In 1974, the children's book "Wheedle on the Needle" debuted, offering a fanciful explanation of the blinking red light atop Seattle's Space Needle. Seattleites warmed to the gentle character of Wheedle, eventually adopting it as an icon of their city. From 1978-1985, the Seattle Supersonics made a redesigned Wheedle their mascot, and for most of the 1990s the Wheedle was the mascot for KOMO-TV (Seattle's ABC affiliate).

In this image T. Wheedle, namesake of the deli-style-restaurant Wheedle's at the Needle, entertains Melinda Wells, left, and Dodie Adams at the eatery, located on the Space Needle's 100-foot level. Wheedle's at the Needle existed as restaurant for only about a year, then was converted to a full-time banquet facility (now the Skyline Level).