Hitler sported the toothbrush by the early 1920s, although there are dubious claims that he practiced doing so earlier. German serial killer Peter Kürten (1883–1931) took up the style and eventually reduced it to only the philtrum. Koeppen was described as "Six-feet in height, slim, and athletic, with a toothbrush mustache characteristic of his class, he looks the ideal type of the young Prussian guardsman." By the end of World War I, even some of the German royals were sporting the toothbrush Crown Prince Wilhelm can be seen with a toothbrush moustache in a 1918 photograph that shows him about to be sent into exile. The toothbrush was taken up by German automobile racer and folk hero Hans Koeppen in the famous 1908 New York to Paris Race, cementing its popularity among young gentry. By 1907, enough Germans were wearing the toothbrush moustache to elicit notice by The New York Times under the headline "'TOOTHBRUSH' MUSTACHE German Women Resent Its Usurpation of the ". Previously, the most popular style was the imperial moustache, also known as the "Kaiser moustache", which was perfumed and turned up at the ends, as worn by German emperor Wilhelm II. The style was introduced in Germany in the late 19th century by visiting Americans. In Germany Adolf Hitler in the early 1920s his appearance was so defined by the style that it had become unfashionable by the end of World War II. A number of associates of American company Heinz were photographed wearing the style at a 1940 convention in Montreal. Martin, the 11th governor of Washington state (1933–1941), sported a toothbrush during his tenure. It has been occasionally claimed that American film producer Walt Disney donned a toothbrush, but his nose-width moustache lacked the characteristic steep sides.Ĭlarence D. Although Groucho Marx wore a larger moustache, novelty Groucho glasses (sold c. 1925–1939, while in the mid-1930s bit-part player Brooks Benedict thickened his mid-mustache, evoking the style (flanked by pencil-thin sides). American actor Fred Kelsey flaunted a toothbrush c. Comedian Oliver Hardy also adopted the moustache style-using it at least as early as the 1921 film The Lucky Dog. Prominent American animation producer Max Fleischer wore a toothbrush moustache c. Chaplin took advantage of the noted similarity between his onscreen appearance and that of Hitler in his 1940 film The Great Dictator, where he wore the moustache in a dual role, one of which parodied Hitler. Nazi leader Adolf Hitler was a fan of Chaplin films, but according to cultural historian Ron Rosenbaum, "there is no evidence (though some speculation) that Hitler modeled his 'stache on ". Chaplin said he chose the toothbrush style because it had a comical appearance and was small enough not to hide his expression. After wearing a full moustache for his 1914 film debut ( Making a Living for Keystone Studios), he sported a prop toothbrush moustache for his next film, Kid Auto Races at Venice (1914)-the debut of his Tramp character. Įnglish comic actor Charlie Chaplin was one of the most famous wearers of the toothbrush style. It was a neat, uniform, low-maintenance style that echoed the standardization and uniformity brought on by industrialization, in contrast to the more flamboyant moustaches typical of the 19th century such as the imperial, walrus, handlebar, horseshoe, and pencil moustaches. The toothbrush originally became popular in the late 19th century, in the United States. A number of variants of the style also developed during the 20th century.ġ9th century to World War II In the United States It has also appeared in works of popular culture including motion pictures, as well as political imagery-usually explicitly eliciting the association with Hitler. By the end of World War II, the style had become unfashionable due to its strong association with Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, leading to it being colloquially termed the ' Hitler moustache '.Īfter World War II, the style was worn by some notable individuals, including several Israeli politicians and American real-estate developer Fred Trump. It was made famous by comedians such as Charlie Chaplin and Oliver Hardy before reaching its height of popularity in the interwar years. First becoming popular in the United States in the late 19th century, the style spread to Germany and elsewhere. The toothbrush moustache is a style of moustache in which the sides are vertical (or nearly so), often approximating the width of the nose and visually resembling the bristles on a toothbrush. Charlie Chaplin (pictured in 1921 as the Tramp) thought the moustache gave him a comical appearance.
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