{{Short description|Mascot for the board game Monopoly}} [[File:Mr Monopoly A74006820250206.jpg|thumb|A person dressed in a Mr. Monopoly suit at Comic Con 2025, holding his signature cane]]
'''Mr. Monopoly''' is the mascot of the board game ''Monopoly''. He is depicted as an old man with a moustache who wears a morning suit with a bowtie and top hat. In large parts of the world he is known, additionally or exclusively, as the '''Monopoly Man''', '''"Rich Uncle" Pennybags''', '''Gualtiero''', '''Milburn Pennybags''' or the '''Monopoly Guy'''.<ref name="MonopolyManCongressCNBC" /> He also appears in the related games ''Rich Uncle'', ''Advance to Boardwalk'', ''Free Parking'', ''Don't Go to Jail'', ''Monopoly City'', ''Monopoly Junior'', ''Monopoly Deal'', and ''Monopoly Go!''.
The character first appeared on Chance and Community Chest cards in U.S. editions of ''Monopoly'' in 1936. The identity of the character's designer, artist Daniel Fox, had been publicly forgotten until 2013, when a former Parker Brothers executive, Philip Orbanes, was contacted by one of Fox's grandchildren.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archives.museumofplay.org/repositories/3/archival_objects/10524 | title=Phil Orbanes, "Meet Dan Fox: The Artist Who Created Mr. Monopoly," (Article to be published) June 4, 2013 | the Strong }}</ref>
==History== [[Image:Rich Uncle 1946 Cover.jpg|thumb|Rich Uncle Pennybags, as depicted on the cover of the first edition of the Parker Brothers game that gave the character a name]]The unnamed character made his first appearance outside ''Monopoly'' in the Parker Brothers' game ''Dig'', released in 1940.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Markstein |first1=Don |website=Don Markstein's Toonopedia |access-date=2 April 2020 |url=http://www.toonopedia.com/pennybag.htm |title=Rich Uncle Pennybags}}</ref> He did not receive a name until 1946, when Parker Brothers produced the game ''Rich Uncle'', where his likeness appeared on the box lid, instructions, and currency.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}} According to Orbanes, Rich Uncle Pennybags of the American version of ''Monopoly'' is modeled after American Progressive Era businessman J. P. Morgan.<ref>{{cite web| last=Turpin| first=Zachary| title=Interview: Phil Orbanes, Monopoly Expert (Part Two)| url=http://www.bookofodds.com/Daily-Life-Activities/Hobbies-Recreation/Articles/A0725-Interview-Phil-Orbanes-Monopoly-Expert-Part-Two| publisher=Book of Odds| access-date=February 20, 2012| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100502234420/http://bookofodds.com/Daily-Life-Activities/Hobbies-Recreation/Articles/A0725-Interview-Phil-Orbanes-Monopoly-Expert-Part-Two| archive-date=May 2, 2010}}</ref> However, physically, he more closely resembles Otto Hermann Kahn, the German-born American investment banker.<ref>{{Cite web |last=TableTopTemple |date=2023-12-28 |title=The Monopoly Man: Everything You Need to Know |url=https://tabletoptemple.com/the-monopoly-man-everything-you-need-to-know/ |access-date=2024-01-15 |website=TableTop Temple |language=en-US}}</ref>
200px|thumb|A more contemporary depiction of Pennybags on the box of ''Monopoly''
Between 1985 and 2008, the character appeared in the second "O" in the word ''Monopoly'' as part of the game's logo. More recently, he is depicted over the word "Monopoly", drawn in a 3-D style, extending his right hand. However, he no longer appears uniformly on every ''Monopoly'' game box.<ref>[http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com/SearchResults.htm?SWD=monopoly&CDT=1369141083 Hasbro Toy Shop] page for Monopoly. The mascot character appears only on the Standard Edition set.</ref><ref>[http://www.usaopoly.com/games?terms=1 USAopoly] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130524212754/http://www.usaopoly.com/games?terms=1 |date=2013-05-24 }} page for Monopoly. The mascot character appears on only about half of the editions shown.</ref>
In 1988, Orbanes published the first edition of his book ''The Monopoly Companion''. In the book, all of the characters that appear on the ''Monopoly'' board or within the decks of cards received a name. Uncle Pennybags' full name was given as '''Milburn Pennybags''', the character "In Jail" is named "Jake, the Jailbird", and the police officer on Go to Jail is named "Officer Mallory".<ref name="HowGot" />
In 1999, Rich Uncle Pennybags was renamed Mr. Monopoly. That year, a ''Monopoly Jr.'' CD-ROM game was released in cereal boxes as part of a General Mills promotion. It introduced Mr. Monopoly's niece and nephew, Sandy and Andy.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}}
According to the book, ''Monopoly: The World's Most Famous Game & How It Got That Way'' and ''The Monopoly Companion'', Mr. Monopoly has a second nephew named Randy, although the ''Monopoly Companion'' mistakenly refers to Sandy as a boy. ''Monopoly: The World's Most Famous Game & How It Got That Way'' also states that Mr. Monopoly has a wife named Madge.<ref name="HowGot">{{Cite book |first=Philip |last=Orbanes |url=https://archive.org/details/monopolycompanio00orba_0/page/204/mode/2up |title=The Monopoly Companion: The Player's Guide : The Game from A to Z, Winning Tips, Trivia |publisher=Adams Media Corporation |date=September 1999 |page=205 |isbn=978-1-58062-175-5 |access-date=2009-06-26 |via=Archive.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|first=Laura |last=Vanderkam |url=http://www.american.com/archive/2007/march-0307/just-visiting |title=Just Visiting |website=American.com |date=March 21, 2007 |access-date=2009-06-26}}</ref> He is named as the sixth richest fictional character in the 2006 ''Forbes Fictional 15'' list on its Web site and the ninth richest in 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/2006/11/20/uncle-pennybags-money-tech-media_cx_de_06fict15_monopoly.html |title=The Forbes Fictional 15 - #6 Mr. Monopoly |work=Forbes |date=2006-11-20 |access-date=2009-06-26 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120916115904/http://www.forbes.com/2006/11/20/uncle-pennybags-money-tech-media_cx_de_06fict15_monopoly.html |archive-date=2012-09-16 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Legacy== In 2017, a staff member<ref>[https://twitter.com/iansmadrig Ian Madrigal] (known publicly at the time as A. Werner)</ref> of the activist group Public Citizen who dressed as Mr. Monopoly with an added monocle gained Internet and media attention<ref>{{Cite news |last=Calfas |first=Jennifer |date=October 4, 2017 |title=We Spoke To the 'Monopoly Man' Who Photobombed the Senate Equifax Hearing |work=Money.com |url=https://money.com/monopoly-man-equifax-hearing/ |url-status=live |access-date=2017-12-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128014428/https://money.com/monopoly-man-equifax-hearing/ |archive-date=November 28, 2020}}</ref> by photobombing the CEO of Equifax during a US Senate hearing relating to that credit bureau's data security breach from earlier that same year.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.gq.com/story/equifax-monopoly-man-interview|title=A Chat with the Viral "Monopoly Man" Who Trolled the Equifax Senate Hearing|last=Chiel|first=Ethan|date=2017-10-04|work=GQ|access-date=2017-10-04|language=en}}</ref> It was an attempt to bring attention to the use of "forced arbitration" to circumvent consumers' rights to sue financial companies in court.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2017/10/06/555979792/how-monopoly-man-won-the-internet|title=How Monopoly Man Won the Internet|last=Romo|first=Vanessa|date=2017-10-06|work=GQ|access-date=2017-10-06|language=en}}</ref>
While Google CEO Sundar Pichai testified before Congress on December 11, 2018, a person costumed in a white mustache and black bowler hat as the Monopoly Man was among those seated behind him.<ref name="MonopolyManCongressCNBC">{{cite web |url= https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/11/monopoly-man-returns-to-congress-for-google-ceo-pichais-hearing.html |title= A person dressed up like the guy from Monopoly sat behind Google's CEO as he testified before Congress |author= Lauren Feiner |date= December 11, 2018 |work= CNBC |access-date= December 12, 2018 |quote= Ian Madrigal, the person who identified themselves as the Monopoly Man, said the act is a protest of the internet company's alleged inability to self-regulate when it comes to protecting consumer data. }}</ref>
On September 12, 2023, Ian Madrigal again dressed as the Monopoly Man following Kent Walker, the President of Global Affairs at Alphabet Inc., to Google's antitrust trial ''United States v. Google LLC'' (2023) at federal court in Washington, D.C.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Harshawn Ratanpal |date=2023-10-05 |title=Google ramped up federal lobbying ahead of DOJ antitrust showdown |language=en |work=Open Secrets |url=https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/10/google-ramped-up-federal-lobbying-ahead-of-doj-antitrust-showdown/ |access-date=2023-10-07}}</ref>
''Clue: Candlestick'', a mystery comic book by Dash Shaw based on the board game ''Clue'', features Rich Uncle Pennybags in a cameo. He is referred to as "Milburn".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.adventuresinpoortaste.com/2020/01/28/clue-candlestick-review/|title=CLUE: Candlestick Review|last=Wilding|first=Rory|date=28 January 2020|access-date=2020-02-14|archive-date=2020-02-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200214062107/https://www.adventuresinpoortaste.com/2020/01/28/clue-candlestick-review/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Vault Boy, the mascot of the ''Fallout'' video game series, is based partly on Rich Uncle Pennybags.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.duckandcover.cx/content.php?id=7|title=Tim Cain interview on the Duck and Cover}}</ref>
Mr. Monopoly is also the subject of an instance of the Mandela effect – the phenomenon of shared false memories – where he is allegedly depicted as wearing a monocle, which he did not do until after this false memory gained traction.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bannon |first=Jessica Lyn |date=2022-01-16 |title=Rich Uncle Pennybags didn't wear a monocle — and other false memories |url=https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/589505-rich-uncle-pennybags-didnt-wear-a-monocle-and-other-false-memories/ |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=The Hill |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-09-05 |title=The Mandela Effect: Poll shows most Americans misremember Darth Vader quote, Monopoly logo |url=https://abc7.com/mandela-effect-false-memory-yougov-polling/12198338/ |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=ABC7 Los Angeles}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Prasad |first1=Deepasri |last2=Bainbridge |first2=Wilma A. |date=2022 |title=The Visual Mandela Effect as Evidence for Shared and Specific False Memories Across People |journal=Psychological Science |volume=33 |issue=12 |pages=1971–1988 |doi=10.1177/09567976221108944 |issn=1467-9280 |pmid=36219739 |s2cid=241793849}}</ref> The Mandela effect gained recognition in 2009 when Fiona Broome discovered a similar memory about Nelson Mandela's death. Prior to that there are many examples, such as a scene in ''Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls'', released in 1995, in which the character played by Jim Carrey meets a man with a monocle and mustache and refers to him as "the Monopoly guy".
==Voices== In licensed media, primarily including advertisements and video games, Mr. Monopoly has been voiced by several voice actors including Tony Waldman,<ref>{{cite web|title=Home|url=https://www.tonywaldman.com/|publisher=Tony Waldman Voiceover|access-date=November 18, 2024}}</ref> Tony Pope,<ref name="Party Credits">{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/ps2_Monopoly_Party_USA/page/n35/mode/2up|title=Monopoly Party instruction manual|author=Runecraft|author-link=Runecraft (company)|publisher=Infogrames|year=2002}}</ref> Wendell Johnson, Dean Hagopian, Larry Moran,<ref>{{cite web|title=Tribute to Larry Moran|url=https://reelchicago.com/article/tribute-larry-moran/|date=January 11, 2018|publisher=Reel Chicago|access-date=November 13, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Larry Moran, 'funny voice man' in Parkay, Kibbles 'n Bits, Raid ads, dead at 78|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/larry-moran-funny-voice-man-in-parkay-kibbles-n-bits-raid-ads-dead-at-78/|date=January 12, 2018|publisher=Chicago Sun-Times|access-date=November 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181013134538/https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/larry-moran-funny-voice-man-in-parkay-kibbles-n-bits-raid-ads-dead-at-78/|archive-date=October 13, 2018}}</ref> Michael Cornacchia, Harry Aspinwall, Paul J. Kinney, Rowell Gormon, Richard Rapp,<ref>{{cite web|title=Monopoly Madness credits (Nintendo Switch, 2021)|url=https://www.mobygames.com/game/176476/monopoly-madness/credits/switch/|publisher=MobyGames|access-date=February 12, 2025}}</ref> and Will Ferrell.<ref>{{cite web|title='Monopoly Go!' Launches Massive Campaign Featuring Will Ferrell as Mr. Monopoly, Jason Momoa, Keke Palmer and Chris Pratt|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/gaming/monopoly-go-launches-massive-campaign-featuring-will-ferrell-as-mr-monopoly-jason-momoa-keke-palmer-and-chris-pratt/ar-AA1uidM5|date=November 18, 2024|publisher=MSN|access-date=November 18, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Mr. Monopoly Voice|url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/Monopoly/Mr-Monopoly/|website=Behind the Voice Actors}}</ref>
==References== === Citations === {{Reflist|30em}}
=== General and cited references === * {{Cite book |last=Orbanes |first=Philip E. |year=1988 |title=The Monopoly Companion |url=https://archive.org/details/monopolycompanio0000orba |edition=First |location=Boston |publisher=Bob Adams, Inc. |isbn=1-55850-950-X |oclc=19631710}} * {{Cite book |last=Orbanes |first=Philip E. |year=2004 |title=The Game Makers: The Story of Parker Brothers from Tiddledy Winks to Trivial Pursuit |url=https://archive.org/details/gamemakers00phil |edition=First |location=Boston |publisher=Harvard Business School Press |isbn=1-59139-269-1 |oclc=52214853}} * {{Cite book |last=Orbanes |first=Philip E. |author-link=Philip Orbanes |year=2006 |title=Monopoly: The World's Most Famous Game & How It Got that Way |url=https://archive.org/details/monopoly00phil |location=Cambridge, Massachusetts |publisher=Da Capo Press |isbn=0-306-81489-7 |oclc=74843226}}
==External links== * {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404025621/http://www.hasbro.com/monopoly/en_US/discover/history.cfm |date=April 4, 2012 |title=Mr. Monopoly}} * {{Bgg title|11735|''Dig''|3554|''Rich Uncle''}}
{{Monopoly}} Category:Fictional businesspeople Category:Fictional characters based on real people Category:Fictional landlords Category:Fictional philanthropists Category:Male characters in advertising Category:Mascots introduced in 1936 Category:Monopoly (game) Category:Tabletop game characters Category:Toy mascots