Freddy Rumsen
The veteran copywriter who spotted Peggy's talent, lost his job to drink and came back sober.
Frederick "Freddy" Rumsen, played by Joel Murray, is a copywriter at Sterling Cooper. Older than the other copywriters and a World War II veteran, he worked alongside Don Draper and became his friend before Don was made creative director.
Quick Facts
- Portrayed by
- Joel Murray
Reader's Guide
Freddy is the first to see Peggy Olson's potential, in "Babylon", and recommends her for the Belle Jolie campaign, which leads to her promotion to junior copywriter. Well liked but a heavy drinker, he loses his job in "Six Month Leave" when he wets himself and falls asleep before a Samsonite pitch; Peggy gives the pitch, Pete reports him, and Don and Roger take him out for a night before his "six months' leave".
In "Christmas Comes But Once a Year" a sober Freddy returns to SCDP as a freelancer, bringing the Pond's Cold Cream account from J. Walter Thompson, and clashes with Peggy over how to sell to women before the two make peace. In Season 5 he quietly looks for a new job for Peggy, which leads her to Ted Chaough. In Season 7 he passes on Don's ideas while Don is suspended, and in "The Monolith" he gets a drunk Don out of the office and tells him to "do the work".
More in Characters & Personalities
Elsewhere in Mad Men
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced