Who Was Betty Crocker?

Betty Crocker, homemaker extraordinaire, was born in 1921 in Minneapolis, MN. Or rather, should I say, Betty Crocker was created in 1921?

Betty Crocker was the brainchild of the advertising department of the Washburn Crosby Milling Company, just before its merger with General Mills. Executives of Washburn Crosby chose the name "Betty" because it seemed like a warm, approachable, and friendly name to them. Her surname, "Crocker" had been rumored to be given to her in honor of retired Crocker Bank executive, William H. Crocker.

In her earliest role, Betty Crocker was nothing more than a signature on letters replying to customers asking for homemaking advice. But with the advent of radio, Betty soon became a star of her own show, "The Betty Crocker Cooking School of the Air" in 1924. This show was hosted for two decades (through 1953) by Marjorie Husted, a renowned home economist and graduate of the University of Minnesota and initiated member of Kappa Alpha Theta.

Ina Rowe, Janette Kelley, Ruth Haynes Carpenter, and Blanche Ingersoll were other home economists who leant their voices and image to Betty Crocker over the years.

Actress Adelaide Hawley became Betty Crocker for many years starting in the 1940's. She regularly appeared on the Burns and Allen Show," and for a while, even had her own TV show. One interesting bit of trivia Ms. Hawley, playing Betty Crocker, appeared in CBS network's first color commercial in which she baked a "mystery fruit cake ." Hawley continued her role as Betty Crocker until 1964.

Regarding her infamous changing portraits, the first one appeared in 1936. Over the years, the portrait has changed subtly but always has portrayed General Mill's cultural perception of the ideal American homemaker a caring and knowledgeable woman. According to General Mills, the current image is a compilation of 75 real life women of diverse backgrounds and ages a true representation of a modern woman.

If you look at her current portrait, you will have to agree that she looks pretty darn good for a woman born in 1921!

The Betty Crocker machine has generated a highly successful cookbook empire, and the publication of "Betty Crocker's Picture Cookbook" in 1951 very well might be the pinnacle of this success. In my family, it is a tradition for all bride's to receive a copy of this cookbook from their mothers.

Although Betty Crocker is just an image and marketing icon, for many people in our country she represents something truly American. Mom and apple pie might be synonymous with most people's idea of America, but I bet if they dug a little deeper, they would add Betty Crocker to that list also! Over the years Betty Crocker has helped generations of women deal with homemaking challenges, including the scarcity of food during the Depression and WWII, as well as a leading the renewed charge toward emphasizing homemaking during the postwar years, introducing American families to new sophisticated flavors as well as helping cut food costs and increasing women's satisfaction through cooking.

Although she is not a real person, Betty Crocker is an excellent role model.

A true American icon it will be interesting to see how Betty Crocker develops and grows in the future.

- Julie O'Hara 2023

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