logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2025
49m 9s

The Queen of Tupperware

NPR
About this episode
Who ushered housewives into the workforce and plastic storage containers into America’s kitchens? Today on the show, the rise and fall of Brownie Wise, the woman behind Tupperware's plastic empire — and a revolution in women’s work.

Guests:
Alison Clarke, author of Tupperware, the Promise of Plastic in 1950s America
Bob Kealing, author of Life of the Party: The Remarkable Story of How Brownie Wise Built, and Lost, a Tupperware Party Empire

To access bonus episodes and listen to Throughline sponsor-free, subscribe to Throughline+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/throughline.


See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy
Up next
Today
How two swing states changed American voting
Today on the show, the balance of Congressional power is up for grabs in this midterm election. It could be determined by a small number of voters in a few battleground states. Blueprints from the past could be the guide for big wins. The GOP has embraced a block-the-vote strateg ... Show More
50m 11s
Sep 10
How baseball got its beat
Major League Baseball’s postseason is just a few weeks away, and here on Throughline we know the power of a good walk-up song. But how did baseball become such a musical sport? And where did the idea for walk up-music come from? Guests:John Thorn, author and Official Baseball His ... Show More
32m 3s
Sep 8
Is it time for a Luddite Renaissance?
Calling someone a "Luddite" is usually an insult – shorthand for someone who is behind the times. But the real Luddites weren't just afraid of change; they were a labor movement fighting to save their jobs from being replaced by machines. Today, with the rise of AI, many feel the ... Show More
16m 46s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2023
The Tupperware Queen
July 2, 1957. At the annual Tupperware jubilee in Florida, company VP Brownie Wise is admiring her handiwork. 1,200 people have convened on her private island for a luau—complete with live lobsters, orchid leis and prizes for Tupperware’s top sellers. Most of the people here owe ... Show More
29m 15s
Aug 2023
Brownie Wise: The creator of Tupperware parties
In the 1950s, self-made businesswoman Brownie Wise transformed the fortunes of Tupperware by inspiring thousands of housewives to sell it at parties.Her methods for motivating staff included selling the dress off her back and holding annual parties at the company's headquarters.B ... Show More
9m 12s
May 2015
How Tupperware Works
<p>Tupperware won immediate design acclaim when it was released in 1947, but it took a pioneering female executive to make a line of plastic food storage into an icon of the American postwar boom. Learn about the surprisingly intriguing history of Tupperware.</p><p> </p> Learn mo ... Show More
37m 15s
Mar 2025
How Tupperware took over our homes, with Decoder Ring
Tupperware is the stealthy star of our modern homes. These plastic storage containers are ubiquitous in our fridges, pantries, and closets. But the original product was revolutionary. So was its breakthrough sales strategy: the Tupperware Party.Led in part by a charismatic housew ... Show More
28m 26s
Jul 2018
Brownie Wise - “The Art Of Selling”
Brownie Wise didn't just sell Tupperware, she revolutionized sales strategies and created lasting opportunities for working mothers. However, her volatile relationship with Earl Tupper cost her job, her contacts, and for years, her credit for making Tupperware a household name. S ... Show More
1h 5m
Apr 2023
Tupperware’s Party is over
<p> In today’s episode for 13th April 2023, we explore the rise and fall of the plastic container giant Tupperware. </p> 
5m 53s
Dec 2023
SMNTY Classics: A DIY Guide to Martha Stewart
How did Martha Stewart get her start? How did she lose -- and recover -- her reputation and wealth? Is Martha Stewart good for women? Tune in for the answers to these questions and more in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
33m 37s
Oct 2025
How the Trad Wife Took Over
Scrutiny of the figure of the “trad wife” has hit a fever pitch. These influencers’ accounts feature kempt, feminine women embracing hyper-traditional roles in marriage and home-making—and, in doing so, garnering millions of followers. On this episode of Critics at Large, Vinson ... Show More
45m 35s
Apr 2023
Get in loser, we're selling tupperware! (with Sophie Dickinson)
The director's cut version of Mina's "let's discuss MLMs, Pyramid Schemes, and Grindset Culture video she published onto Youtube on Monday. In this expanded edition, she shares listener stories, debunks bogus claims by MLMs like Young Living, and talks with journalist Sophie Dick ... Show More
1h 16m