Dick Anthony: Basement Popcorn Entrepreneur of Duluth

David Beard Oct 13, 2022 1 Comment

Dick Anthony of Duluth made popcorn in his basement circa 1952 for distribution to local stores, where it was sold in dispensers. The video clip is from the television series “Industry on Parade,” which was created by the National Association of Manufacturers and ran from 1950 to 1960.

According to Anthony’s obituary in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, he moved to Duluth in 1948 and worked as a journalist, news director and on-air personality at KDAL radio and television for 23 years and for six more years at WDSM radio and KBJR TV.

A film of three full episodes of “Industry on Parade” is available on the Internet Archive and is embedded below.

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1 Comment

Matthew James

about 2 years ago 

I enjoyed that popcorn segment quite a bit. I don't know if it was the general Duluth nostalgia or nostalgia for my time working at a movie theater in high school, as he seems to be using the same brand of industrial popcorn popper that I worked with. 

A quick search does suggest that he was a pretty big name in Duluth broadcasting. A KDAL 3 Duluth TV schedule listing for the week of July 16, 1955 shows that the 7 p.m. news was actually titled "Dick Anthony's News." I don't know how long the popcorn business lasted, but this seems like an odd combination of professions. I mean, I think I would find it rather surprising if I was at a Kwik Trip and saw Dennis Anderson stop by to get the quarters out of one of the vending machines.

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