This cute little guy is the real Topo Gigio.
Topo Gigio was the lead character of a children's puppet show on Italian and Spanish television in the early 1960s. He became popular in the US and the world after being featured on The Ed Sullivan Show.
As a kid I just loved watching Ed and Topo Gigio together, especially when Topo would ask "Eddie" to kiss him. I loved that Topo would make stone-faced Ed smile, and even laugh a little. It was so endearing. I still love watching video clips of those two together.
So, on Saturday morning, I couldn't resist picking up this strange little Topo Gigio-like Christmas mouse at Miracle Hill on Pete Hollis Blvd. It still has the original paper label showing it was made Japan and trademarked by T. K. R.
Topo was an Italian creation of artist Maria Perego. The official Topo Gigio website is at this link: http://www.topogigio.it/
Anyway, I've never seen one of these and it was, to me, such a novelty that I just had to bring "Fake Topo" home!
