<P> Upon his death Smokey's remains were transported to a U.S. Forest Service facility in Capitan, where he was buried . The facility is now a forest fire / Smokey interpretive center . In the garden adjacent to the interpretive center is the bear's grave . Thousands every year stop by to pay homage . </P> <P> The character became a notable part of American popular culture in the 1950s . He appeared on radio programs, in comic strips, and in cartoons . </P> <P> In 1952, after Smokey Bear attracted considerable commercial interest, the Smokey Bear Act, an act of Congress, was passed to remove the character from the public domain and place it under the control of the Secretary of Agriculture . The act provided for the use of Smokey's royalties for continued education on the subject of forest fire prevention . More than three million dollars have been collected . </P> <P> A Smokey Bear doll was produced by Ideal Toys beginning in 1952; the doll included a mail - in card for children to become Junior forest rangers . Within three years half a million children had applied . In April 1964, the character was given his own ZIP code (postal code): 20252 . </P>

When did smokey the bear became smokey bear