Can you name anybody who is more famous for being a commercial pitchman than an actor? The only one who comes to my mind is James Karen. He actually has a really impressive resume, starring in over 20 Broadway productions, as well as appearing in movies such as The China Syndrome (1979), Poltergeist (1982), and The Return of the Living Dead (1985). (Soap roles included ATWT's Dr. Burke and AMC's Lincoln Tyler.) Until recently, however, I only knew Karen as the longtime spokesman for Pathmark, a Mid-Atlantic supermarket chain.

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I'm not sure the exact dates of Karen's association with Pathmark, but he began as spokesman no later than 1978 and was dropped no earlier than 1994. All of the chain's commercials since he left have sucked. (And Pathmark itself has had terribly bad fortunes since the late-90s.)

Edited June 19, 201213 yr by Max

The Pine Sol Lady. I know I remember seeing her in series/movies in the '90s, but she is firmly The Pine Sol Lady from here on out.

I've only known her as Wilma from AMC and Gloria from The Golden Girls, but I'd guess that a lot of older folks would know Dena Dietrich best from these ads:

Jan Miner, aka Madge, the Palmolive Lady. She had theater, radio, film and tv credits. She sometimes acted with her husband, Richard Merrell, who longtime OLTL fans might remember as Viki's butler, Herron, back when her boys were little.

I am too lazy to look him up but I think his name might be Bruce Campbell or Bruce something else. He did the Old Spice commercials and he's on Burn Notice.

I should also add the most interesting man in the world because I think he's an actor as well--Dos Equs.

Edited June 22, 201213 yr by Wales2004

Yvette Nicole Brown, who currently plays Shirley on Community and who had a role on a kids show called Drake and Josh, is VERY recognizable for her work in commercials.

My first thought was Mariette Hartley. She has many TV appearances (including OLTL) on her resume, but I always remember her for those Poloroid commercials she did with James Garner.

Wilford Brimley. He's still pretty recognizable for his movies, but come on...he's "diabeetus" man forever, now.

Edited June 23, 201213 yr by All My Shadows

Sarah McLachlan... and not in a good way lol.

Wilford Brimley. He's still pretty recognizable for his movies, but come on...he's "diabeetus" man forever, now.

LMAO "diabeetus"

Wendy the Snapple lady? She kinda disappeared after that stint on Celebrity Weight Club.

Sarah McLachlan... and not in a good way lol.

This proves how young I am: This is how I found out who Lynda Carter was in the first place.

Edited June 25, 201213 yr by MissLlanviewPA

I know Candice Bergen from Murphy Brown, of course, but I knew her almost as much from these commercials:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlaA4fU2QiI

This proves how young I am: This is how I found out who Lynda Carter was in the first place.

She's a fellow Marylander, ya know Potomac.

Seriously? I had no idea! Cool.