Rudolph Perz was the creator of the General Mills advertising character the Pillsbury Doughboy. The animated pastry pitcher was introduced in 1965 as Poppin’ Fresh, and quickly became an audience favorite — Perz’s most notable ad invention.

Perz was working as the creative director for Leo Burnett in Chicago when he created the classic character that almost didn't make it to air. It was Burnett’s final vote that brought the Doughboy to television screens — a lovable character who would become the No. 6 ad icon of the 20th century, according to Ad Age. The Doughboy appeared as a rapper, a rock star and, in 2014, as himself, in an advertisement for Geico.

Before joining Burnett as a copy supervisor in the television and film department, Perz worked for J. Walter Thompson, where he worked on the 7-Up and Aunt Jemima accounts. He left Burnett in 1980 to work for Campbell Mithun in Minneapolis.

Perz died April 1, 2015, in Chicago, Illinois. He was 89.