Charleston Chew Vanilla is a candy bar consisting of marshmallow flavored nougat covered in a chocolate flavored coating.  It was created in 1922 by the Fox-Cross Candy Company and founded by stage actor, Donley Cross and his friend Charlie Fox.  The candy was named after the Charleston, a popular dance at the time. 

The company was purchased in 1957 by Nathan Sloane. Although Sloane did not invent the Charleston Chew, he did change original chocolate-covered vanilla nougat's original form.  In the 1970s, he introduced such new flavors as chocolate and strawberry.  Warner-Lambert purchased Charleston Chew from RJR Nabisco in 1988, then Tootsie Roll Industries purchased the brand in 1993.  "Mini Charleston Chews" are a bit-sized, similarly-shaped version of the candy bar introduced in 1998.