Our siblings in Chicago today bring sad news for fans of television jingles the world over. Elmer Lynn Hauldren, known to many as the "Empire Man" or the "Empire Carpet Guy," has passed on at the age of 89. A Chicaoland legend, the copywriter-turned-pitchman is a familiar face to anyone who has watched non-primetime television commercials in the past few decades. If anything, you probably know the jingle, which Hauldren wrote himself!
See, Hauldren wasn't supposed to be the Empire Carpet Guy, but legend has it that one fateful day in 1973 he happened to be on set when they were filming a commercial and something clicked. He just was the spokesperson role he'd created. Since then the character has been the subject of countless commercials, and has been animated and 3-D animated. Heck, there is even an Empire Man bobble-head toy.
And being an advertising icon wasn't all Hauldren was good for. He was also a decorated war hero and a baritone barbershop singer in the group Chordiac Arrest.
Mr. Hauldren, we salute you! And now, all together now: "eight-hundred five-eight-eight two-three-hundred—Empire!"
