Mr. Ixle

By Wyatt

Spokane television in the 50s, being new, showed newness in local commercials. When cartoon figures were used to push a product, they definitely reflected an amateurish look. Perhaps KHQ, Spokane's first and only station for a spell, may have used the same advertising agency. The cartoon-style commercials had an artistic similarity. Modoc Carpets, Sunny Jim, Doctor Ross Dog Food – all looked related.

I conclude this series with one more commercial memory – Mr. Ixle. I've made up that spelling because that's the way the name was pronounced, but it really was IXL, for IXL foods. I either never knew, or I have forgotten what IXL stood for. I think, somewhere in my weakened memory, the “I” stood for Independent, part of Independent Grocers. Quien sabe?

The commercial was brief – the same length or close to it, as the Kraft Cottage Cheese "Six minutes to sing" commercial. A character, Mr. Ixle, would enter stage-left, and then arrange the three letters, I, X, L, but in the wrong order. A voice-over said, "Ah, ah, ah! Mr. Ixle, your spelling." Mr. Ixle would rearrange the letters to the proper “IXL” and then exit stage-left.

That's as I remember it. I use the "Ah, ah, ah. Mr. Ixle, your spelling," when I correct someone's spelling. Of course, they have no idea what I'm talking about, other than getting the message that they made a spelling error. Machts nichts. Those who know me, realize I always have strange ways of saying things. This causes my students to say, "You're weird, Mr. Newman." At least they never said that I was boring.

A question for you Spokanites: Is there still an IXL product? For that matter, is there still a Modoc Carpet store on Indiana and Division? A Doctor Ross Dog Food? A Sunny Jim Peanut Butter? This inquiring mind wants to know.

I'll bet Web Master Mauget, the Cyber Wizard, will fire back within 48 hours, the answers to my questions.

[Ed Mauget here. I’ll try this from North Carolina, but remember, I’m an expatriate. I do old-timey commercial field research in Spokane only once a year or less-often. Here is an attempt at answering those four questions:

1. Modoc Carpet. I don’t even recall this place. I cannot find it in Spokane now. The name is a Calfornia Indian tribe. There is a Modoc Carpet Cleaning Service in Alturas, CA. That is in Modoc County.
2. IXL: It was a cannery based in San Leadro, CA. Nalley’s of Spokane acquired them sometime in the dim past. Remember “Nalley Valley?” I’m not sure what the initials stood for, but IGA means “Independent Grocers Association.” The IXL brand is still listed in the top 100 food companies, but Coca Cola now appears to own it. There is evidence that the company has Australian roots as Henry.Jones IXL. Furthermore, the name IXL may derive from Henry Jones’ personal motto (variously quoted as 'I excel in everything I do' or 'I will excel in everything I do'). In my opinion, this could be total legend.
3. Doctor Ross Dog Food: I believe it disappeared or was gobbled by another firm (sorry about the pun). A 1958 Time Magazine states that. B. Lewis, a Tennessean, started Dr. Ross Dog & Cat Food Co, based in Los Angeles.
4. Sunny Jim Peanut Butter was produced in Seattle. The company was sold to Bristol Bay Corp. in 1979. I believe the brand died at that point.

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