Talk:Billiken

Untitled
I can't figure out how to make the footnotes work automatically. Can someone fix it up for me? Stephen Aquila 03:45, 20 February 2006 (UTC)

I suggest that this article be updated for the lack of articles. As noted by the most definitive sources on the origin, the Billiken is refered to with "the" and "a", marking that the Billiken is not treated like a singular being but a type of character. Quippe 05:15, 1 December 2006 (UTC)

The article says "The Billiken should not be confused with baby-like Kewpie figures that debuted in the December 1909 Ladies' Home Journal." I most certainly think it should be confused with the Kewpie. The look startlingly similar. It should not be referred to as a Kewpie. But certainly confused. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.143.201.45 (talk) 17:20, 17 March 2013 (UTC)

= Trademark/Copyright =

Article says the Billiken doll was the first copyrighted doll. I suspect that the term 'trademarked' is meant here. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.153.241.162 (talk) 20:04, 13 June 2008 (UTC)

I know of no proof that the billiken was named after William Howard Taft, and would like to know where this idea comes from. There were little statues called "Billy Can" and Billy Can't" that sat on toilet seats, and it makes the most sense that the word "billiken" is derived from Billy Can, and the posture of the billiken is adapted from the Billy Can sitting on the toilet, smiling proudly... —Preceding unsigned comment added by Weisner (talk • contribs) 17:50, 19 October 2008 (UTC)

Sorry, signing outWeisner (talk) 21:48, 19 October 2008 (UTC)


 * I agree with Weisner. There is nothing in the William Howard Taft wikilink that suggests Billiken was named after Taft.  Thus, the reference to Billiken/Taft needs to be withdrawn or cited.  I have placed a "citation requested" tag appropriately. 24.170.225.180 (talk) 20:04, 28 January 2010 (UTC)

Chairman Cigarettes
A match-holder in the form of a porcelain figure of a billiken was used by R.J. Lea, a Manchester (U.K.) cigarette company to promote `Chairman'-brand cigars and cigarettes in tobacconist shops. I have only a website and personal observations to support this, but if anyone has reliable sources on this subject, they may wish to add these facts to the article. Barney Bruchstein (talk) 22:09, 5 February 2020 (UTC)

= Ranma vs. Billiken = I have deleted the mention to the Ranma movie. Is not significative, as many other mangas/animes with the Seven Gods did not talk about Billiken, too. --213.37.241.232 (talk) 16:09, 2 December 2008 (UTC)

A strange error
When the park closed in 2018, the wooden statue of the Billiken went missing. Oops... --Sergeirichard (talk) 08:29, 18 February 2009 (UTC)

Erroneous Crocodile Dundee reference
I removed the sentences, "In the movie Crocodile Dundee, the Paul Hogan character Mick Dundee says to the cab driver, 'Get on the right side of the road, you Billiken.' Australians may be familiar with the word Billiken based on the 1910 song produced there titled "My Little Billiken" by Sadie D'astro with music by James E. Dodd."

First of all, the line uttered by Paul Hogan's character is, "Get on the right side of the road, you pelican," not Billiken. Second, the sentences were under the section about the Billiken as a sports mascot. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Aelogan (talk • contribs) 22:11, 24 March 2013 (UTC)

A further source
I don't want to plunge into working on this article, but for whoever is working on it, a useful source:


 * Dorothy Jean Ray, "The Mystery of the Billiken", Alaska magazine, September 1960. Online version. Also reprinted in Jill Shepherd (ed.), The Last Frontier: Incredible Tales of Survival, Exploration, and Adventure from Alaska Magazine. Globe Pequot, 2004, ISBN 1592285686.

- Jmabel | Talk 19:08, 25 August 2009 (UTC)


 * I see, it's there, just referenced confusingly in the external links, and not alluded to in the body of the article. This needs cleanup. Guess I'll try to do at least some of it. - Jmabel | Talk 19:14, 25 August 2009 (UTC)


 * OK, the Ray article is now cited more cleanly. Our article could still use enormous work in terms of citation and probably general cleanup. - Jmabel | Talk 04:42, 26 August 2009 (UTC)

External links modified
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External links modified
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 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20120307154403/http://www.moviefone.com/movie/billiken/1187411/synopsis to http://www.moviefone.com/movie/billiken/1187411/synopsis
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Is Billiken a deity?
Serious question. Is Billiken considered by theologists as a deity, like many short-lived others before and after that period? Syced (talk) 07:14, 30 August 2018 (UTC)

Charm doll
The introductory sentence says Billiken is a "charm doll", but the link just goes to the page on dolls in general. What does this phrase mean? Can it be clarified? 108.26.160.33 (talk) 16:03, 24 November 2023 (UTC)