I'm a sucker for a Fig Newton – which are now known simply as "Newtons" (the company dropped "fig" from the name in 2012). They might not be a popular sweet snack, but I don't care, I love them anyway. And while the company has been on a quest for the last decade or so to make the brand less silly and more sophisticated, that was clearly not always the case. Exhibit A: "Big Fig" and his dance, "The Newton," exhibited here in this 1975 commercial posted on YouTube by the Museum of Classic Chicago Television. My favorite part is when Big Fig says "here's the tricky part!" while standing on one leg. Personally, I prefer the old wacky brand, but that's just me!
According to this interesting article in The New York Times about the evolution of Fig Newtons, Big Fig was played by actor James Harder.
