Walter Diemer

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Walter E. Diemer (8 January 1905—8 January 1998) was an accountant and inventor of bubble gum. He married Adelaide and they had two children.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, 23 year old Diemer was working as an accountant at Fleer in 1926 when the company president sought to cut costs by making their own gum base. (Founder Frank Henry Fleer had made a batch of bubble gum in 1906 which he called Blibber Blubber, but it was too sticky, and broke too easily.)

Although an accountant by trade, Mr. Diemer liked to experiment with gum recipes in his spare time. In doing so, he accidentally stumbled upon a recipe that was totally unique.

It was less sticky (would not stick to the face) than standard chewing gum yet stretched more easily. He saw the possibilities and using a salt water taffy wrapping machine, wrapped one hundred pieces of the creation to test market in a local mom-and-pop candy store. They sold out in one day priced at one penny a piece.

Fleer began marketing the new gum as "Dubble Bubble" and Diemer himself taught salesmen to blow bubbles. This helped them to demonstrate how Dubble Bubble differed from all other chewing gums.

Sales surpasses US$ 1.5 million in the first year, at a penny a piece. Diemer did not patent his invention, and soon competition arose as bubble gum became a popular inexpensive treat during the Great Depression.

According to his wife, Walter Diemer never received royalties for his invention but he didn't mind. She also said he oversaw construction of bubble gum plants in Philadelphia and Barcelona, and travelled around the world marketing the gum. He stayed with Fleer for decades, eventually reaching the position of senior vice president as well as a member of the Board of Directors of Fleer Corporation. He retired in 1970, but remained on the board for 15 more years.

He died of congestive heart failure on his 93rd birthday. ^[1]