Mavis Beacon ISN'T REAL (Yet Still Teaches Typing!)

Mavis Beacon is A FAKE. Well, sort of. The software she's famous for, Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, was very much a real thing in 1987. But things get interesting when you dive into the character herself!
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● Music used in order of appearance:
"A Trace of Light 1," "Psychological Drama 6," "Sims Latin 1"
www.epidemicsound.com

[@mikekz4489]

If the goal was to make a 9 year old me think Mavis Beacon was a long time educator who developed her own system of teaching typing, and then got her own line of teaching software, then the publisher succeeded​.

[@tabitha8232]

Michael Kuzmanovski Ikr

[@tabitha8232]

Michael Kuzmanovski She was just such a well-established character in all the photos

[@gan0nz0ra]

I always thought that too

[@thelightskinliberian885]

Certainly what my teacher told us, when we asked who that woman was.

[@AnimalFacts]

Do NOT tell me that Carmen San Diago was nowhere in the world, Clint.

[@walterwhite1]

She was fake dude 😂

[@noob5000000]

5:57 I thought those were bullet holes before you said they were bugs. I was thinking, "Jeez, Mavis Beacon doesn't mess around when it comes to typing mistakes."

[@ravenID429]

LMAO

[@AnimalFacts]

OMG, just found out Mavis Beacon wasn't a real person. Mind blown. Childhood destroyed. Typing skills decimated. Faith in humanity lost.

[@exodius5394]

You mean mavis bacon

[@fuzzydunlop1753]

Tell me some animal facts.

[@crazyfishboy6595]

OMG 😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆 mavis beacon

[@Jakepearl13]

Humanity lost 💀 (BONGGGGGG)

[@PictureFit]

Would love a video on the origin of LGR's voice.

[@LGR]

Ha.

[@jesdadotcom]

MMM YESS WOODGRAIN MMM

[@jayrobb1862]

He tries a bit too hard to seem funny with his enunciation/cadence.

[@justinsalazar4952]

One day a long time ago LGR's dad came home with a dozen roses and a bottle of scotch.

[@xHelloElla]

The reason I can type at 120 WPM (on a good day) is because our internet was so bad when I was younger and I used to play typing for fun on Mavis Beacon

[@Krissy_Bunnie]

When I was a kid the idea of typing 60 wpm seemed impossible lol. Kudos

[@cephelos1098]

@Jumpy Cat it took you longer to type this comment than to watch this video

[@TSquared2001]

120 ain't bad AT ALL

[@Strideo1]

This title was much more successful than the little known Beavis Macon Teaches Taking, an obscure pickpocketing simulator released in that very same year.

[@_TimTurb0_]

I wish you werent full of shit. No I mean it. I wanna check that out.

[@_TimTurb0_]

@@9Dan22 I desire the booze that could put me on that kind of level lmao.

[@_TimTurb0_]

@Strideo1 sir what is ur booz of choice please respond.

[@themod3702]

There was also Tavis Beacon Teaches Taping, a very obscure taping tutor that taught kids to use Scotch tape. As you can guess, it did not do very well.

[@Strideo1]

@@_TimTurb0_ I like so many kinds of booze. But I love a Bourbon Old Fashioned or a good Gin Martini with a twist or a dram of Talisker 10 Scotch.

[@juannunez5767]

Mavis Beacon is like the spirit of Christmas. She's real inside all of us. lol

[@arielleforeman2923]

I forgot how much this program helped me. Thanks for posting. I loved the 10 key grocery games where you got food splattered on your screen when you messed up. That was the newer ones but it gave real world experience when I was like 9 🤣

[@dash1dash2]

4:12 Mavis Bacon Tayches Taping XD

[@kaitbelll]

I think Clint has a new crush.

[@LGR]

Always and forever.

[@tohothewriter8002]

the IBM PC!

[@yellowblanka6058]

+LGR "It's true I love technology....but not as much as you, you see....always and forever, always and forever...." best post-credits scene in a movie, lol.

[@DustenRust]

He did use to live in the Carribean, right? And miss Beacon moved there after she was featured on the cover. The plot thickens.

[@-taz-]

With a Haitian senior citizen?

[@davidinark]

My blood runs cold, my memory has just been sold. I never thought to research, but finding out after all these years that she was just the face of a fictional character, my childhood has been rocked!

[@11zoomzoom11]

Wow, don't see a centerfold reference just every day. Good one.

[@TheOpponent]

Are you implying the Chessmaster isn't real either??

[@TheOpponent]

I'm not ready to accept that I not only don't actually know how to type, but I don't even know how to play chess.

[@Jakepearl13]

I wish the chessmaster taught me chess as a kid

[@The8BitGuy]

Great video! I never actually tried this program, since I was proficient at typing by the time I was 7 or 8. But I still remember seeing this on store shelves for many years.

[@FerintoshFarmsPhotography]

Yeah, but if you did try it, who knows how good you would have been... You could have been twice as good, dare I say a 16 bit guy?! Dun dun da daaaaa

[@moisttowelette9153]

The 8-Bit Guy does she make bacon?!?!?!?

[@philbob9638]

There was an edition for the Commodore Amiga 500 and the commodore 64.

[@summerlaverdure]

*cough*humblebrag*cough* LOL JK you should do a video on 8-bit typing tutors, I thought there were a few

[@originalscreenname44]

PAWS.

[@Larry]

I swear they used a grandma on the UK version.

[@robertcop3736]

One hour later James Rolfe releases a video about the Mandela effect. This is really doing my head in.

[@Clide0_0]

RobertCop 2 yeah right. Shit is wild

[@neufelb]

In my dimension, LGR posted before James Rolfe though

[@Clide0_0]

Jimmy De'Souza well its incorrect but it essentially means that you thought something was real but in actually you had it wrong...huh, well yeah i guess it is pretentious lol.

Yeah it's crazy how people make videos about things that are currently popular. Blows my mind, man.

[@NewPaulActs17]

I thought it was "Robocop", not "Robertcop". I'm losing my mind tonight...

[@mayra7923]

Well into the 90s? Lol this was still being used at my middle school in 2011..........

[@drakedrake9417]

Had it at our elementary schools computers back in 2008, 09.

[@cygil1]

Did you run it in Dosbox? An emulator? On a creaking old Apple II in a back room? How were they still running it?

[@Uzedrname]

cygil1 The publishers have released more versions than just the Apple 2gs version.

[@prestoncarroll665]

Exactly

[@guardiane]

I never imagined I'd be so entertained from a video review of a typing tutor program. Thank you, sir.

[@saturnotaku]

I'm going to change my name to Benjamin Christmas Volkswagen.

[@SomeGuy_GRM]

Do It! DO IT NAOW!

[@kristianburger6329]

Dooooo iiiitttt!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@MaximilienNoal]

Bacon ! Makes greasy hands, not fit for typing.

[@HebaruSan]

1:20 - Missed opportunity: Chessmaster 2000 Wizard Teaches Typing

[@fedos]

How can I type in my name if Mavis Beacon hasn't taught me how to type yet?

[@methylators]

#mylifeisalie #givemeahandjobMavisBeacon

[@davidstaples8865]

Quake taught me how to type faster than Mavis Beacon ever did.

[@RAFMnBgaming]

waswwwwwdddaaassssdwadwdwdwadssddadadwadw wa wadwadd adddddwwwww w wwww aww w

[@drownsinkoolaid4203]

David Staples Runescape did that for me! Gotta talk fast when in the Wildy :D

[@hellogoato]

HASEnoncorperated *dipshit:* fp *dipshit:* wwwwwdawawsswawdds *dipshit has been killed by a Flesh pound*

[@mattakudesu]

David Staples mmorpgs helped me to type fast. gotta get your reply in before the scrolling text whisks it away.

[@samuelmumby7982]

Drowns In Kool Aid Trading in Lumbridge. 'Selling steal sword 1000gp' fifty times a minute

[@AmyraCarter]

I too have fond memories of this software. The voice for Mavis Beacon is very nice, almost ASMR worthy.

[@Mokkatomic]

That backspace pinky move is physically impossible

[@OFSheep]

Wait, if Mavis Beacon isn't rea;, then who did I make out with on the corner of Maple and 5th for a mcgriddle and a pack of smokes?

[@Ts6451]

A facuccubus?

[@iCach0]

getting classier and funnier at the same time with each episode, glad to be subscribed to this channel

[@LGR]

Thank you!

[@IAskForNames]

I think an interesting story would be why she went back to the Carribean after getting so much notoriety and recognition

[@misamee75]

I was pleased to see "Olivetti" being mentioned in the arcade section (5:48), as nowadays, even in Italy, it's becoming a forgotten brand (but not at the time of that game release). I wonder if the invented name "Mario Olivetti" was a homage to Mario Tchou.

[@ILikeToLaughAtYou]

I want to see someone make stories around the sentences used in these typing tutors.

[@MinoTheShow]

I learned how to type properly from Mavis Beacon, my school was still using a version of this that ran on Windows XP when I was in 6th grade in 2007. It wasn't all that much different!

[@isaacogunmuko3947]

Yeah Mavis beacon editions lessons actual have the same text set up.

[@yvonnerogers6429]

Thanks for another awesome video! These are so very relaxing! When my parents bought their first Mac in '94, they got the version of Mavis Beacon compatible for that machine. I used it a little, but I think my dad got more out of it in the end. The cover art on the box was pretty much identical to your copy, so when I saw your box it the thumbnail, it made me smile. Please keep up the good work.

[@MelissaHash]

The version I remember using in school, there was a lady who would direct you on your typing journey. Anyway, Mavis Beacon, Number Munchers, The Oregon Trail, just to name a few, were some of my first computer related games I ever got to play. Love your content, LGR!

[@billyplayfye9579]

it's amazing how far we've come with technology

[@Yamezzzz]

Pfft, next you'll be trying to tell me that that Mario guy from Mario Teaches Typing isn't real either!

[@pluhmpy6855]

JamesTavRule santa isnt reel scroob

[@lizzalkula376]

Just wanted to tell you that enjoy your vids so much that not only did I complete the video that only showed me a black screen for whatever reason but I also went to look for the game online so I could play it.... and now I'm going back to the game/typing tutor.

[@U014B]

Given you can upload your own text files, I really want to see the Angry Marine copypasta being taught.

[@pauljs75]

I'm surprised nobody commented about Clint managing 70wpm with a relatively low error ratio. Must internet a whole lot or do a lot of typing for his day job outside of LGR.

[@nonstopdemo]

4:12 '... Mavis Bacon Taeches Taping' LOL

[@classicpontiac37]

this takes me back. I learned to type using this program in the early 90's. It made computer classes in highschool a breeze already knowing how to type properly. Thanks for uploading this Clint. It brings back good memories

[@joeymoldano6246]

Well done LGR, well done! I must say that this is the best software review you've made! Enjoyfull, entertaining and superbly narrated. Congratulation, keep it up!

[@Trusteft]

I never expected to laugh so much with a video on a typing software. Thank you.

[@RealGengarTV]

Clint and Beacon, sitting in a tree.. K.i.s.s.i.n.g! (alternatively; Clint and bacon, sitting in a tree, E.A.T.I.N.G!)

[@LGR]

I'm cool with either/or.

[@39zack]

@@LGR and Barbie is under the tree saying: CLINT!! 🤣

[@henrydave6603]

I remember learning on a version of this program! Actually think it was the only typing tutor I ever used. Forget Mario, Mavis Beacon is, in my mind, the only tutor you'll ever need!

[@SeanDuffyProductions]

Oh man this takes me back, when my family had our first Windows 95 computer my mum had one of the later versions of Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing and sometimes I'd go on it too, I loved the minigames and the 3D menu system.

[@westjamp]

dear God that is a buttery smooth voice. can we just get a video of you reading a manual an providing color commentary

[@MatroxMillennium]

It seriously never occurred to me that Mavis Beacon could have been a real person. I always assumed she was a fictional character. But then again, I'm pretty sure the program my school used was not Mavis Beacon (although I am pretty sure it was still DOS-based), so I probably only had second-hand knowledge of the program anyway. My touch typing was never really that good until I got Typing of the Dead, though.

[@elysegambino1597]

WOW. I stumbled upon your video because I was explaining to my husband why I'm so good at typing without looking. I started singing "Mavis Beacon" over and over, along with a dance *mostly* executed by my shoulders, even though I don't think I ever used this program. This video is more delightful, more interesting, and more hilarious than I could have ever imagined. I'm excited to figure out what the heck your channel is about now and watch much much more of your content. Thanks so much for this excellent video!!

[@FlamingoKicker]

Love the Sims music used in the background. Very nostalgic.

[@St0rmcrash]

That's an impressively flexible program given when its from and what it runs on. I wish I could remember what typing program actually taught me to type in 6th grade. Also happy to see more of the shiny new PC AT in action. Did you have an AT before that find, or just the 5150 and XT?

[@LGR]

I had an AT before this one, but it bit the dust some years back and is still in need of repairs. It wasn't in great shape either.

[@waltbilofsky8757]

Thanks. We decided that the user had to be able to invoke any aspect of the program at any time - I guess they call that modeless - and it was a bear to implement. But it felt right. And the popup menu UI, first implemented in Chessmaster 2000, was supposed to make it possible to use the program with little or no reference to the manual. This is all standard stuff now, but in 1987 it was pretty cutting edge. Thanks, LGR, for understanding that crucial aspect of Mavis and reminding us that we didn't do too bad a job on it. - Walt Bilofsky, co-author, Mavis 1.0.

[@Therealguymins]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZvcqoOKjqx9e6M

[@ShitHappensRLY]

shit this Mandela Effect happened again

[@MagusMarquillin]

They were fictional bears in the old reality too. :)

[@travosk216]

imchasingyou you just saw the Cinemassacre vid didn't you

[@DrForrester2001]

Travos k AVGN didn't invent the Mandela Effect.

[@ShitHappensRLY]

Travos k no, I spent 5 hours reading Mandela effect subteddit

[@stonium69]

It's really interesting how people forget things in similar ways.

[@DarkShadowRage]

I like how you have the doom box in the background eclipsing it. gotta love those subtleties haha

[@AgamemnonTWC]

It looked nothing like this, but I distinctly remember my typing program being Mavis Beacon in elementary school in the 2000s. I recall her face being on screen too though, must have been one of the later releases you mentioned.

[@Eedelia01]

6:16 The halcyon years of 1809 through ASSASS

[@LeoHwzrChannel]

Mavis Beacon isnt very popular it seems. Only 1 pic in Rule34

[@newstarcadefan]

I actually had used Mavis Beacon back in high school...though it was during off times when I had to take my vocational classes. I ended up being stuck with the Cortez Peters' Championship Typing series. That was just rough.

[@iandavidwolfe]

I loved this program back in the day! Great vid Clint!

[@AgeofReason]

More evidence that we live in an actors based reality.

[@startedtech]

You've crushed my lifelong dreams, Clint

[@rameynoodles152]

You know... I really enjoy the Jazz music you put in your videos. Good choice of music :)

[@LGR]

Thanks :)

[@grantmcdade5593]

You have the best videos to watch when you're high. Been a subscriber for ages. Such different content. Well played sir.

[@LGR]

Haha, well awesome, thanks :)

[@grantmcdade5593]

You've made my night with a reply haha! Keep up the good work man.

[@theblackwidower]

What do you mean Betty Crocker isn't real!? I trusted her products! This is bullshit! I'm switching to Duncan Hines. He'll never let me down.

[@batpone]

Wait, "used well into the 90s"? We still need this program at my school in 2012! (The Windows XP version anyway)

[@batpone]

We still use*

[@hannahbella1594]

Mavis Beacon taught me typing in 1999. This video is how I discovered your channel- thank you, Mavis Beacon!

[@BenHelweg]

You can make anything interesting! Love your channel. When I was in primary (elementary) school here in Australia, we had a piece of typing software called "Kewala" made by the company Typequick. I can probably attribute my touch typing skill to that simple little program back in the day. It was an adventure game where you (playing as a koala) had to type sentences in order to progress through and had the nifty feature of letting you save your state to a 1.44mb floppy. In hindsight it was genius because everybody in the class was racing to get to the end as quickly as possible and therefore you had to get better in order to catch up!

[@rpm773]

3:50: Pick your age.... I'm guessing the selection for adults teaches typing containing a lot of off-color language and jokes involving sexual innuendo.

[@TheSmart-CasualGamer]

You type the script for Reservoir Dogs.

[@Beam626]

Don't act like Mavis isn't delicious looking.

[@HPad2]

I remember this! And haven't seen it since! Around 1999 or 2000 in 1st/2nd grade, On an IBM eduquest. I remember getting in trouble for not using Home Row keys. But yet I was the faster typing than the teacher by it was all over with lol. To this day I still never can use home row keys. I've always been a fast typer.

[@westhammer]

I just wanted to write, but it's not edutainment month, but daaamn, it is now! Already! My favourite time of the year. Great video!

[@LGR]

Thank you! Hope you enjoy the rest of the edutainment goodness incoming :)

[@thefoxoflaurels3437]

"Hey Renee, you wanna take some pictures in a suit for a couple hundos?" "Yeah sure whatever. It's not like I'll contribute to alternate dimension theory or anything lol"

[@tasospodcast8832]

There is no Mavis!

[@MagusMarquillin]

Only Zool.

[@Intermernet]

Q: Are you the KeyMaster? A: No, but I'm up to 47WPM!

[@CornshaqGaming]

Another fantastic video learned a few things.

[@MaxineAndrew]

And they say fake people aren't cool... Great vid, Clint! I too finally tried out this programme for fun years ago, although that was after I'd learned to type. It always seemed to be everywhere. ^_^

[@greyroot00]

jusf as real as hatsune miku

[@ThePiquedPigeon]

Fun typing fact: you may have noticed that on your computer keyboard there are some sort of bump on the F and J keys (usually a raised horizontal line). Those are the keys where you are supposed to put your index fingers when typing like in 4:45. When professional typists ,that usually type without ever looking down at the keyboard, take their hands away from the keyboard, they just have to put their indexes on the F and J keys, and they automatically know what keys their other fingers will end up, again without looking at the keyboard.

[@schwiftynintendonerd]

this was truly brilliant to watch, thank you !

[@TheMangaka13]

Once again LGR showcases some old DOS game which I am compelled to borrow from the internet and try for myself.

[@tonylancer7367]

Thank you for making KZbin Fridays great again! :D We like bacon too! Clearly her beauty consumed you so much you said "Mavis Bacon tayches taping" instead of "Mavis Bacon Teaches Typing" @4:12.

[@LGR]

That wasn't a mistake, it was very much on purpose as a reference to the earlier "bacon" rhyming. It's wordplay I've used since I was a kid where the first part of each word rhymes, hence "Mavis Bacon Tayches Taping."

[@tonylancer7367]

Lazy Game Reviews Lol, I guess I was the blind one. I admit, she is beautiful. #GUILTY

[@tyrroo]

Don't worry, Clint, some of us assumed you'd said it on purpose, for the giggles.

[@Mangles91Tv]

mavis bacon taches taping LOOLOLOL

[@MrJest2]

That was what I came here to note. :-)

[@Mangles91Tv]

lel

[@warmongerism]

THANK YOU LGR for making this Mavis Beacon typing video. It's how I learned to type back in 1990. Talk about nostalgia....

[@saxman112]

While the school I went to for grade school used a newer version of Mavis Beacon for some of the typing classes for certain grades, mine used Simon & Schuster's/Davidson's Typing Tutor 7 and PAWS in Typing Town.

[@RobotWillie]

Keytronic is based in my city of Spokane,WA as you saw! I had Mavis Beacon as a kid (1997-2002ish). One of the many sequel versions of course. I hated having to use it of course but I guess it payed off in the end.

[@xskramx8078]

dude you really have an amazing channel

[@daviddouillet4138]

You this man is a gentleman, by the music he puts in the videos, simple yet effective.

[@PlaystationMasterPS3]

versions of MBTT were made into the 2000s as well. I remember occasionally using a version of it on Windows XP in elementary school

[@ThatBum42]

Oh man, Mavis Beacon. This was part of my curriculum in middle school, whichever version was popular during 2004-ish. I could never get along with the whole home row use the right fingers way of typing, so I developed the way I type now (mainly middle fingers, with the ring fingers used occasionally to nab out of reach keys, and thumbs for spacebar and modifier keys), where I can easily type 85wpm. However my teacher didn't like me typing like this and told me off any time she caught me doing it, so I typed like I wanted when she wasn't around and went back to home row typing whenever she walked by. Ah, good times... :D

[@Arjay404]

Really enjoyed this video, the program was great and it's nice to hear the story behind it, hope the model got paid well, feel like she should have gotten a small royalty share, but then again when you are doing new things it's difficult to asses how big it will become, hope she is at the very least happy with being famous for being Mavis.

[@Snorbuckle]

I entirely credit my typing skills to this program to this day - it's probably the most valuable time I've spent with any piece of software.

[@ashleyh836]

Used both Mavis and Mario Teaches Typing in school. At home we had Mavis Beacon Teaches Chess along with a teaching chess set where the basic moves where on the pieces. Biggest thing I remember from Beacon on chess was castling.

[@adailydaughter6196]

This is a surprisingly cool and interesting video... I mean, considering we're discussing a typing programme 😄. Thanks for shattering our childhood world view 😩😁

[@kirabiyakaotter]

I remember my parents forcing me to learn typing with Mavis Beacon when I was 5 on the windows 98 version. Was fun to take typing classes in middle school, high school and college and get everything done by the first week

[@ZemplinTemplar]

The "Riding the Loch Ness Monster with bigfoot..." part floored me. X-D Thanks for another look at vintage office software. I don't think this particular product ever made it to Europe.

[@AustNerevar]

Hey Clint, have you ever done a video on the IBM M series keyboards?

[@The76Malibu]

I was too young for Mavis Beacon, but I had many hours done on Mario Teaches Typing for DOS. Mavis Beacon seems much more advanced considering how much older it is.

[@loopykill]

as always, very informative 😀 what is your words per minute record lol

[@KOSMOS1701A]

ah, i love videos on those old edutainment software. I hope you do some more of these later, some of them can be rather enjoyable even if they are really old.......and sometimes incorrect these days in regard to the science themed ones.

[@LGR]

I've done a ton of them, and more are to come! Every April is Edutainment Month on LGR :)

[@kbhasi]

1:56 Reminds me of a comment I saw on a Facebook page. There were these textbooks back (in Singapore) in the 1990s called "PETS" (Primary English Thematic Series), but someone called them "PESTS" textbooks back in the day.

[@porktrick3257]

We still use a newer version of this in my school. Also a couple years ago in my other school we had these really old computers and we used another version that came after this one.

[@yorgle11]

Suddenly I feel intrigued to see a rundown of the version history of this program. When I put together a retro gaming PC, I might seriously but Mavis Bacon on it. But what version? And how do I mod them with my own text?

[@lemonademegan]

I remember back in grade school, during computer lab, the teachers would put these cardboard (half) boxes over our hands/keyboards so we couldn't peak as we used various typing software (can't remember what they were). To this day I'm still terrible at typing :/ I guess I need Mavis!!! (you sold me on it Clint)

[@nobodys_winds6580]

I remember a Mavis Beacon-ish typing game. At least, the only thing I remember is me messing up multiple times and a fighter jet crashing into a bridge. Also, the main menu took place in a library of sorts. I need that game back in my life.