Reddy Kilowatt
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Reddy Kilowatt is a cartoon character that served as a corporate spokesman for
electricity generation Electricity generation is the process of generating electric power from sources of primary energy. For electric utility, utilities in the electric power industry, it is the stage prior to its Electricity delivery, delivery (Electric power transm ...
in the
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and other countries for nearly one hundred years. Currently, the Reddy Kilowatt trademark is owned by
Xcel Energy Xcel Energy Inc. is a U.S. regulated electric utility and natural gas delivery company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, serving more than 3.7 million electric customers and 2.1 million natural gas customers across parts of eight states (Color ...
.


Description

Reddy Kilowatt is drawn as a stick figure whose body, limbs, and hair are made of stylized lightning bolts and whose bulbous head has a
light bulb Electric light is an artificial light source powered by electricity. Electric Light may also refer to: * Light fixture, a decorative enclosure for an electric light source * ''Electric Light'' (album), a 2018 album by James Bay * Electric Light ( ...
for a nose and wall outlets for ears.


Conception

Reddy Kilowatt made his first published appearance on March 14, 1926, in an advertisement in ''
The Birmingham News ''The Birmingham News'' was the principal newspaper for Birmingham, Alabama, United States in the latter half of the 20th century and the first quarter of the 21st. The paper was owned by Advance Publications and was a daily newspaper from its ...
'' for the
Alabama Power Company Alabama Power Company, headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, is a company in the southern United States that provides electricity service to 1.4 million customers in the southern two-thirds of Alabama. It also operates appliance stores. It is one ...
(APC). The character was the brainchild of the company's 40-year-old commercial manager, Ashton B. Collins Sr. Like other electric utilities of the period, APC was seeking to grow consumer demand for electrical power. Commercially viable AC generating stations had begun powering North American streets and homes by the end of the 19th century. By the mid-1920s, electric utilities had succeeded in bringing electricity to virtually all major cities and towns in North America; however, rural areas remained chronically underserved. In 1930, almost 90 percent of farms in the United States were still without access to electric service. Collins was convinced that the best way to win over new customers, including frugal small business owners and skeptical farmers and rural dwellers, was to give his mostly invisible new commodity a more human face.Reddy Kilowatt Inc. (1963). The Reddy Kilowatt Story According to corporate lore, Collins found his inspiration in a dramatic
Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
lightning Lightning is a natural phenomenon consisting of electrostatic discharges occurring through the atmosphere between two electrically charged regions. One or both regions are within the atmosphere, with the second region sometimes occurring on ...
storm. As he watched the electric discharges strike the ground, he imagined the dancing limbs of a powerful creature, one that could be harnessed in the service of the public. He turned to a colleague, APC engineer Dan Clinton, to create the first drawings of Reddy Kilowatt, an “electrical servant” with lightning bolt arms and legs, wearing safety gloves and shoes. He added a friendly face with a light bulb nose and wall outlets for ears. APC copyrighted the character on March 6, 1926. Over the next few years, Reddy appeared in print advertising for the company. He made his first three-dimensional appearance at the Alabama Electrical Exposition of 1926.


Adolescence

The onset of the
Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
in 1929 would further suppress demand for new electric services and slow progress toward
rural electrification Rural electrification is the process of bringing electrical power to rural and remote areas. Rural communities are suffering from colossal market failures as the national grids fall short of their demand for electricity. As of 2019, 770 million ...
. Collins remained convinced that the Reddy Kilowatt character could be a powerful promoter of electric power. A lifelong advocate for
capitalism Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their use for the purpose of obtaining profit. This socioeconomic system has developed historically through several stages and is defined by ...
, Collins was alarmed by growing government intervention in the sector and also saw Reddy as an ambassador for
investor-owned utility Investor-owned utilities (IOUs) are private enterprises acting as public utilities. References Public utilities {{business-stub ...
companies (IOUs). In 1933, IOUs banded together to advance their interests, forming the
Edison Electric Institute The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) is an association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. In its official communications, EEI mostly cast doubt on climate change in the 1990s. In the 2000s, EEI no longer cast doubt on clim ...
. Collins joined the new organization, travelling the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
to promote the use of electrical energy. APC gave Collins the rights to the character he created. He engaged a young family friend, Dorothea Warren (1914–1999), to refine Reddy Kilowatt's image. On March 28, 1933, Collins was granted trademark number 302,093 by the
U.S. Patent Office The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is an agency in the U.S. Department of Commerce that serves as the national patent office and trademark registration authority for the United States. The USPTO's headquarters are in Alex ...
. Warren would go on to become a prolific commercial artist and author of children's books. Under the umbrella of the Reddy Kilowatt Service (RKS), Collins used his interactions with other IOUs to promote what he called the “Reddy Kilowatt Program”. He entered into his first licensing agreement with the
Philadelphia Electric Company Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the sixth-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 1,603,797 in the 2020 census. The city is the urb ...
in January 1934. Over the next couple of years, Collins would add several other major utilities including Ohio Edison Company,
PPL Corporation PPL Corporation is an energy company headquartered in Allentown, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. The company is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange as and is part of the S&P 500. As of 2022, the compa ...
,
Duke Power Duke Energy Corporation is an American electric power and natural gas holding company A holding company is a company whose primary business is holding a controlling interest in the Security (finance), securities of other companies. A hold ...
, South Carolina Power Company and
Tennessee Electric Power Company The Chattanooga and Tennessee Electric Power Company was formed in 1905 by Josephus C. Guild, Charles E. James and Anthony N. Brady to produce hydroelectric power and improve navigation on the Tennessee River. Josephus Guild, a young engineer fr ...
. RKS entered into a contract with each licensee. The original 1934 version was amended in 1941, 1953, 1963, 1968, 1971 and 1976. In signing the contract, the licensing IOU promised to always represent Reddy Kilowatt as “genial, likeable, well-mannered ndeven-tempered” and to abide by “generally accepted standards of good taste.” In exchange, the licensee was guaranteed a range of products and services by RKS. The most important of these came to be known as the ''Reddy Kilowatt Art Service Reproduction Proofs Book'', a catalogue of Reddy Kilowatt images, applications and stock advertisements that could be used or customized by the utility to promote its electrical services. Using the ''Proofs Book'' as a guide, companies could order mat service sheets and layout art to meet their needs. By the time of its final edition in 1998, the book had grown to hundreds of pages, containing thousands of images. RKS also produced a periodical called the ''Reddy Bulletin'', containing news and promotional ideas for licensees. Collins recognized early that Reddy Kilowatt's appeal was without borders. He first sought and obtained trademark protection for the character in Canada in 1934 and subsequently in
Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
(1937),
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(1938), and
Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
(1938). Over the years, Reddy would be licensed extensively in the
Caribbean The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...
,
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,
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,
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, and
Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...
.


Maturity

With the impending end of hostilities in the final months of
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, utility companies began to prepare for a return to a consumer-driven economy, and to respond to 15 years of pent-up demand for new household appliances. Demand for electric power jumped 14 per cent between 1946 and 1947 alone. An important driver was that, even as demand for electrical energy increased, the cost of energy continued to decline. When Reddy was created in the mid-1920s, a kilowatt-hour cost 55 cents (in constant 1992 dollars). By 1947, it had fallen to 19 cents, and it would continue to fall over the ensuing two decades. Ashton Collins saw that Reddy Kilowatt could play an important role in promoting electrical use in a period of post-war prosperity, but recognized a need to refine the character's image. As early as 1943, Collins approached the prominent American animator
Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney ( ; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the Golden age of American animation, American animation industry, he introduced several develop ...
in a bid to adapt Reddy for film. The studio was heavily involved in producing films for the U.S. military at the time and the project did not proceed. Two years later, Collins approached another noted animator,
Walter Lantz Walter Benjamin Lantz (April 27, 1899 – March 22, 1994) was an American cartoonist, animator, producer and director best known for founding Walter Lantz Productions and creating Woody Woodpecker. Biography Early years and start in animat ...
, with the idea of starring Reddy on the big screen. Lantz, whose characters like
Woody Woodpecker Woody Woodpecker is a cartoon character that appeared in theatrical short films produced by the Walter Lantz Productions, Walter Lantz Studio and Universal Animation Studios, Universal Animation Studio and distributed by Universal Pictures sinc ...
and
Andy Panda Andy Panda is a cartoon character who starred in his own series of animated cartoon short subjects produced by Walter Lantz. These "cartunes" were released by Universal Pictures from 1939 to 1947, and United Artists from 1948 to 1949. The title ...
were well known to theatre-goers of the period, agreed, releasing the
short film A short film is a film with a low running time. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of not more than 40 minutes including all credits". Other film o ...
''Reddy Made Magic'' in March 1946. Lantz and Collins shared producing credits on the film, which was directed by Dick Lundy, a former Disney animator. The screenplay, by
Ben Hardaway Joseph Benson Hardaway (May 21, 1895 – February 5, 1957) was an American storyboard artist, animator, voice actor, gagman, writer and director for several American animation studios during The Golden Age of Hollywood animation. He was sometim ...
and Milt Schaffer, featured the story of the creation of electricity as told by Reddy Kilowatt. In conjunction with the film version of ''Reddy Made Magic'',
Educational Comics Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education also fol ...
produced a companion comic book with a cover price of five cents and the subtitle ''The amazing true story of electricity''. Reddy's movie voice was provided by
Walter Tetley Walter Tetley (born Walter Campbell Tetzlaff; June 2, 1915 – September 4, 1975)DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . p. 260. was an ...
, the prolific
voiceover Voice-over (also known as off-camera or off-stage commentary) is a production technique used in radio, television, filmmaking, theatre, and other media in which a descriptive or expository voice that is not part of the narrative (i.e., non- ...
actor whose talents were in demand by producers needing a high-pitched, adolescent sound. Tetley's credits included the voice of Sherman, sidekick of
Jay Ward Joseph Ward Cohen Jr. (September 20, 1920 – October 12, 1989), also known as Jay Ward, was an American creator and producer of animated TV cartoon shows. He produced animated series based on such characters as Crusader Rabbit, Rocky & Bu ...
’s canine genius Mr. Peabody. Lantz’s contribution to the Reddy Kilowatt story is considerable. Prior to 1946, Reddy Kilowatt was usually portrayed as a lanky and sometimes awkward-looking creature. Lantz’s animators refined Reddy’s look to make his body shorter and more proportional. Reddy’s wide-cuffed (and five-fingered) safety gloves were replaced with four-fingered white gloves of the type traditionally worn by
Mickey Mouse Mickey Mouse is an American cartoon character co-created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. The longtime icon and mascot of the Walt Disney Company, Mickey is an anthropomorphic mouse who typically wears red shorts, large shoes, and white ...
and other popular cartoon creatures. Most important, the Lantz artists broadened Reddy’s grin and added whites to his eyes, instantly increasing his range of expression. The Lantz film included a song, sung by Walter Tetley as Reddy. It was later used in advertising and commercial applications by licensees. Called simply “Reddy Kilowatt”, the song was written by jazz artist
Del Porter Del Porter (April 13, 1902, Newberg, Oregon – October 4, 1977, Los Angeles) was an American jazz vocalist, saxophonist, and clarinetist who, in the 1930s, performed on Broadway, toured with Glenn Miller, and recorded with Bing Crosby, Dick Powe ...
and
Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People and fictional and mythical characters * Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar * Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer ...
-nominated composer
Darrell Calker Darrell Wallace Calker (February 18, 1905 – February 20, 1964) was an American composer and arranger who worked on films and animated cartoons. Early life and education Calker was born in Washington, D.C. to Morris H. and Lugenia E. (Lily) Wallac ...
. Its catchy lyric concluded: In 1953, Collins incorporated RKS as Reddy Kilowatt, Inc., (RKI) establishing its head office in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. The company continued to provide a range of products and services to licensees. In addition to the Proofs Book, RKI produced a handbook with guidelines to assist utilities in using Reddy to their advantage. Around 1942, the ''Reddy News'', a glossy periodical that highlighted successes and best practices of RKI licensees, replaced the ''Reddy Bulletin''. RKI continued to aggressively promote its Reddy Kilowatt trademarks worldwide. By 1957, 222 utility companies around the world had licensed use of the character.Reddy Kilowatt, Inc.
Appellant, v. Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, Inc., and National Ruralelectric Cooperative Association, Inc.
Appellees, Decided January 7, 1957
By the end of the '60s, it's estimated that the number of RKI licensees totalled about 300 worldwide. Throughout this period, RKI was a prolific producer of promotional materials and incentives, broadly distributed by licensees. Trinkets ranging from men's and women's jewellery, writing instruments and lighters, to oven mitts, aprons and playing cards, featured Reddy Kilowatt's consistently smiling face. Collins’ prime objective remained unchanged: to provide a human, accessible face to the business of energy generation. The theme is evident in RKI art from the time: a winded Reddy running uphill to demonstrate the stress of rising costs; Reddy in hunting togs warning shooters away from power lines; a smiling Reddy framing a power bill as his “wages”.Reddy Communications Inc. (1998). Reddy Kilowatt Art Service Reproduction Proofs Book RKI continued to advance Collins' pro-capitalist ideology. The company encouraged licensees to spread this message to young people. Beginning in the late 1940s, utilities began to sponsor “Reddy Kilowatt Youth Clubs”, incorporating educational activities with capitalist messages. At the same time, RKI distributed stock advertisements with right-wing political messages for use by licensees. Among the promotions for electric heat and appliances were images of a visibly sweating Reddy warning that government ownership of utilities is “Socialism – the twin brother of Communism – and we don’t want either of those isms!” RKI took steps to vigorously protect its intellectual property. In 1956, RKI sued the
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) represents the interests of over 900 electric cooperatives in the United States. Cooperatives are not-for-profit and are owned by their membership. Founded in 1942, NRECA unites the coun ...
, an association of
cooperative A cooperative (also known as co-operative, coöperative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomy, autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned a ...
-owned utilities, for trademark infringement. Four years earlier, the organization had introduced Willie Wiredhand, a character with a body of electric cable and electric plug feet. On January 7, 1957, the court ruled the characters were different and dismissed the complaint. In 1958,
John Sutherland John Sutherland may refer to: Politicians * John Sutherland (New South Wales politician) (1816–1889), member of the NSW Legislative Assembly and Council * John Sutherland (Canadian senator) (1821–1899), Canadian Senator from Manitoba * John Su ...
Productions updated ''Reddy Made Magic'' for the atomic age, producing the short film ''The Mighty Atom''. The film incorporated some footage from ''Reddy Made Magic''. As before, the film's release was followed by a companion comic book. The film updated the Reddy Kilowatt theme song to declare, "I'm in your T-V set with every show you get!"The Walter Lantz Cartune Encyclopedia
Miscellaneous Cartunes
A singing and dancing Reddy Kilowatt was featured in an animated show called “Holiday with Light” in the Tower of Light exhibit at the 1965 New York World's Fair (together with a lightbulb-shaped
Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin (April 17, 1790) was an American polymath: a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher and Political philosophy, political philosopher.#britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the m ...
). In 1962, Collins turned the presidency of RKI over to son Ashton B. Collins Jr. (1932–2014), although the senior Collins remained chairman of RKI until his death in 1972. Much of the day-to-day work of RKI was led by the company's corporate secretary, Louise M. Bender (1917–2005). Ray Crosby served as the company's art director from 1934 to 1964. RKI employed about 30 people at its peak.Knight News Service (February 25, 1978)
"Reddy Kilowatt changes his image"


Decline

By the time of Reddy's 50th birthday, the corporate climate for electric utilities had changed considerably. The growing influence of the
environmental movement The environmental movement (sometimes referred to as the ecology movement) is a social movement that aims to protect the natural world from harmful environmental practices in order to create sustainable living. In its recognition of humanity a ...
in the late '60s, coupled with the fuel shortages of the early '70s, had directed the utilities’ focus away from expansion and toward conservation. RKI began to advise its licensees on environmental issues, urging them to use the character to advance a message of "environmental improvement." Reddy Kilowatt clip art began to depict the character in various “
green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a com ...
” poses: planting seedlings and installing energy-efficient lighting, for example. In the late '90s, Reddy hung up his pointed-toed safety boots, replacing them with track shoes. In 1976, in an effort to broaden its range of marketable services, RKI would rebrand itself as Reddy Communications, Inc. CI moving its headquarters to
Greenwich, Connecticut Greenwich ( ) is a New England town, town in southwestern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it had a population of 63,518. It is the largest town on Gold Coast (Connecticut), Connectic ...
. "Reddy," insisted corporate secretary Louise Bender in 1978, "is the friend of the consumer," adding that urging users to keep their power consumption down was just fulfilling his mission; however, the character's updated image was not an easy fit. Reddy Kilowatt had acted as a cheerleader for energy consumption for more than half a century and his transformation to environmentalist was viewed skeptically by many. Conservation groups and editorial cartoonists began to appropriate the character in ironic and negative ways to satirize the energy industry, to the irritation of the company. In a 1979 case, RCI sued the Environmental Action Foundation (EAF) for its use of Reddy's image to criticize the industry in its publications. The court sided with the EAF and concluded that their parody of the character was fair use. Reddy's decline was hastened further by skyrocketing energy prices in the late 20th century. The changing corporate environment led to mergers, consolidations and government takeovers of energy companies, running afoul of the company's decree that only investor-owned utilities could license the use of Reddy's image. In one example, the Province of
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
moved to acquire
Nova Scotia Light and Power Nova Scotia Light and Power Company, Limited (NSLP) was a Canadian electric and gas utility company based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The company still exists as a Shell corporation, shell but is no longer active; however, for more than a century, i ...
, a Reddy Kilowatt licensee since 1948. Immediately after the sale concluded in January 1972, company officials fanned out across the system to excise the character's image from signs, vehicles and structures. The corporate
logo A logo (abbreviation of logotype; ) is a graphic mark, emblem, or symbol used to aid and promote public identification and recognition. It may be of an abstract or figurative design or include the text of the name that it represents, as in ...
, which formerly featured a beaming Reddy Kilowatt gripping a placard with the company name, was reduced to an unadorned triangle, sometimes with Reddy's amputated fingers remaining as evidence of his passing. A final nail in Reddy's coffin was the general fall from grace of fictional and animated characters as corporate spokespersons. Modern corporations have tended to favour abstract logos and
wordmark A wordmark or word mark is a text-only statement of the name of a product, service, company, organization, or institution which is used for purposes of identification and branding. A wordmark can be an actual word (e.g., Apple), a made-up term ...
s and celebrity endorsers to represent their
brand A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's goods or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create and ...
s. In 1979, 140 American utility companies continued to license the Reddy Kilowatt trademark from RCI. By the late '90s, only “a handful” of licensees remained worldwide including
Oklahoma Gas & Electric Oklahoma Gas & Electric Company (branded as OG+E or "O-G-and-E") is a regulated electric utility company that serves over 843,000 customers in Oklahoma and Arkansas, including 1.5 million people in the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area. It is the ...
,
Kenya Power and Lighting Company Kenya Power and Lighting Company, commonly referred to as Kenya Power or shortened KPLC, is a public liability company which transmits, distributes and retails electricity to customers throughout Kenya. Location KPLC headquarters are at Stima ...
and the Southeast Queensland Electricity Board. Deborah Dunagan, Chief Operating Officer of RCI, now based in
Albuquerque, New Mexico Albuquerque ( ; ), also known as ABQ, Burque, the Duke City, and in the past 'the Q', is the List of municipalities in New Mexico, most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico, and the county seat of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, Bernal ...
, insisted that Reddy was still a “natural communicator for the information age.”


Legacy

In late 1998,
Northern States Power Company Northern States Power Company () was a publicly traded S&P 500 electric and natural gas utility holding company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that is now a subsidiary of Xcel Energy (). History The company's founder, Henry Marison Byllesby, ha ...
(NSP), based in
Minneapolis Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...
, agreed to purchase RCI and its trademarks from parent Collins Capital Corporation, now headed by Ashton Collins' son, Ash Collins Jr. NSP's
CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...
Jim Howard promised that Reddy would continue to be a strong ambassador for the company's electric operations together with a new companion, Reddy Flame, representing its natural gas division. Less than two years later, in August 2000, NSP merged with New Century Energies, Inc. to form Xcel Energy Inc. As of 2024, few utilities are known to use Reddy Kilowatt under licence from Xcel Energy. One that continues to depict Reddy in its logo is
Barbados Light and Power Company The Barbados Light & Power Company Limited (BL&P Co.) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Emera Caribbean and currently the sole electricity utility provider in the country of Barbados. It started operations on 17 June 1911. The company claims it ...
Limited (BLP) of
Saint Michael, Barbados The parish of St. Michael is one of eleven parishes of Barbados. It has a land area of and is found at the southwest portion of the island. Saint Michael has survived by name as one of the original six parishes created in 1629 by Governor Sir Wil ...
. For its centennial in 2011, BLP featured Reddy in a short animated film, ''Electricity and You''. Elsewhere, some Reddy Kilowatt artifacts remain in the public eye: In
Mount Pearl Mount Pearl is the fourth-largest municipality and second-largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The city is located southwest of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's, on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the isla ...
,
Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the populatio ...
, Canada, a
credit union A credit union is a member-owned nonprofit organization, nonprofit cooperative financial institution. They may offer financial services equivalent to those of commercial banks, such as share accounts (savings accounts), share draft accounts (che ...
originally formed to represent employees of a former licensee continues to bear Reddy Kilowatt's name. Alabama Power Company, where Reddy originated in 1926, restored an historic neon sign including an early version of Reddy on its building in
Attalla, Alabama Attalla is a city in Etowah County, Alabama, Etowah County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, the population was 6,048. History The town developed on the area of a former Muscogee people, Muscogee (Cre ...
. In
Sioux City, Iowa Sioux City () is a city in Woodbury County, Iowa, Woodbury and Plymouth County, Iowa, Plymouth counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 85,797 in the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Iowa, fo ...
, the SiouxLandmark preservation society restored a large neon Reddy which had greeted visitors to Sioux City for almost 40 years. The sign is on display in the
Iowa State University Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricult ...
Design West Studio building, a former power plant. In
York, Pennsylvania York is a city in York County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. Located in South Central Pennsylvania, the city's population was 44,800 at the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in ...
, the York County History Center restored an 18-foot Reddy Kilowatt sign which had been located at a nearby
hydroelectric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is Electricity generation, electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies 15% of the world's electricity, almost 4,210 TWh in 2023, which is more than all other Renewable energ ...
plant. The sign is displayed at the History Center's Agricultural and Industrial Museum. In 2015, the southern
Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...
community of
Bighorn The bighorn sheep (''Ovis canadensis'') is a species of sheep native to North America. It is named for its large horns. A pair of horns may weigh up to ; the sheep typically weigh up to . Recent genetic testing indicates three distinct subspeci ...
restored a Reddy Kilowatt image in inlaid
linoleum Linoleum is a floor covering made from materials such as solidified linseed oil (linoxyn), Pine Resin, pine resin, ground Cork (material), cork dust, sawdust, and mineral fillers such as calcium carbonate, most commonly on a Hessian fabric, hes ...
which had been part of a floor at a former
Calgary Power TransAlta Corporation (formerly Calgary Power Company, Ltd.) is an electricity power generator and wholesale marketing company headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is a privately owned corporation and its shares are traded publicly. It o ...
staff house for more than 50 years. Restored with the help of flooring manufacturer
Armstrong World Industries Armstrong World Industries, Inc. is an international designer and manufacturer of wall and ceiling building materials based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. As of 2014, AWI had 3,100 employees and a global manufacturing network of 17 facilities, down ...
, the 1.6 square metre image is now on display at the municipality's offices in
Exshaw, Alberta Exshaw is a hamlet in Alberta, Canada, within Municipal District (MD) of Bighorn No. 8. Located approximately west of downtown Calgary and east of Canmore, Exshaw is situated within the Bow River valley north of the Bow River. The hamlet ...
. The trade in Reddy Kilowatt collectibles and memorabilia, from signs to trinkets, remains popular in antique marketplaces and online auction sites. Because of the volume of such material produced by RKI and its licensees, prices for most items are modest, although some rare and unique pieces can command large amounts.


In popular culture

A brief animated clip of Reddy Kilowatt appears in one of the first ''
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...
'' short film parodies, ''
Hardware Wars ''Hardware Wars'' is a 1978 American short science fiction parody film in the form of a teaser trailer for a fictitious science fiction film that parodies ''Star Wars''. The 13-minute film, which was released almost 18 months after ''Star W ...
'', produced by
Ernie Fosselius Carl Ernst Fosselius (born October 23, 1945), better known as Ernie Fosselius, is an American filmmaker. He is best known for his satirical spoofs of popular films, including the ''Star Wars'' parody '' Hardware Wars''. Film career Fosselius' fi ...
and Michael Wiese in 1978. Reddy appears on a shipboard view screen to warn of a "dangerously overloaded octopus connection in sector five."
William Gibson William Ford Gibson (born March 17, 1948) is an American-Canadian speculative fiction writer and essayist widely credited with pioneering the science fiction subgenre known as cyberpunk. Beginning his writing career in the late 1970s, his ear ...
compares the logo of Singapore's
People's Action Party The People's Action Party (PAP) is a major Conservatism, conservative political party in Singapore and is the governing contemporary political party represented in the Parliament of Singapore, followed by the opposition Workers' Party of Singap ...
to Reddy Kilowatt in his 1994 ''
WIRED Wired may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * ''Wired'' (Jeff Beck album), 1976 * ''Wired'' (Hugh Cornwell album), 1993 * ''Wired'' (Mallory Knox album), 2017 * "Wired", a song by Prism from their album '' Beat Street'' * "Wired ...
'' article on the city-state "
Disneyland with the Death Penalty "Disneyland with the Death Penalty" is a 4,500-word article about Singapore written by William Gibson. His first major piece of Nonfiction, non-fiction, it was first published as the Article (publishing), cover story for ''Wired (magazine), Wired ...
". Reddy Kilowatt was featured in a cameo in the 1994 video game-inspired film
Double Dragon is a beat 'em up video game series originally developed and published by Technōs Japan. It began with the release of the arcade game '' Double Dragon'' in 1987. The series features twin martial artists, Billy and Jimmy Lee, as they fight again ...
, starring
Alyssa Milano Alyssa Jayne Milano ( ; born December 19, 1972) is an American actress and activist. She has played Samantha Micelli in '' Who's the Boss?'' (1984–1992), Jennifer Mancini in '' Melrose Place'' (1997–1998), Phoebe Halliwell in '' Charmed'' ...
. A Reddy Kilowatt lamp was discovered in an abandoned storage locker in 2012 by
Barry Weiss Barry Weiss (born February 11, 1959) is an American music executive. He co-founded the record label RECORDS in 2015, an imprint of Sony Music Entertainment which specializes in young recording artists. Weiss got his start at Clive Calder's ...
on episode 13 of the third season of ''
Storage Wars ''Storage Wars'' (stylized as ''STORAGE WAR$'') is an American reality television competition series that airs on the A&E network. It premiered on December 1, 2010. A 16th season is scheduled to premiere on June 7, 2025. When rent is not p ...
'', titled "Willkommen to the Dollhouse". Considered a valuable collector's item, the lamp and bulb featuring Reddy's likeness was retail valued at $3,000, but ultimately was sold for only $1,600. On the first album by
The Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in Palo Alto, California, in 1965. Known for their eclectic style that fused elements of rock, blues, jazz, folk, country, bluegrass, rock and roll, gospel, reggae, and world music with psyc ...
,
Phil Lesh Philip Chapman Lesh (March 15, 1940 – October 25, 2024) was an American musician and a founding member of the Grateful Dead, with whom he developed a unique style of improvised six-string bass guitar. He was their bassist throughout their 30 ...
referred to himself as Phil "Reddy Kilowatt" Lesh. He also used an image of Reddy Kilowatt on
Phil Lesh and Friends Phil Lesh and Friends was an American rock band formed and led by Phil Lesh, former bassist of the Grateful Dead. Phil & Friends is not a traditional group in that several different lineups of musicians have played under the name, including gro ...
tour posters and has subsequently used the alias Reddy Kilowatt regularly on Grateful Dead related message boards and on music sharing sites. In 2018, Victoria, British Columbia, craft brewer ''Phillips Brewing'' featured a rendition of Reddy Kilowatt on its "Megahertz Belgium ESB" bottle label. Pulitzer Prize-winning author
Connie Schultz Connie Brown (born July 21, 1957) is an American writer, journalist, and educator. Brown has been a columnist for several publications. After several years as a freelance writer, Brown became a columnist at Cleveland's daily newspaper, ''The Pl ...
mentions Reddy Kilowatt in several of her columns; her father, Chuck Schultz, worked for the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company for many years. In 2022, a clip of Reddy, and later a parody version of Reddy, appeared on season 9, episode 11 of ''
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver ''Last Week Tonight with John Oliver'' (often abridged as ''Last Week Tonight'') is an American news satire late-night talk show hosted by comedian John Oliver. The half-hour-long show premiered in the end of April 2014 on HBO and currently has ...
'', which discussed
investor-owned utilities Investor-owned utilities (IOUs) are private enterprises acting as public utilities A public utility company (usually just utility) is an organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service (often also providing a service using ...
and
performance-based regulation Performance-based regulation (PBR) is an approach to Public utility, utility regulation designed to strengthen utility performance incentives. Thus defined, the term PBR is synonymous with incentive regulation. The two most common forms of PBR ar ...
.


See also

* Ashton B. Collins Sr. *
Walter Lantz Walter Benjamin Lantz (April 27, 1899 – March 22, 1994) was an American cartoonist, animator, producer and director best known for founding Walter Lantz Productions and creating Woody Woodpecker. Biography Early years and start in animat ...
* Willy Wiredhand * ZAP the Safety Bird * Louie the Lightning Bug


References


External links


Reddy Kilowatt records
Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History, Archives Center
The Walter Lantz Cartune Encyclopedia
(archived 2010) ;Patents * * * * *{{US patent, 2349706 ;Web sites
User-submitted pictures and anecdotes about Reddy
(archived 2021) Kilowatt, Reddy Alabama Power Electric power in the United States Kilowatt, Reddy Kilowatt, Reddy