By M. C.
In any ‘batch’ of loose numismatic material you find the odd item. This item is a ‘spinner’ or ‘decision maker’ with a man on one side and a mouse on the other. As an advertising piece its aim is to be kept, used, and thus ‘advertise’ the particular show.
The particular topic of this piece is an American actor Eddie Cantor in a movie called ‘Strike Me Pink’. A quick google search will find you the address of the Eddie Cantor Appreciation Society and even free Eddie Cantor Mobile Stuff, 15000+ Ringtones, Wallpapers, etc.
Info from the Eddie Cantor Appreciation Society shows that Eddie was an actor, singer, writer and radio and television star. A little known fact according to the Eddie Cantor Appreciation Society is that the Merry Melodies-Warner Brothers cartoon theme was actually written by Murry Mencher, Charles Tobias and Eddie Cantor.
Additional info is available from the website but the actual movie ‘Strike Me Pink’ was made in the 1930’s when he was signed by Samuel Goldwyn, to star in films like “Whoopee”, “Palmy Days”, “The Kid From Spain”, “Roman Scandals”, “Kid Millions” and “Strike Me Pink.” In 1937, he signed with 20th Century Fox to do “Ali Baba Goes To Town”.
‘Strike Me Pink’ was his last movie made for Samuel Goldwyn and was made in 1936. The story as outlined on www.imdb.com actually includes a coin as above. In the story Eddie has mail ordered a book titled “Man or Mouse: What Are You?” accompanied with a record and a coin that has a man on one side and a mouse on the other. Eddie must continue to flip the coin until it comes up a man.
Eddie Cantor was born on the Lower East Side of New York City in 1892 (exact date in question) and died on October 10, 1964.
The ‘flipper’ is in aluminium and was made by AMOR, which is the Sydney Company W.J. AMOR. It is likely that the token was made for the Australian/ New Zealand release of the movie as an advertising piece.