Billy Mayes Dies June 28, 2009
Posted by mrlater in People in the news.Tags: billy mays, commercials, death, orangeglo, oxyclean, tv
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TV pitchman Billy Mays found dead at Florida home
AP
FILE – In this Dec. 6, 2002 file photo,TV pitchman Billy Mays poses with some AP – FILE – In this Dec. 6, 2002 file photo,TV pitchman Billy Mays poses with some of his cleaning products …
By MITCH STACY, Associated Press Writer Mitch Stacy, Associated Press Writer
TAMPA, Fla. – Billy Mays, the burly, bearded television pitchman known for his boisterous hawking of products such as Orange Glo and OxiClean, has died. He was 50.
Tampa police said Mays was found unresponsive by his wife Sunday morning. A fire rescue crew pronounced him dead at 7:45 a.m.
There were no signs of a break-in, and investigators do not suspect foul play, said Lt. Brian Dugan of the Tampa Police Department, who wouldn’t answer any more questions about how Mays’ body was found because of the ongoing investigation. The coroner’s office expects to have an autopsy done by Monday afternoon.
“Although Billy lived a public life, we don’t anticipate making any public statements over the next couple of days,” said Mays’ wife, Deborah. “Our family asks that you respect our privacy during these difficult times.”
Tampa area media outlets reported that Mays was a passenger on a U.S. Airways flight that made a rough landing on Saturday afternoon at Tampa International Airport, apparently blowing its front tires in an incident that left debris on the runway.
Tampa Bay’s Fox television affiliate interviewed Mays after the incident.
“All of a sudden as we hit you know it was just the hardest hit, all the things from the ceiling started dropping,” MyFox Tampa Bay quoted him as saying. “It hit me on the head, but I got a hard head.”
U.S. Airways officials said Sunday they could not immediately confirm that Mays was a passenger.
Born William Mays in McKees Rocks, Pa., on July 20, 1958, Mays developed his style demonstrating knives, mops and other “as seen on TV” gadgets on Atlantic City’s boardwalk. For years he worked as a hired gun on the state fair and home show circuits, attracting crowds with his booming voice and genial manner.
After meeting Orange Glo International founder Max Appel at a home show in Pittsburgh in the mid-1990s, Mays was recruited to demonstrate the environmentally friendly line of cleaning products on the St. Petersburg-based Home Shopping Network.
Commercials and informercials followed, anchored by the high-energy Mays showing how it’s done while tossing out kitschy phrases like, “Long live your laundry!”
Recently he’s been seen on commercials for a wide variety of products and is featured on the reality TV show “Pitchmen” on the Discovery Channel, which follows Mays and Anthony Sullivan in their marketing jobs. He’s also been seen in ESPN ads.
His ubiquitousness and thumbs-up, in-your-face pitches won Mays plenty of fans. People line up at his personal appearances for autographed color glossies, and strangers stop him in airports to chat about the products.
“I enjoy what I do,” Mays told The Associated Press in a 2002 interview. “I think it shows.”
Mays liked to tell the story of giving bottles of OxiClean to the 300 guests at his wedding, and doing his ad spiel (“powered by the air we breathe!”) on the dance floor at the reception. Visitors to his house typically got bottles of cleaner and housekeeping tips.
Discovery Channel spokeswoman Elizabeth Hillman released a statement Sunday extending sympathy to the Mays family.
“Everyone that knows him was aware of his larger-than-life personality, generosity and warmth,” Hillman’s statement said. “Billy was a pioneer in his field and helped many people fulfill their dreams. He will be greatly missed as a loyal and compassionate friend.”
I am saddened by the death of Billy Mayes. He had a unique way of pitching goods. He was one of a kind……..
Billy always had that voice and way about himself that was one of a kind!! ill miss the new show (pitchmen) every week! My prayers & thoughts to Billy’s family & friends! WE’LL MISS YOU BILLY! LATE NIGHT T.V. WILL NEVER BE THE SAME!!!!!!! YOURS TRULEY, THE ASCHOFF FAMILY (EDDIE,KAY,JOEY&KADIE
Billy, I’m here to tell you about OXI-CLEAN !! I love impersinating you! You were great !!!!
We couldn’t believe it when we heard the bad news. We really enjoyed seeing him on TV. God bless his family in their time of mourning and their healing process.
WOW! What a week of sadness. We have lost many great enertainers. I loved watchine his commercials. I watch Billy’s TV show Pitchman for the first times this morning Sunday June 28, 2009. I loved it. Two hours later I found out about his passing. I am so sad. I feel I lost a friend I had just made. I give his family my best through this hard time.
This is so shocking and so hard to believe. My husband I watch “Pitchman” all the time, because it was so funny! You truly were an awesome person!!!
billy ..i always hated infomercials but loved yours….you will be sadly missed may god bless you and your family
Very interesting, his charisma was definitely attention grabbing which is the whole idea behind marketing. He had the craft down pat. RIP
Come Visit
http://thelifeofabundance.com/blog/
What’s with all these famous people dying? I feel so sorry for their families. You were a once in a lifetime person. there will never be another one of you. RIP Billy
oxi clean works better than anything else ive ever used.
to young to die, between Ed, Farrah, Michael and now Billy, this has been a horrible month. may you all RIP
It’s been a sad week with four high profile deaths. Billy Mays was a guy that everyone could relate to and it seemed that his career was just taking a new fork in the road with all the recent press coverage.
I bet there will be a lawsuit now against the airlines..
We should all go to his funeral and start screaming about THE STAIN FIGHTING POWER OF OXYCLEAN!!!!!!! (not in a rude way, i mean as a tribute to him)
man, just yesterday i was watching his commercial and thinking, he’s so funny when he’s loud… and today i came across this news… loved how loud he was, and i LOVE oxi-clean
billy i know your selling stuff in heaven now and i hope they dont cut your new tv show because of this it really helps a lot of people
rest in peace .. i pray for the families the most in these past 2 weeks of people dying.. what is god telling us? we never will know what time it is for us to part our ways.. i hope they are having the best time in paradise.. HEAVEN.. much love
I was so saddened when I heard about Billy Mays’ death. His shouting got annoying but man he could sell a product! He’s become such an icon in advertising.
Simply a tragedy. My heart goes out to his family during this most difficult time. He was a a original, one of a kind person, know matter if you loved him or not. He funneled millions of people to make a buying decision from their couch and elevated the bar and brought tremendous credibility to his profession.
- the big guy upstairs must have needed him more than we did
- what a beauty
Billy,
You will be miss .The Lord gives and he takes away. To the family he was one of a kind
Flamonte
You will be missed! I love your show Pitchmen, the best one was with the skunk, “What Odor” My family and I was cracking up over that one!
My heart goes out to your family during this time, and I hope to see your boy walking in your footsteps!
We will all miss hearing your voice. You will be missed. May your family soon be filled with loving and happy memories of you. God Bless
I am more shocked at this one than MJ’s passing. Truely tragic!
I will NOT be drying my tears with a sham-wow though in honor of Billy!!!
Don’t drink the Orange-Glo!
we will miss billy god bless him
Hey to the family, So sorry for the loss of your loved one we all at my house enjoyed and recited his commercials. Tried nearly all of the products. Yes it has been a very sad week!!
What a shock we just saw Billy the other night on the new Conan O’Brien show. Sorry to the family, what a great loss, Billy will be missed by many.
billy could sell me anything with his charsasmatic voice and personality . one of the original last Pitchmen , that learned from the best on the jersy boardwalk , so sorry for the family , i will truly miss him selling products and being so vivacious and genuine . RIP , see ya’ll in heaven someday
You are so right,I really believe he could sell a slap chopper to vince
[...] Billy Mayes Dies TV pitchman Billy Mays found dead at Florida home A FILE – In this Dec. 6, 2002 file photo,TV pitchman Billy Mays [...] [...]
I am very sorry for your loss…I only knew Billy from watching him on T.V But just from that, I can tell he was a wonderful man. I know all the hurt you feel in your heart…My Mom ( Eva Anderson) also passed last week 6/22/09 She and Billy are both in the hands of our Savior.
Deborah Kirby
Thanks guys, good info.
Great post. this is what I looking for, thanks
bummer i watched his commecials since i was 4 and now this isay rest in peace billy beacause of him the power of orange glo and oxi clean shall live on in our hearts u rule man!!!!
I loved Billy and my son got the greatest kick out of him. He would walk around impersonating him non stop. We will miss him. RIP Billy. You will be remembered forever, Jackie, Tyler and Jarred
thank you for this information. I hope u ll go on helping us to learn this kind of important issues Eğlence ve hüznün bir arada yaşandığı bir dünya.!!!