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Billy Mays

American salesperson.

Born July 20th, 1958 in McKees Rocks.

Died June 28th, 2009 at 50 years old in Tampa (hypertensive heart disease). [ref]

Occupations
sales representative, television personality, television presenter
Wikipedia
Twitter

William Darrell “Billy” Mays, the pioneer of television direct response advertising, passed away on June 28, 2009 at the age of 50. Born in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania in 1958, Billy Mays was well-known and admired for his vibrant and enthusiastic personality. His ability to captivate viewers with his direct response television commercials was remarkable, and his one-of-a-kind pitch was instantly recognizable. Mays was an integral part of As Seen on TV, a marketing phenomenom in which products were sold directly to televion viewers. His products, such as OxiClean, Orange Glo, and Kaboom, changed the landscape of advertising in the United States and Mays' booming "Hiya!" became a household catchphrase. Billy Mays was an inspiration and role model to many. His career was groundbreaking, and he will be remembered for his passionate and energetic approach. He is survived by his wife Deborah Mays and their son, Billy Jr., in addition to his parents, two brothers, one sister, and the many colleagues and fans his life inspired. May his memory be eternal. Bye for now, Billy. We will miss you.

You’ll drift apart, it’s true, but you’ll be out in the open, part of everything alive again. Philip Pullman