Have you ever wondered what’s going on with the Pringles Man and the Monopoly Man? I mean, you can’t deny that they look like the same guy!
So are they related? Brothers maybe? Or does the guy on the Monopoly box also have a side hustle modeling for Pringles?
Well, wonder no more. I’ve tracked down the answers for you…
But first, just take a look at this funny video that sums up what we’ve all been thinking…
Is the Monopoly Man also the Pringles Man?
While they do certainly look alike with their round faces and handlebar mustaches, the Monopoly Man and the Pringles Man are not the same people. The Monopoly guy’s name is Milburn Pennybags, whereas the Pringles guy’s name is Julius Pringles.
The fact that the Monopoly Man and the Pringles man are two different characters has been confirmed by the official Monopoly UK account on Twitter…
They are not the same! Rich Uncle Pennybags and Julius Pringle are two separate characters. Hope this helps!
— MonopolyUK (@MonopolyUK) August 3, 2020
Further proof that the Pringles guy and the Monopoly Man are two different people comes from this video which shows both of them engaging in a rap battle!
Are the Pringles guy and Monopoly guy related?
The Pringle Man and the Monopoly Man are, in fact, relatives. It has been confirmed by the Pringles brand that Julius Pringles is a distant cousin of the Monopoly Guy, Rich Uncle Pennybags.
Here’s the confirmation from the Pringles Twitter account in 2021…
We’re distant cousins, twice removed.
— Pringles (@Pringles) October 22, 2021
While they do currently look similar, that wasn’t always the case. When the Pringles guy first appeared in 1967 he looked less like the Monopoly guy did when he first appeared in 1936.
Here’s what Julius Pringles looked like when he first appeared on the tube of chips in 1967…
This was Pringles in 1967 pic.twitter.com/4CP3qZiSTZ
— Rewind (@RewindPix) May 18, 2014
And here’s what Rich Uncle Pennybags looked like when we first saw him on the Chance cards back in 1936.
But wait a minute… Who’s that child in the hands of Mr. Monopoly? Could that be a young Julius Pringles?
Cousins who are twice-removed have a two-generation age difference, so that would tie in correctly with what’s displayed on the Chance card.
Now, according to this card from the Free Parking game from 1988, the boy pictured is Mr. Monopoly’s nephew…
But I’m sure we all agree that not everyone we call ‘Uncle’ is actually a true uncle. It would make sense that a cousin who’s two generations older could be described as an uncle.
Let’s say that the boy in the image in 1936 is six years old. That would make him 37 when Pringles was launched in 1967. The dates add up!
The Monopoly Man’s Family Tree
According to the official Monopoly Facebook page in 2011, Mr. Monopoly has a wife called Madge and three nephews – Randy, Sandy, and Andy…
They are the children of Euphemia “Effie” Pennybags, Milburn’s helicopter-flying sister. Aunt Effie was introduced to the public in 1946, in the Parker Brothers game Rich Uncle.
However, there has been some confusion over the gender of Sandy…
Phil Orbanes, the former senior vice president of Parker Brothers and chief judge at world Monopoly tournaments wrote a book called ‘The Monopoly Companion’ in 1988. In the book, he referred to Sandy as a ‘nephew’.
However, the Monopoly CD-ROM game from 1999 referred to Sandy as a niece. You can hear the audio of that here.
Then, in 2019, Hasbro released a version of Monopoly called Ms. Monopoly that introduced Mr. Monopoly’s niece, Sandy.
Is the female character Sandy in Ms. Monopoly actually the nephew Sandy after a gender change? Or is she perhaps the daughter of one of the nephews and therefore the great-niece of the Monopoly Guy?
Well, I spoke with one anonymous source over email who told me that Phil Orbanes had admitted that he simply made a mistake in his book when describing Sandy as a nephew.
Similarities between the Monopoly Man and Pringles Man
1. Mustache
The Pringles guy and the Monopoly guy have very similar mustaches. The Pringles guy’s ‘tache is brown, whereas the Monopoly guy’s is white. But then Mr. Monopoly is older, so that’s to be expected.
2. Round face
Both the Pringles Man and the Monopoly Man have notably rounded faces. In the case of the Pringles guy, you might assume that’s because he eats a lot of potato chips. Mr. Mnopoly is pretty slim though, so I’m not sure why his face is so round.
3. Bow tie
People who wear bow ties are often intellectual and not afraid to stand out from the crowd. The Pringles guy didn’t wear one until 2002, but now, just like Mr. Monopoly, he won’t be seen without it.
4. Beady eyes
The Pringles Man and the Monopoly Man both have small, dark beady eyes. Despite the small peepers, they both appear to be pretty friendly guys.
5. Lack of a monocle
Neither the Pringles guy nor Mr. Monopoly wears a monocle. Does that surprise you? Most people assume that they both wear an eyeglass, but they definitely don’t.
Here’s why you think the Monopoly Man has a monocle.
Differences between the Monopoly Man and the Pringle Guy
1. Top Hat
The Monopoly Man wears a top hat whereas the Pringles Man doesn’t have anything on his head aside from a shock of brown hair.
2. Walking Stick
The Monopoly Man always carries a cane, usually in his left hand. The Pringles guy, on the other hand, however, is always pictured from the next up. So we can’t be sure whether he too requires a walking aid.
3. Skin Color
The Pringles Man’s face is as white as white can be. While the Monopoly guy is certainly caucasian too, he does have a little bit of color to his complexion.
Other characters who look like Mr. Monopoly
Did you ever consider that perhaps Mr. Monopoly just has a really popular look? It’s not just the Pringles guy who has a similar appearance. Here are some more characters who have the same look…
Mr. Peanut
The mascot of Planters, Mr. Peanut is known for his top hat and cane, just like Mr. Monopoly.
Mr. Boh
Mr. Boh is the mascot of National Bohemian Beer. Also known as Natty Boh, this beer originated in Baltimore, Maryland. Mr. Boh has a similar handlebar mustache to Mr. Monopoly, yet only one eye.
Buzz Killington
Buzz Killington is a character from the TV show Family Guy. Just like Mr. Monopoly, Buzz has a top hat and mustache.
The Mayor of Townsville
The Mayor of Townsville, often known as Mayor, is a character from the Powerpuff Girls cartoon. Similar to Mr. Monopoly, he has a white handlebar mustache, top hat, and red bow tie.
Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot
Also known as the Penguin, Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot is the main antagonist from the film Batman Returns. He wears similar clothing to Mr. Monopoly, but unlike the Monopoly mascot, he doesn’t have a mustache.
The Bottom Line
You’ll find many conspiracy theories online about the Monopoly Man and the Pringles Man. Some people say that they’re the same person, others claim that they’re related and some even say that they’re arch-enemies.
Of course, we’ll never know for sure, but if I had to place a bet, I’d say that the two are relatives who have fallen out because Rich Uncle Pennybags didn’t share his money. Or perhaps Julius Pringles didn’t share his chips.
Why not learn some more facts about Rich Uncle Pennybags now you’ve cleared this up?