If there was a hall of fame for pitchmen, Billy Mays would be its founder. Billy Mays possessed the rare ability to endear himself to you and sell you almost any product within two minutes. His pitches sold millions of units of such items as Orange Glo, Jupiter Jack, and Oxi Clean. Billy Mays’s beard and blue shirt became a symbol to every working man that success was not out of reach.
Billy Mays Jr. began his journey on July 20, 1958. He was born in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania. His high school years were spent at Sto-Rox High School. Billy May attended college at West Virginia University. He was not destined to be a college graduate. Billy Mays dropped out to work for his father. His father owned a hazardous waste company. In 1983, Billy moved to Atlantic City, New Jersey to start the next chapter of his life.
Billy Mays’s move to Atlantic City introduced him to his future career…pitchman. Billy started pitching products such as Washamatik. Washmatik is a portable cleaning device. He “pitched” to anyone who would listen or could be drawn into listening. Soon, the world would realize that Billy Mays had found his calling.
Billy Mays learned from the best. Billy learned to sell from some of Atlantic City’s greatest pitchmen. Once again, he was destined to make a change. Billy Mays took his pitches on the road. He would spend the next 12 years traveling across the country. He would sell products at automobile shows, home shows, and state fairs.
1993 would open the next chapter of Billy Mays’s career. He was attending a home show in Pittsburgh when he met Max Appel. Max Appel was a rival pitchman who had founded Orange Glo International. Appel would hire Billy Mays to promote the company’s products. This brought Billy Mays and products such as OxiClean, Orange Glo, and Kaboom on the Home Shopping Network.
Billy Mays soon achieved the rank of entrepeneur. Mays Promotions, Inc. was founded by Billy Mays. He served as the company’s Chief Operating Officer (CEO). His Odessa, Florida home was the company’s first headquarters. Success would not elude him. Companies and inventors fought over the chance to have their products sold by the world’s greatest pitchman.
Billy Mays was destined to become a TV superstar. With business partner Anthony Sullivan, he entered into a contract with Discovery Channel to produce “Pitchmen”. Pitchmen is a documentary that provides a behind the scenes look at infomercials. From reviewing new inventions to choosing the best one and filming an infomercial.
Billy Mays’s wife found him unresponsive on June 28, 2009. Initially, it was thought that he may have suffered a head injury. The day before, he had been on a very turbulent flight. The overhead bin had opened and items fell onto him. Later announcements would state that Billy Mays had died of a massive heart attack.
Rumors were put to rest by Dr. Vernard Adams. Dr. Adams performed Billy Mays’s autopsy. His findings indicated Mays was killed by hypertensive heart disease. The world’s greatest pitchman had been beaten by a heart attack.
July 3, 2009, Billy Mays was laid to rest in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania. In honor of him, pallbearers wore the same khaki pants and blue shirts that were Billy’s trademark. He was even buried in a shire with the OxiClean logo.
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