what happened to mikey from the life cereal commercials
What Really Became Of Mikey, The Life Cereal Commercial Kid?
Icons | Feb 25, 2019
In the 1970s, information technology was i of the most oft-aired advertisements on Tv set: the Life cereal "Mikey Likes It" Tv set commercial. The spot starred a very cute youngster with a circular face and freckles named Mikey, who is a picky eater. The commercial spawned the catchphrase "Mikey Likes It," and ran for over xiii years; later, Quaker Oats (the company that makes Life) tried to militarist its product with sequels and remakes. Only almost curious of all was the story of Mikey -- specifically, the tale that the most famous picky eater in teeveeland had died from consuming a volatile mixture of Pop Rocks and Coca-Cola. If you were a kid in the tardily '70s or '80s, you no doubtfulness heard this rumor from your peers:
"Remember Mikey, the kid on the Life commercial? He ate Pop Rocks and drank Coke and his stomach exploded. Pop Rocks and Coke will kill you lot."
The story had the allure of art imitating and so obliterating life: a young male child who is known for a reluctance to endeavour new healthy foods meets a grisly end because he heedlessly mixed 2 volatile junk foods. Mikey was played by an actor named John Gilchrist, and whether he survived the '70s later on shooting to fame in the Life cereal "Mikey Likes It" commercial was a hot topic of fence.
In the commercial, it'due south breakfast time, and Mikey's two older brothers are confronted with a new cereal. They become back and forth near who is going to try it first because information technology's supposedly healthy, and therefore unappealing. "You try it," says 1, and the other replies, "I'm non going to effort information technology. You try information technology." And so they say, "Allow's get Mikey (to effort it). He hates everything." While they are prodding each other and conspiring, little Mikey, played by iii-and-a-half-year-old John Gilchrist, digs into the heaping bowl of Life cereal on the table, and conspicuously enjoys it. His brothers exclaim, "He likes information technology! Hey, Mikey!"
It's a archetype, unforgettable commercial, albeit one with a dark post-script. Well, maybe. What's the deal -- did John Gilchrist, improve known as Mikey, really die in a bizarre junk food blow? Or was it all just i of the greatest urban legends Tv commercials have ever known?
Mikey'south Tv set Brothers Were Really His Brothers
Tom and Mike Gilchrist in the Life Cereal Commercial. Source: (youtube.com)
John Gilchrist was cast equally piffling Mikey in the Life cereal commercial with his two existent-life brothers, Tom and Mike. The commercial was filmed in 1971 when he was just three and a half years erstwhile, and past 1972 it was being aired nationally and ran through 1986. Not too bad considering that little Mikey never uttered a unmarried give-and-take in the commercial.
Gilchrist and his vi siblings got into acting every bit children at the suggestion of a family unit friend. The family was at a Long Island embankment for the day when they were told that their kids and their freckled faces were just the all-American look producers were looking for. Somewhen, all of the siblings concluded upwards acting making more money in i 24-hour interval than their father made at his job all week. The coin they brought in put the kids through college.
The Gilchrist kids didn't come across themselves as special. For a family of seven kids who all acted at some bespeak, it wasn't unusual to see themselves on television. Information technology was just part of their lives. They thought all kids acted.
Gilchrist'south first Life Cereal commercial was an easy gig for everyone. The kids were not only comfortable acting, just they likewise had a natural dynamic beingness existent-life brothers. It was a dream come true for producers. The commercial was a huge hit with kids and parents akin. Not merely did it assist to sell a lot of Life Cereal, merely information technology ended up being ranked as the No. 10 commercial of all time. Still today, trivial Mikey is brought up in chat when someone is a picky eater.
Rumors Of Mikey's Expiry: Greatly Exaggerated
John Gilchrist as trivial Mikey. Source: (mysanantonio.com)
Pop Rocks is an effervescent candy containing pressurized carbon dioxide gas. When it comes into contact with saliva, the solid candy dissolves and the gas is released, emitting a fun popping sound and causing a tactile sensation on the tongue. Pop Rocks were introduced in 1975 by General Foods, and were a hit with kids, though their signature trait dealt with chemistry your typical pre-teen could hardly empathize.
Rumors most Pop Rocks, and what they might exercise if combined with soda, and what they actually did to John Gilchrist, surfaced effectually 1979, and eventually reached Gilchrist's family. One day, his mother received a telephone call from a family friend who said, through tears, "I'm so distressing to hear nearly your son," explaining that she'd been informed of his death by Pop Rocks and Coke.
Gilchrist'due south female parent had soothing news: John was just fine. "He just came abode from school!" she said, but and then called him in from playing merely to make sure.
John Gilchrist, Mikey from the Life cereal commercial, is live and well.
General Foods was so vexed by the rumors about its famous (or infamous) processed that the company issued statements to parents' groups and school and ran newspaper advertisements, that tried to assure the public that Pop Rocks were safe. In 1983, General Foods stopped making Pop Rocks, explaining that it simply wasn't a successful product. For gullible kids, the disappearance of the product only confirmed the rumors about Mikey -- Popular Rocks had been taken off the market, they figured, considering they had killed a kid.
The Pop Rocks formula and brand was licensed to the company Zeta Special S.A., which yet manufactures and sells Pop Rocks today.
Mikey Returns
John Gilchrist in an advert intended to reprise the role of Mikey in the Life Cereal commercial. Source: (monagiza.com)
The fame that John Gilchrist garnered for the portrayal of the character Mikey on the Life Cereal commercial beginning in the early on '70s has followed him his entire life. Unlike many kid actors, Gilchrist has fond memories of his childhood and acting career. He reports that he led a very normal life, despite the acting gigs and doesn't regret the fourth dimension he spent doing it. He eventually moved on from acting but not before he had been in nearly 250 commercials. He acted outside commercials as well, although he was passed over for some that he auditioned for in favor of the likes of Rodney Allen Rippy, Haywood Nelson, and Ricky Schroder.
Gilchrist didn't die in existent life, and Mikey lived to sell once more in commercials too. In the mid-'80s, the Quaker Oats Visitor sought to create excitement for the Life brand by reviving the public's emotional zipper to petty Mikey. Gilchrist reprised his office every bit Mikey in new ads, entitled, "Today's Mikey." These ads depicted grown up Mikey as a college pupil. Let'due south just say that it wasn't the same. He wasn't well-nigh equally cute equally he was as a child. In 1996, Quaker created an ad that digitally imposed a bottle of Snapple into the original Life advertising. This particular ad had a twist in that Mikey only liked some of the flavors and snubbed the others.
Mikey: Where Is He Now?
John Gilchrist. Source: (newsday.com)
Gilchrist eventually left acting to pursue a communications degree at Iona College. His dearest of the New York Knicks led him to a position at Madison Square Gardens where he landed a chore in ad sales equally director of media sales. His master function is negotiating with TV advertisers.
Gilchrist reportedly still enjoys Life cereal and always has it on manus at home. Sadly, he didn't get a lifetime supply for his spot on the famous commercial. He as well reports that he was not and is not a picky eater. He told New York Newsday that "[Mikey is] who I am, but it's just a office of who I am; I have a lot of great things in my life."
He also admits he doesn't retrieve making the commercial -- after all, he was simply three and a one-half.
Gilchrist at present lives in Pelham, NY with his wife and three children. He regularly gets requests to sign autographs and does and so happily. He appreciates the ongoing fascination with the commercial and his graphic symbol although he has said, "I just never looked at it like some huge, large deal. Perhaps that comes off to some people like I don't want to talk about it. Totally not the case. I dear talking about it. It's a part of me."
What Actually Became Of Life Cereal?
Quaker Original Life and Maple & Brown Sugar Life. Source: (medeuumestalo.wordpress.com)
The original Life cereal as formulated dorsum in 1961 was comprised only of whole grain oats. Original ads for the breakfast cereal coined the slogan, "Life is full of surprises." About the time advertisers realized they were actually marketing to children, who had no interest in vitamins and minerals, they wised upwardly. Not only did the company alter its slogan, simply now Life Cereal has loads of carbohydrate in it which it didn't before.
Since the original Life, there have been multiple varieties of the historically popular cereal. In 1978, Cinnamon Life emerged followed by Raisin Life. Not surprisingly, Raisin Life wasn't a huge seller and was finally discontinued. Baked Apple Life was released in 2002 and and so Honey Graham Life in 2004. 2005 brought Life Vanilla Yogurt Crunch to the market place and Chocolate Oat Crunch was introduced in 2006. All of these varieties were discontinued because they only didn't sell.
In 2008, Maple & Chocolate-brown Sugar Life hit the shelves which eventually took a back seat to Vanilla Life. Canada and parts of the U.Due south. have included Multigrain Life in the mix. Newer Life Cereal varieties include Pumpkin Spice Life, Gingerbread Life and Strawberry Life which was a huge hitting.
Information technology's hard to meliorate on perfection. At one point, Quaker introduced what they called a "new and improved" version of Life Cereal. After consumers aghast at the new formula, the company apace went back to the original ane that everybody loved. Since 2018, Quaker has been billing the breakfast cereal based on the merits that "Diets rich in whole grain foods and other institute foods and low in saturated fatty and cholesterol, may help reduce the risk of heart disease."
Mikeys That Weren't Actually Mikeys
Marlie Hughes, the new Mikey. Source: (abeautifulrawr.com)
The late '90s brought united states of america two other Mikey campaigns. In 1997, Quaker initiated a nationwide quest for the "next Mikey." Marli Hughes, and then iv years old, won the spot out of over 35,000 applicants. The next Mikey was a daughter! This new campaign was called, "Ameliorate Life." Not only was the new Mikey a girl, but she talked!
In 1999 Quaker remade the original epic Life commercial, word for word, with an all adult cast acting similar kids. This Mikey was portrayed past thespian Jimmy Starace.
Tags: Catchphrases | Child Actors | Commercials | Famous Quotes From The 1970s | Television receiver In The 1970s
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Rebeka Knott
Writer
Rebeka grew up in the 1960's & 1970's and has ever subscribed to the theory that a positive attitude will take yous far! She is a wife and female parent of 3 with a fun-loving spirit, believing that family and relationships are invaluable.
Source: https://groovyhistory.com/mikey-likes-it-life-cereal
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