METAIRIE, La. (WGNO) — From the tip of his upside-down ice cream cone hat to his wings made of holly leaves, Mr. Bingle has been bringing joy to local families for more than half a century.
He got his start in our hearts, through the windows of the Maison Blanche department store on Canal Street, back in 1948.
In the hands of unseen puppeteers, Mr. Bingle starred in the store’s holiday window displays as Santa’s little helper.
All these years later, Maison Blanche on Canal Street is long gone (replaced by The Ritz Carlton), but Mr. Bingle never misses a Christmas.
You’ll find him on all kinds of holiday decorations– even in a giant light display at “Celebration in the Oaks.”
But the daughters of Emile Alline, who created Mr. Bingle, may cherish him more than anyone else.
Their story is told above, through the skill of Video-Journalist Jeff Kent (who was once an assistant to Mr. Bingle’s puppeteers!) and WGNO’s LBJ.