Pawtucket, RI, Jun 6, 2001 (BUSINESS WIRE)

Mr. Potato Head® will soon be appearing in comic sections of newspapers worldwide thanks to highly acclaimed cartoonists Jim Davis and Brett Koth, with help from Hasbro, Inc. and Universal Press Syndicate.

Beginning July 16, Mr. Potato Head fans of all ages will see their favorite Spud as they've never seen him before in newspapers throughout the United States and abroad. The Mr. Potato Head comic strip will focus on the antics of Mr. Potato Head's every day life both at home with his devoted wife, Mrs. Potato Head and their children, Julienne and Chip, and at his "day job" as a Vice President of Toy Testing.

"Mr. Potato Head has been a source of fun and laughter since 1952," said Alan G. Hassenfeld, Hasbro's Chairman and CEO. "This nationally syndicated comic strip - co-created by the amazing Jim Davis and Brett Koth -- speaks volumes about the popularity of Mr. Potato Head and the status he enjoys as a toy and as an enduring pop culture icon."

"Mr. Potato Head's worldwide appeal continues to grow," said Jane Ritson-Parsons, Senior Vice President of the Hasbro Properties Group. "Mr. Potato Head is nearly 50 years young, and we continue to be successful in broadening his reach beyond traditional toys into new arenas such as this wonderful comic strip, which we believe will be embraced by millions of readers and our licensee community alike."

"Brett and I have been fans of Mr. Potato Head forever," said Jim Davis, the world's most syndicated living cartoonist. "My first Mr. Potato Head, in the early 50s, required a real potato. If potatoes weren't available, I used apples, turnips, onions, and once I used my cat Blinky. That cat had no sense of humor." He added, "We're thrilled that Hasbro has allowed us to do this feature and has blessed our work. We couldn't be prouder of the result."

Brett Koth, co-creator of the Mr. Potato Head comic strip said, "I grew up playing with Mr. Potato Head, way back when a real potato was necessary, though not included. My poor father still bears the battle scars on the soles of his feet from uncounted trips to the bathroom in the wee hours, my Mr. Potato Head parts scattered across his path in the darkness, points up. For some odd reason, this is something he has chosen to never let me forget. That having been said, this opportunity is a particular treat for me." Koth added, "Mr. Potato Head, Jim and I all go way back, and now, reunited, can go forward together as well. It's great to be five again!"

"Newspapers today are looking for comic strips that the whole family can enjoy, and the Mr. Potato Head comic strip does just that, providing good family fun for all ages," said Lee Salem, executive vice president and editor of Universal Press Syndicate in Kansas City, Missouri. UPS also syndicates Jim Davis' strip, Garfield, which appears in more then 2,600 newspapers worldwide.

Mr. Potato Head was "born" in 1952 at Hasbro, Inc. in Pawtucket, R.I. Mrs. Potato Head joined the world the following year and, since then, more than 75 million Mr. Potato Head brand toys have been sold.

Jim Davis is the world's most published living cartoonist, with a client list for Garfield that includes more than 2,600 newspapers worldwide. Jim is founder and president of Paws, Inc., a full-service licensing studio created to support Garfield's global business ventures. Jim has had many successes with Garfield including four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Animated Program and induction into the Licensing Hall of Fame (1998). His most prized awards are from his peers in the National Cartoonist Society: Best Humor Strip (1981 and 1985), the Elzie Segar Award (1990), and the coveted Reuben Award (1990) for overall cartooning. A graduate of the California Institute of Art, Brett's resume includes cartooning and animation work for Garfield, Bugs Bunny, Disney and Warner Bros. Studios. He has worked with Jim and Garfield since 1986.