal?
King Vitaman cereal was special because it had lots of vitamins and iron. It also had less sugar than many other popular cereals. For example, it had only 6 grams of sugar per serving. Other cereals like Cap'n Crunch often have 13 grams or more. This made King Vitaman a good choice for a healthy breakfast.
The Fun World of King Vitaman Commercials
The first TV commercials for King Vitaman were very creative. They were animated by Jay Ward Productions. This is the same company that made Rocky and Bullwinkle.
The commercials featured fun characters. The main character was King Vitaman himself. He was voiced by actor Joe Flynn. The King had two funny knights named Sir Laffitup and Sir Cravenleigh. They also had enemies like the Blue Baron, voiced by Paul Frees. There was also the Not-So-Bright Knight.
In some early commercials, King Vitaman would tell his silly knight to pour milk on the cereal. But the knight would accidentally pour it on the King instead! This would make the King say, "Not me, you dingaling, the cereal!" Later commercials ended with a catchy song. It invited kids to "Have Breakfast with the King."
Who Played King Vitaman?
From 1971 to 1977, a real actor played King Vitaman. His name was George Mann. He used to be a vaudeville performer. He was part of a funny dance act called Barto and Mann. George Mann appeared on the cereal boxes and in the TV commercials.
After he passed away, Quaker Oats changed the look of the cereal boxes. In 2000, they brought back a cartoon drawing of King Vitaman. This new cartoon character appeared on the cereal boxes.
