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The New Yorker Tribute to Roger Bradfield

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D. D. Degg February 22, 2022 1 minute 0 comments

It is probably no coincidence that one of the Keebler Elves is named Roger. Nor is it likely a coincidence that Roger’s distinguishing feature is his height—he is far and away the tallest of the elves, which could be a hint that he might not be, strictly speaking, an elf but might possess some human qualities. This, in turn, could be a hint that Roger the Keebler Elf might be a stand-in for Roger Bradfield (1924-2021), the man who created him and the rest of the elves in 1968, launching some of the most familiar advertising characters of modern times.

A Roger Bradfield Eulogy by Susan Orlean for The New Yorker.