Random House Books first released "Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories" by Theodore Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) in 1958. Yertle, king of the pond, stands on his subjects in a bid to reach the moon. The bottom turtle burps, toppling the stack and ends Yertle's reign, but not the enduring picture book's, which has sold millions of copies. Canadian author Paulette Bourgeois began the successful "Franklin" children's series with "Franklin in the Dark" in 1986. Franklin's adventures later moved to television and the big screen. Translated into 38 languages, the books have sold more than 60 million copies.
Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo and Donatello first came to life in a black-and-white, self-published comic book created by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman in 1984. The "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" animated television show first aired in 1987 and the masked, pizza-eating, crime fighters with surfer attitudes have spawned toys, video games, a concert tour and movie.
The Turtles, an American rock group led by Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman, produced a number of Top 40 hits beginning with its cover version of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me Babe" in 1965. The group's best known hit, "Happy Together," topped the charts in 1967. The song's simple lyrics -- "Imagine me and you, I do. I think about you day and night, it's only right." -- are memorable.
Ben Hirsch mixed the ingredients of Plastone car polish in his Chicago bathtub and began selling it by traveling on the streetcar. After a visit to Beloit, Wisconsin, in the 1950s, Hirsch came across Turtle Creek and made a connection between a turtle's protective shell and his car polish. Turtle Wax, with its top-hatted turtle logo, was born. Comcast Cable began using the Slowskys to sell its broadband Internet service in 2006. Created by Goodby, Silverstein & Partners of San Francisco, the ad campaign features a turtle couple, Bill and Karolyn Slowsky, explaining why Comcast's services would be too fast for them.
Trademarked by DeMet's Candy Company, Turtles candies are made from chocolate, caramel and toasted pecans. Developed by Bobbi and Louis Gordon Hooper in San Francisco and delivered using their Harley Davidson motorcycle, the treats soon became popular and copied by other candymakers. Nestle was issued a trademark in 1946 that was later sold to DeMet's Candy Company. "Mmmmm I love turtles," and "Never rush a turtle" are the treat's slogans and, similar to Turtle Wax, the logo turtle sports a top hat.