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Pitchman Billy Mays Found Dead

By TOM BARLOW, ON LOAN FROM WALLETPOP.COM
Posted: 2009-06-29 13:41:35
Filed Under: Small Business, Marketing
Jeffrey Ufberg, WireImage
The man who made "loud" his trademark in television advertising, Billy Mays, was found dead this morning in his Tampa, FL home at the age of 50. The cause for his death is not yet known, although there are no indications at this time that foul play is suspected. The local medical examiner will perform an autopsy on Monday.

CNN is reporting that Mays was aboard a US Airways flight that blew a tire while landing at Tampa International on Saturday night, and that the pitchman told a local reporter that he had been struck by falling baggage. At the time he said that he had not been injured.

Mays, who over the past two decades became the quintessential late-night, direct-sale pitchman, first perfected his patter hawking wares on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City and in fairs and consumer shows. He worked the circuit for twelve years before meeting the company owner who would change his life.

Max Appel, the founder of Orange Glo International, became acquainted with Mays while selling his products at the same fairs, and eventually hired Mays as the company's spokesman. Taking advantage of the rapidly expanding cable television market and the Home Shopping Network, Appel and Mays began pitching Oxy-Clean in no-nonsense, hard-sell TV ads. Ads for other products from Appel's company, such as Orange Glo and Kaboom soon followed.

As his reputation grew, Mays took on new clients, selling a potpourri of products such as the Awesome Auger, Ding King, Mighty Putty, Simoniz, Samurai Shark and Impact Gel Insoles. Earlier this year, Mays even appeared in a tongue-in-cheek ad for ESPN.

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    In April, Mays and fellow huckster Anthony Sullivan were the subjects of a Discovery Channel documentary, Pitchman. The two appeared together on the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien only last week.

    Mays will be missed by the 'As Seen on TV' product industry, but also by comedians, for whom he provided a wealth of satire opportunities. However, the number and variety of his clients demonstrates that, despite the ridicule which he attracted, Mays had a crucial ability so rare in spokepersons; he could actually sell product.

    There is a reason that the carnie huckster, the county fair pitchman, the fast-talking salesman are an American icon; we are both repelled and entertained by them. Billy Mays, the archetype, has left a loud, loud mark on the advertising world and late-night television.

    2009-05-03 15:02:45
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    covert1970 10:16:20 AM Jul 24 2009

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    to dotrixed. Yes and you probably have a sixth grade educatiion and spend twelve or more hours per day in front of the BOOB TUBE ! He was the idol of all your type of uneducated individuals who fell for the jubk these people ply on television. i allow my son an hour and a half a day of T.V. and he is fourteen. he reads do0es internet research and yes i have parental controls to keep him in line plus he does volounteer work helping the less fortunate in our society as I do. Wake up people and do something for the good of mankind instead of being vcouch pigs and supporting those who would sell you junk at inflated prices. You are quite the lot, any and all of you that love these idiots !

    covert1970 10:09:15 AM Jul 24 2009

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    What a boorish, loud, intrusive, situation this was ! Due to his brash , audio enhanced pitches, i would switch a T. V. cahnnel in an inastant. even if the product were great I wouldn't have bought it due to the manner in which it was presented ! The same thing with the "Sham Wow" guy, I turn the chanel any time I am watching an interesting news or other show when these trolls come yelling at me. Reminds me of County Fairs and the hawkers there ! Scam artists all, tha have never really used a single one of these products themselves in a real worlsd situation ! Good riddance, not to the human being but the trade he plied !

    matthewmarshroi 04:10:36 PM Jul 04 2009

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    Billy was an awesome pitch man. We will miss him, yet he will still be selling! Check out this new product for babies, really saves time. www.prlog.org/10273168

    mtjp555 04:45:29 AM Jul 01 2009

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    In memory of Billy tomorrow the Discovery Channel is running an all day Pitchman Marathon.......(Will be just like tv any day of the week past 2:00 am) I'm sure Billy was a great guy and will be sadly missed by those who knew him....but dang....wish he could have used his powers for good. Personally I hate infomercials..... nothing but annoying inflated hype over useless products I'll never use. But it worked for him so ..... rest in peace Billy.

    nmeek48409 11:47:25 PM Jun 30 2009

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    Hope he had a will. Our father, an attorney had a will and looked what happened to his estate............http://youtube.com/watch?v=d_PiKumEPVU

    asleep1020 05:07:21 PM Jun 30 2009

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    UMMMMM, Wasn't this news 2 days ago?

    spiritridinghi 01:05:11 PM Jun 30 2009

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    Know who he was by his commercials, but want miss him. He was a human being, and I hate that anyone dies, but we all face that sooner or later. Hate that Farrah and Micheal died also. May God keep all their souls.

    enurse 11:07:38 AM Jun 30 2009

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    The passing of Bily Mays and the other celebrities who passed this week should remind all of us how fragile and short life is and that we should all make each and every day count. I would hope that the people who "hated or disliked" these people remember that they have at some point in their lives have affected someone in a negative way. How does it feel to know that you are being talked about in the same way you are talking about others.

    shopdaddyocom 04:41:14 AM Jun 30 2009

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    RIP Billy

    ladybizznes 02:25:32 AM Jun 30 2009

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    I bet you want keep digging up old dirt on Billy Mays like you keep doing on the late Michael Jackson, you'll have your day.

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