Actress at Freeport library portrays woman who propelled Tupperware to skyrocketing success

Admin   |   24 February, 2016   |   1144   |   3980

FREEPORT - Award-winning actress and scholar, Leslie Goddard, gave a presentation tonight at the Freeport Library, portraying Brownie Mae Wise, the woman who is credited for propelling Tupperware to skyrocketing success.

"I caught the story of Brownie Wise on PBS on "American Experience," said Goddard. "I’m always drawn to why certain people are remembered in history," she said.

Born in 1913, Brownie Mae Humphrey from rural Georgia was the daughter of a hat maker and a plumber. She got the name, “Brownie” due to her big, brown eyes. She never made it past the eighth grade, but grew up, got married, and then divorced several years later. As a 42-year-old single parent, she went to work to support her family by selling Stanley Products, and quickly becoming one of their top sellers.

In the late 1940’s she noticed the polyethylene product, Tupperware, was being sold in department stores with very little success. She realized Tupperware should be sold at home parties, so people would learn to "burp" the airtight seal properly. She started having home parties and they were so successful that she was able to recruit many other women to sell the product.

Earl Tupper took notice of her, eventually asking her to become Vice President of Tupperware. She moved to Kissimmee, Florida, and built a Tupperware headquarters there. She went from having 200 women selling the product to over 9,000 four years later.

"She traveled 150,000 miles a year in support of the company," said Goddard in her presentation. "Her motto was, "If you build the person, they will build the company."

Due to her success, Wise started to receive attention from several well-known magazines, and was the first woman on the cover of, "Business Week."

For reasons still unknown today, Tupper eventually became unhappy with her and on Jan. 28, 1958, Tupper fired her from the company. Not having an actual employment contract, she received one year’s severance pay and the company purged her name and likeness from everything associated with them.

Wise went on to start several other companies, but couldn’t create the success she had with Tupperware. She passed away in Kissimmee, Florida, in 1992.

"Tupperware was dying in the stores until she started home parties," said Goddard. "When she was fired, she received $38,000. Earl Tupper never gave her the credit she deserved. She’s probably the reason why 90 percent of people in the U.S. have Tupperware in their home."

Goddard has been presenting historical lectures and portraying famous women in history for 11 years. She holds a doctorate from Northwestern University, specializing in American studies and U.S. history. She also holds master’s degrees in theater and museum studies. As a former museum director, she’s the author of two books on Chicago history, and works full-time as a historical interpreter, author, and public speaker.