Strawbetty

Commissioned from the Silverstein Puppet Theater by Bartlebee Brands in the mid 60s, Seamore and Strawbetty quickly became an inseparable part of marketing for the company. Debuting in the short advertisement “A Spoon of Nectar” they would feature in following advertisements up until the company's eventual closure. According to Silverstein, Seamore was made to resemble saltwater taffy, and Strawbetty: a strawberry.

Seamore and Strawbetty were characterized by an ignorance of the world around them, relying on Bartlebee mascot Beetrice B.E to educate them and brighten up their dull lives with sugars, nectars, and desserts. Seamore was typically portrayed as a somewhat vain and self-absorbed character, who nonetheless cared deeply for his more energetic companion Strawbetty. Strawbetty would typically drag Seamore along into adventure, persuading him into following whatever trial or activity Beetrice had planned for them.

According to Bartlebee Brands, Seamore and Strawbetty originated from a land without honey or sugar. The two of them were pushed out on a voyage to America by their families in order to find the secrets of good food. (This was part of Bartlebees marketing strategy of appealing to American exceptionalism)

Although well received, the two characters were never as popular as Beetrice and only a few pieces of merchandise for them would ever be made. When the company began shuttering its doors the two puppets disappeared from public view. For years many puppet historians considered them to be lost for good, rotting in the basement of one of Bartlebee Brands many warehouses. However, in recent years the two puppets have been recovered by puppet enthusiast and historian Emma Weckle. Emma restored the two and has been very kind in providing the library with photographs of the puppets.