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The Gerber Baby, All Grown Up and Almost 90 Years Old

Season 5 Episode 505
Aired on 04/05/2015 | CC tv-14
In the 1920s, Gerber held a contest to find a face for their new advertising campaign. A sketch of an adorable baby, drawn by artist Dorothy Hope Smith, was selected, and for the past nine decades, shoppers have seen this iconic image at grocery stores around the world. Today, the original Gerber baby, Ann Turner Cook, is almost 90 years old.

Although she may be one of the most recognizable children of all time, Ann says she hasn't given much thought to her modeling gig. "All the years when I went to college and so forth, I didn't tell people that I was the model for the Gerber baby," she says. "That would seem a little self-promoting."

Ann, who was about 4 months old when the sketch was drawn, says it's the artist who deserves the recognition. "Dorothy Hope Smith doesn't get as much credit as she should," Ann says. "I think she captured an image of a happy, healthy baby, and I think that's exactly what all mothers hope that their babies will be. And I think she was only paid about $300 for the drawing."

Watch the above video to see Ann share photos from her childhood. Plus, Ann reveals how she's been compensated over the years.

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