What made the bread box so special in the first place? Why not bigger than the club with which, if we are to believe cartoons and such, the caveman slew the beast and forcibly(?) conquered his mate?
What is a breadbox??
It’s a box you put bread in. Duh. 
You put your bread in a breadbox so it doens’t get stale. They’re not used much anymore. But I don’t know why they picked the phrase “bigger than a breadbox” except that everybody used to know how big a breadbox was and it sounds cool.
“Eppur, si muove!” - Galileo Galilei
Everybody used to have a breadbox. Not so much to prevent staleness as to keep the creatures out. Wonder bread needs no protection, 'cause rodents don’t recognize it as food. 
Peace,
mangeorge
Work like you don’t need the money…
Love like you’ve never been hurt…
Dance like nobody’s watching! …(Paraphrased)
mangeorge: we had the same thing when I was a kid, except that the bread’s name was Weston. You could leave it out in the open for a month or two and it wouldn’t lose any of its freshness 
Hoboy, Omni, flashback time. A sandwich made of Wonder bread, mayo, bologna (2 slices), and potato chips. Best if squished before eating.
Peace,
mangeorge
I’m pretty sure I have this right:
Steve Allen used to be on a tv quiz style show, where the panel (Steve et al) tried to guess the civilian’s occupation. Was it “What’s My Line?” ?
I think it was. Anyway, Steve would try to identify a product that the guy was affiliated with. He would ask, “Is it bigger than a breadbox?”
Why a breadbox? He said it just occured to him.
Right Dave - it was What’s My Line. I didn’t recall that it was Steve Allen - don’t think he was a regular on the panel, but yes, it became a running joke on the show. I recall breadboxes, and I think they were basically a place to store the bread, rolls, etc. I believe it had vent holes, so I don’t think it was meant to keep out critters.
P.S. - some of the names just came to me - maybe it was Fred Allen - he was a regular. Also, there was Dorothy Kilgallen, Arlene Francis, and someone else I can’t recall.
Nope, no vent holes. Grew up with 'em. Some were metal, others wood. Nary a one had holes. Maybe you’re thinking of a pie safe, which had screened holes. Again, to keep the critters out.
Peace,
mangeorge
Hmmm…“What’s My Line”, “I’ve Got A Secret”, and “To Tell The Truth” were all popular game shows and they seem to kinda ‘merge’ for me. Did some of the panelists move from one program to another? I remember Gary Moore was the host of “IGAS” - or was it “WML”? Harry Morgan, Bennet Cerf, Dorothy Kilgalen, Bill Cullen, Jayne Meadows, Steve Allen - all those names seem to be connected, but I don’t remember the exact connection. Dang, I guess I’ve killed too many brain cells to be able to figure it out!
Allow me:
“What’s My Line” was hosted by John Daly. Guests were (as mentioned) Arlene Francis, Dorothy Kilgallen, Bennett Cerf - and sometimes Steve Allen. Steve gets the credit for coming up with the breadbox question.
“I’ve Got A Secret” was hosted by Gary Moore, Bill Cullen - and Steve Allen. It had a variety of guests, but some of you might remember are Orson Bean, Betsy Palmer, and Bess Myerson. Kitty Carlisyle also was a panelist, but you probably remember her better from…
“To Tell the Truth” hosted by Bud Collier (Gary Moore was the host when it was revived in the 70’s). Other panelists were Tom Poston, Orson Bean and Peggy Cass.
um…ignore that “of” midway down.
My reference book gives credit to Steve Allen on What’s My Line.
BTW, you’re probably thinking of HENRY Morgan, a humorist and storyteller from the 1940s and '50s on I’ve Got A Secret – Harry Morgan was the actor.
All of these shows, along with The Price Is Right and a bunch of others were produced by Goodson-Todman, which explains the traveling cast of characters.
I have a bread box which I use everyday without ever giving it a thought. It’s a chrome 40’s kind of thing, and it does have ventilating holes in it. I bought it second hand for a few dollars, have had it for years now.
And yet suddenly, I feel like I’m 100 years old…
Bread box, last seen when I was a child at my Grandpa’s house. Below that was the flour bin that held about 50 pounds of flour. and could take off your hand when it slammed shut.
Maybe I should have been more specific about the critters. I’m talking about rodents. Cockroaches can find their way through a six foot thick concrete wall.
My old metal breadbox had louvers in the back. My newer wooden one has none.
At any rate, they’re pretty cool.
Peace,
mangeorge
This bread box, how big would it be?Like several loaves? I vaguely remember a plastic one. The wonder bread was so wimpy my mom used hamburger buns a lot.
A bread box would hold about a pound and a half size loaf.