Reprinted From Fox News
Television pitchman Billy Mays — who built his fame by appearing on commercials and infomercials promoting household products and gadgets — died Sunday.
Mays, 50, was found unresponsive by his wife inside his Tampa, Fla., home at 7:45 a.m. on Sunday, according to the Tampa Police Department.
Police said there were no signs of forced entry to Mays’ residence and foul play is not suspected. Authorities said an autopsy should be complete by Monday afternoon.
“Although Billy lived a public life, we don’t anticipate making any public statements over the next couple of days. Our family asks that you respect our privacy during these difficult times,” Mays wife, Deborah, said in a statement on Sunday.
Mays was well known for his numerous television promotions of such products as Orange Glo and OxiClean. He was also featured on the reality TV show “Pitchmen” on the Discovery Channel, which followed Mays and Anthony Sullivan in their marketing jobs.
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 was on board a US Airways flight that blew out its front tires as it landed at a Tampa airport on Saturday, MyFOXTampa.com reported.
US Airways spokesman Jim Olson said that none of the 138 passengers and five crew members were injured in the incident, but several passengers reported having bumps and bruises, according to the station.
Authorities have not said whether Mays’ death was related to the incident.
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.”
Tags: billy mays, billy mays dies, billymays
I WAS SHOCKED TO HEAR OF BILLY’S PASSING .I WOULD STAY UP ALL NIGHT WATCHING INFOMERCIALS.BILLY WAS THE BEST OF ALL.HIS SMILE AND ENERGY WAS CONTAGIOUS. TO HIS FAMILY MY DEEPEST CONDOLENCES AND SORROW .NO ONE COULD EVER TAKE HIS PLACE IN INFOMERCIALS. GOD BLESS TO THE FAMILY OF `”BILLY BAYS”
DEL MAR, Calif., – He pitched products like Orange-Glo and Oxi-Clean, and for many Billy Mays was known as the father of the pitchman. He was found dead inside his home in Tampa, Florida. Some reports say that Mays may have hit his head while on a flight from Philadelphia to Tampa. However, a cause of death is yet to be determined.
In the meantime, vendors at the San Diego County Fair remembered the death of the man they considered a master of his craft. His famous intro of “Hi. Billy Mays here,” was seen through millions of household televisions throughout the coutry. He pitched tons of products from detergents to insurance. At the fair, pitchmen trying to be like Billy, were hit hard from his death, especially vendor Alan Rappoport.
“He never forgot where he came from. He took care of every pitchman that needed help. We’re going to miss him dearly,” said Rappoport.
Rappoport said that he worked with Billy for ten years travelling from state-to-state, fair-to-fair. He said he also worked with Billy years ago. “We worked right in there. The wash-matic we worked. It was a car wash thing. We worked it here. That was 25 years ago,” he said.
He said he woke up devastated by Mays’ death. Which is why his nametag also says “in memory of Billy.” “Remember him well, he was a good man,” he said.
Black ribbons were also placed on the booths of vendors selling detergents, sweepers, cheese-mills, and “sham-wows.” For vendors at the fair, he was the “father of the pitchman.” “He brought a little bit of light to what we do in this business,” said vendor Teresa Maxwell. “Billy would stand behind a product, that he thought was a good product, and if he didn’t like it, he wouldn’t sell it,” said vendor Jason Pappas. “He was exciting, and it made the product exciting. So when people see the excitement, they want to get involved,” said vendor Mike Day.
R.I.P BILLY MAYS.YOU MAY BE GONE BUT YOU WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN
YOU WERE THE BEST IN YOUR COMMERCIALS.NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE YOUR PLACE.GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
He SURLY HAS A PLACE IN HEAVEN !! Our Thoughts & Prayers Go Out To His Family & Friends, Which We Know He Had MANY!!! Thanks For Your Time BILLY !!!
Billy Mays Is what You Would’ve Liked To Had as A; Brother, Friend, Or Dad, He WAS A Genuine & REAL!! You KNow He Had To Work Hard To Get Where He WAS!! Someone Your SON Or Daughter Could Look Up To. He WILL SURELY BE MISSED!!! He Will Not Be Replaced, 1 Of A KIND! I Always Joked To My Wife about How He Used His Hands, But, That Was His Style, He Could Make You Pay attention, Seemed Like a Real GentleMan & WILL BE MISSED!! THANKS FOR YOUR TIME BILLY !!!!!
It sure will be nice to watch television and never have a comercial with this Billy Mays loud mouth screaming,”Hi Billy Mays here”,I thought he was the most obnoxious pitch man around,now we will have to live with the Sham Wow loud mouth punk,whats his name,Vince?
What a big lost, my family and I waited every Wednesday night to see his show my 8 years old daughter was so inspire by him that she will bring a note book with her every were we go to write down ideas so that she can be in his show we feel like a family member just pass away we are very sadden by his death rest in peace Billy.
Believe it or not I just sent Mays Promotions, Inc. a letter about a product I developed. Envisioned Billy promoting it. Bummed out. Never heard anything negitive about him. Incredible energy. Hoped to meet him. Tremendous loss for his family, and the rest of us. Thoughts are with his family.
I remember watching the promos for Pitchmen on Discovery with my sons thinking what a great concept for a show – and it was a great show. The best part of Pitchmen was the caring that came through. Don’t get me wrong I know that this is how Billy made his living, but you could tell that he and Sully really cared about these products and the people who came up with them. It gave me a whole new appreciation for what they did. Billy never seemed to forget his humble begins and the fact that many of his clients had invested everything they had into these products. My heart goes out to his family, to Sully and to all the people who lives he transformed.
I was very saddened by the news that Billy Mays had died. I didn’t know him but he was so likable on on television.
Our condolences to the Mays family for the loss of a great man. I have been watching his infomercials for years and he was the best! He had a wonderful smile.The world will really miss him, I do already. I had to smile at the comment on twitter that he is outside the pearly gates selling halos to angels! Hope he remembers to keep one for himself!!
Billy Mays was an awesome persom and we loved watching his commercials and him on pitchmen god bless him and god rest his soul he was a good man and really got our attention and im so sad that he has passed away we were so shocked but my thoughts and sympathies are with his family also and he will never be forgotten
Sad, sooooooo SAD! Our hearts go out to his family and friends. Seemed liked a wonderful man. We don’t usually take time to comment, but we are making the exception for Billy. That’s right, no MJ-FF or even Ed Mc. Billy is/was one of us. Cool guy and genuine. The best @ what he did. R.I.P Billy…
I met Billy when he was in Boca Raton last week, what a great guy..He stopped while in Macys, chatted and took a pic with me.. I am very saddened by his death..He seemed like a real genuine person, and what a great smile..My prayers go out to his family..Tv will never be the same
I was deeply saddened to hear of Billy Mays passing. My dad was a salesman, and so I know just how much it takes to be a good salesman. I remember watching pitchmen in discount stores and fairs, and always enjoyed and appreciated their mixture of showmanship, entertainment, mental “sleight of hand” and stamina. The pitchman had to win his audience’s trust, demonstrate the quality of his product, and convince his new friends just how desperately they needed that product, and had only one chance to do so.
Billy was a master of the art, and brought it to new forms of media. No one else has that winning smile, that demanding presence, that shining confidence in what he was selling. You liked him.
My sincere condolences to his family and friends.
the world has lost a one of a kind man,did’nt know him personally but would have been honored to have that privelge.We send our prayers to his family and friends and it is a shame that all the good ones die young.REST IN PEACE,MR.Billy Mays.You will be missed…
I watched the Show Pitchmen and found him Very interesting and they should Su The Airlines For Killing The Most Famous man in america
Wow I have been watching pitchmen and really found Billy to be an interesting person..So sorry for your loss.
I am so sad, i feel like i lost a family member. Watching his energy on tv always made me forget the stress of my day. I was mesmerized for at least 30 seconds once a day listening to his booming voice and beautiful smile. The world has lost some great figures this week from music and movies and now to television. I visit Tampa regularly and always thought how cool it would be if i met Billie Mays. Sadly i will never get that chance….My thoughts and sympathies are with his family and friends.
R.I.P Billy Mays!