Who Really Invented the Smiley Face?

Remember the smilie face it's been around since before King Kong destroyed the Empire State Building. But.. that was before it became a 'thing', and some smart @ss guy came along and made money off it. I'm drinking koolaid right now, not feeling great so don't shoot.


whoops, wrong picture..

Who Really Invented the Smiley Face? It’s supposedly the 50th anniversary (Now the 55th Anniversary) of the original design of the iconic image, but its history since then is surprisingly complex with millions of dollars at stake.

www.smithsonianmag.com...

In the 1994 Robert Zemeckis film, Forrest Gump stumbles into the history books as he runs across the country. At one point, he meets a poor T-shirt salesman who, Gump recalls, “wanted to put my face on a T-shirt but he couldn’t draw that well and he didn’t have a camera.” As luck would have it, a truck drives by and splashes Gump’s face with mud. He wipes his face on a yellow T-shirt and hands it back to the down-on-his-luck entrepreneur, telling him to “have a nice day.” The imprint of Gump’s face left a perfect, abstract smiling face on the bright yellow t-shirt. And thus, an icon was born.

edit on 13-3-2018 by BotheLumberJack because: (no reason given)

well nevermind

Forest Gump

a reply to: TinySickTears

Awesome hat I want one.

originally posted by: Nickn3
Forest Gump

Is the best. Runner. Ever.

Forest Gump is a movie. I remember smiley faces and troll dolls along side skateboarding becoming popular in 70s - 90s.

wiki smiley

wiki troll

wiki skateboarding

My dad knew someone that invented the polyurethane wheel back in the early 70s but opted out of investing in it. He wanted to continue working for Lockheed Martin factory for war instead.

Se La Ve

a reply to: intrptr

That's interesting, polyurethane ay? I remember seeing troll dolls in the 80's. Now they're leading our World. Kool.

originally posted by: BotheLumberJack
a reply to: TinySickTears

Awesome hat I want one.

pretty sure i got it at good will

a reply to: TinySickTears

Good Will deserves a Hug from Jesus, Krishna and Anu.

a reply to: BotheLumberJack

Everyone had troll dolls hanging from their rearview mirrors. I had one in my 68 Mustang muscle car.

Polyurethane wheels replaced clay wheels on skateboards, the only non fad fad. Unlike stupid smiley faces and troll dolls.

a reply to: intrptr

Everyone had troll dolls hanging from their rearview mirrors. I had one in my 68 Mustang muscle car.

Kool! you had a 68 Mustang! oh Yeah! My buddy had one, black, we did things in that car I won't talk about to this day! lol

originally posted by: Nickn3
Forest Gump

My vote as well.

I remember having a happy face T shirt in 1972 ... and they were very popular back then. If I remember correctly it first appeared as an advertisement on pitchers of coolaide, on commercials for coolaide

a reply to: Sheye

History, is meant to be shared. I think I had a T as well.

a reply to: Nickn3

That's who I was thinking also.

I think the Axolotl should get credit.

a reply to: BotheLumberJack



I've had a Smiley Face tattoo since 1982. It was to reinforce positive vibes.

Ken Stabler had a smiley face sticker on His football helmet since the late 70s


You have to really zoom in:

sportshub.cbsistatic.com... 6.jpg

The cavemen invented smiley face in the cave

a reply to: JimNasium

ahh sorry can't view your link. But thankyu

A man named Harvey Ball is the earliest known designer of the SMILEY.