Talcum Freely was a wealthy childrens' clothing mogul. He was a heavyset man with short dark hair. He wore round eyeglasses and typically wore a boater-style hat. He often smoked cigars. Freely contacted Tess Trueheart at her newly-formed photography studio seeking a model for his new clothing line. Tess recommended two-year-old Sparkle Plenty, and Freely agreed that the girl would be an ideal model. Freely had a contentious relationship with Sparkle's father B.O. Plenty, who proved to be demanding and overly-protective of Sparkle during the photo shoot.