Schultz and Dooley are 50!

Schultz and Dooley– those interminable talking beer steins created for the marketing of Utica Club beer– are 50 years old! The steins are highly collectible. Schultz and Dooley first appeared in 1958, on television commercials for Utica Club beer produced by the FX Matt Brewery here in Utica, NY. The Matt Brewery also produces the very popular Saranac line of beers.

We toured the FX Matt Brewing Company in Utica, NY last year, and got to see how this famous brewery makes its brew and its ginger beer, among other products. We also got a peek into the old SpeakEasy. Utica Club’s claim to fame is that it was the first beer sold after the Prohibition (truth is, it never went out of production during the Prohibition!). The brewery and club was interesting to explore, and there were several steins on display in the bar room.

I remember all those old TV ads from the 1970s, so it is a walk down memory lane! The steins were memorable because they were goofy and funny, and I think Jonathan Winters did the voice (or voices) for the commercials. I found this goofy commercial, from 1962. This is a little before my day, so I never saw this one (I remember the ads being in technicolor). It’s so goofy! The Space Age was booming, wasn’t it; even the beer steins went to the moon!

Here’s another really cute one. Notice that Schultz speaks with a German accent and Dooley speaks with an Irish accent. lol.

There’s a whole organization devoted to Schultz and Dooley, and a birthday celebration was held Saturday at the brewery courtyard. The steins are collectible and have a very dedicated following. Happy Birthday, Schultz and Dooley!