He was granted a National Literacy Honors Award by President George H.W. The Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookie Company was officially born in March 1975 at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Formosa Avenue in Los Angeles. Barred from using his name in future cookie ventures, in 1992 Amos developed and marketed Uncle Noname (pronounced no-NAH-may) baked goods, the name being a play on his enforced anonymity. Cookies made him famous, but Amos has his own take: I want to be known as a guy who cared about people. He has co-written several books of inspiration, including one capitalizing on his failures at Famous Amos. A Self-Made Man Wallace Amos, Jr. was born in Tallahassee, Florida, in 1936. Mr. Amos started the original Famous Amos Cookie Company with $25,000 from the singers Marvin Gaye and Helen Reddy, celebrity friends he knew from his days as a talent agent. I think it's bordering on being fanatical. Using a modified version of his Aunt Della's recipe, he planned to open the first freestanding cookie store. How Did Amos Lose Famous Amos Cookies? Thought is everything, love is everything. As he wrote in his autobiography, he began slowly to console himself and his frustration by making chocolate-chip cookies in the style of his Aunt Della. I was stupid, plain and simple. I think it's more than a fetish. Dear reader, we're asking you to help us keep local news available for all. Because the name Famous Amos was trademarked by his former company, Amos had to sell the Famous Amos Company because he couldn't afford to do so, and he chose The Uncle Noname's Cookie Company as his new company's name because he couldn't afford to trademark his previous Uncle Wally's Sold To Give & Go Most of the dedicated Famous Amos shops were shuttered. He has written 10 books,[6] many of which have a self-help theme, including The Cookie Never Crumbles[7] and The Power in You. He quit after two years, however, and joined the U.S. Air Force in 1953 where he earned his high school diploma equivalent. I sold the company and didnt realize I had sold my future along with it, Amos speaks of his decisions. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. He became such a known figure culturally that he appeared as himself in the Taxi episode "Latka's Cookies", in 1981. Carlsen, Clifford. His house had been reposed by the bank. But he has been chastened by failure, acknowledging that in some respects he walked into a trap awaiting many entrepreneurs. ''And they were using a real low-grade vanilla flavoring, and I always used vanilla extract. That would be himself. In the aftermath of the court cases, Amos abandoned all hopes of baking and selling cookies and sold muffins and cakes under the Uncle Noname label (originally formed in 1992). He bursts in, looking around in exaggerated puzzlement. However, in 1985, mismanagement forced Amos to gradually sell off parts of his company. [On-line] http://www.famous-amos.com (accessed on August 15, 2002). Burdened with the debt of his failing business, Amos began to take comfort in baking chocolate chip cookies. Amos, Wally, and Stu Glauberman. By 1980 Amoss trademark Panama hat and shirt were inducted into the Smithsonian Institutions Collection of Business Americana. Within two years, his business operation evolved into a corporation which sold cookies nationwide in a variety of upscale stores. "At the time, my career wasn't going too well. On March 10, 1975, Amos took the advice of some friends, and with $25,000 from singers Marvin Gaye and Helen Reddy, [4] he opened a cookie store at 7181 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, in Los Angeles, California, naming it "Famous Amos". . Telephone: (856) 342-4800 Upon discharge from the service, Amos attended secretarial school, learning shorthand, typing, and accounting skills. Heuslein, William. Wally Amos was a walking, breathing brand who couldnt seem to cash in on his own success. The company filed for bankruptcy in 1996, abandoned cookies and went into muffins at the suggestion of Amos business partner, Lou Avignone. He described his Aunt Della as "happy all the time," and as a woman who loved to cook and bake, especially chocolate-chip cookies. He lived with an aunt, Della Bryant, who taught him how to make chocolate chip cookies. Before long, the company had changed ownership four times. Wally Amos has an estimated net worth of $20 thousand as of 2023. With his magnetic personality and promotional skill, Amos quickly moved up the ranks at the fabled agency, which represented superstars like Sonny and Cher, the Beach Boys and the Rolling Stones. It was from his aunt Della Bryant, who would bake cookies for him, that Amos later developed his chocolate chip cookie recipe.[1]. "I like chocolate chip cookies, man. Having launched a modest cookie-making venture in Hawaii, Amos was legally forbidden to use his own name, the Famous Amos tag, or his likeness, to describe any of his future endeavors. According to Amos, his success as an author and a motivational speaker is due in no small part to his Aunt Della: "[Aunt Della's] basic recipe for cookies became the foundation for much of my success. He and his third wife have created two cookie-character dolls -Chip (a boy) and Cookie (a girl). There's nothing to be serious about. I want to tell people that if life hands them a lemon, they can turn it into lemonade. He added: Theres a lot of wisdom and spirituality in these cookies., For his part, Amos has become wiser and more spiritual himself. Uncle Wallys Muffin Co. was originally founded as Uncle Noname Cookie Co. in 1992, a few years after Amos lost Famous Amos. The Shansby Group sued Amos for violating an agreement that forbade him to use his name and likeness on the packaging of any food products. Without its founder, the Famous Amos Cookie Company went in a new directionit stopped producing upscale cookies in competition with gourmet brands and instead went down-market to compete with standard, grocery store cookies. While Famous Amos still widely uses Amos name and image on its products, Uncle Wallys challenge is to let people know that the man behind the muffins is Amos. Amos's role as a perpetual hype man had its downside. Amos, who created the Famous Amos cookie empire three decades ago and eventually lost ownership of the company _ as well as the rights to use the catchy name _ is now running a modest cookie shop in Hawaii. Fax: (856) 342-3878 an agent and by 1974, he was looking for something new. It doesn't honor a movie star or a musician. However, in 1985, mismanagement forced Amos to gradually sell off parts of his company. The Top 5 newsletter catches you up with LAs top 5 stories in just 3 minutes. Leading American Businesses. "In financial terms," Wally wrote in 1996, "all I've done since is amass debt and miss payments." Around the time Wally lost ownership in his company, his career took perhaps it's most remarkable turn. He's got a fine attitude in his mind, man, he's got a kazoo in his shirt pocket, and he's got cookie. "Attached to the inside was a little plastic bag with the cookies inside one chocolate chip cookie with pecans, one butterscotch chip cookie with pecans, and one peanut butter chocolate chip cookie stapled right there on the front page of the proposal. With the company propped up, it sold Famous Amos to President Baking for $61 million in 1992. . In 1962, Amos became the first African American agent, not just at William Morris but at any major talent firm. [13], In 2019, Amos was called "the King of cookies" by NBC affiliate KSNV-TV in Las Vegas. . He decided to take a chance with his cookies. Like all sugar-induced highs, Wally later wrote in Watermelon Wisdom: Seeds of wisdom, slices of Life, it didnt last. In the mid-80s, the company began churning through owners until Amos was demoted to a figurehead, then bought out entirely by a foreign banking conglomerate. What have you put in your dash?". Keeping the famous in Famous Amos, the entrepreneur made guest appearances on hit TV shows like The Jeffersons and Taxi. (AP Photo/Lucy Pemoni). Amos's promo packet and boundless enthusiasm were enough to convince entertainment industry friends, including singer Helen Reddy, her husband, producer Jeff Wald (another product of the William Morris mailroom) and record executive Artie Mogull to invest in the venture. He was born and raised in Tallahassee, Florida, until he was 12 years old. He retained a position on the board of directors but was relieved of day-to-day responsibilities in the company. But hes hardly struggling. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Elon Musk. "He worked with all the Motown acts, with the Temptations and Supremes," his son, musician Shawn Amos says. Amos didn't only befriend the glitterati. That something was baking cookies. Amos fragrant store is as much about reading as it is about cookies. Encyclopedia.com. Wally Amos will always be famous, even though he cant call himself that anymore. He'd come to the store all the time and my dad would give him free cookies. Why did Wally Amos lose his company? Amos founded the cookie company in 1975 and things just didnt go as planned. Web site: http://www.tek.com "In Motown's heyday, they had something called the Motortown Revue, so he booked all that. Feeling he had little choice, Amos sold his remaining interest in Famous Amos to the Basses for $1.1 million, keeping a small tie to the company as a board member. He started in New York, then relocated to Los Angeles, California, nearer the show business capital of Hollywood. At first Amos used the Nestle's recipe printed on the side of the chocolate-chip bag. Within months, Amos had opened two more franchises on the West Coast, and New York-based department store Bloomingdale's had begun selling gourmet cookies. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. In 1987, he also hosted a television series designed to teach others how to read, entitled Learn to Read, produced by Kentucky Educational Television and WXYZ-TV. The former high school dropout has penned eight books, served as spokesman for Literacy Volunteers of America for 24 years and now gives motivational talks to corporations, universities and other groups. Except the boy never takes the pillow off his face. Reality was starting to catch up, wrote Michael Ryan in Parade. Amos has earned numerous honors for his volunteerism, including the Literacy Award presented by President George H.W. The man who created the Famous Amos cookie empire and eventually lost ownership of the company as well as the rights to use the catchy name is now running a modest cookie shop in Hawaii. His fourth and longest marriage had collapsed, as had his business, with $108,000 in unpaid rent, but Wally was not deterred. They were saying I didnt even have the right to my own name, Amos said in Parade. Somebody did something to me that paralyzed me for life. If you believe that, youll never move forward.. The name I stopped at was Marvin Gaye. It was bittersweet, says his son. Theyve said I am a victim. In 1998, the Keebler Company purchased the Famous Amos brand, and Amos resumed his role as the brand's spokesperson. What about his grinning picture on the bag? In financial terms, Wally wrote in 1996, all Ive done since is amass debt and miss payments.. Being famous is highly overrated anyway, said Amos, who has lived in Hawaii since 1977. Financial backer Jeff Wald told Time magazine: We invested in [Famous Amos] for love, but as it turns out, it will probably be a better investment than any we ever made. The man who created the Famous Amos cookie empire three decades ago and eventually lost ownership of the company as well as the rights to use the catchy name is now running a modest cookie shop in Hawaii. "I did an album of my own years ago called Thank You Shirl-ee May, a tribute to my mom, and Ray Parker, Jr. [ known for singing the theme song to 1984's Ghostbusters] played on the album," Shawn says. That means everything to us.. Mr. Amos's cookie craving had returned in the meantime. Famous Amos was seen in the Macys Thanksgiving Day parade every year from 1977 to 1981, as well as on the label of each cookie bag. [9], Due to financial troubles, Amos was forced to sell the Famous Amos Company, and because the name "Famous Amos" was trademarked by his former company, he had to use The Uncle Noname's Cookie Company as his new company's name. 1975: Opened first Famous Amos retail outlet. [10][failed verification] A Famous Amos distributor at the time, Lou Avignone, heard Amos on a local radio talk show and, inspired by Amos' story of his early business success with Famous Amos and his spirit, contacted Amos with the idea for starting a new business. In April 2019, its current owner, Kellogg Company, announced plans to sell Famous Amos, the Keebler brand and its fruit snacks business to Ferrero for $1.4 million. Famous Amos was bought by Keebler Foods in 1998, which pleased Amos. Besides cookies and muffins, promoting literacy is his passion. http://www.GreatCookieComeback.com Wally Amos was the King of the Cookie Kingdom. "I knew I couldn't manage a damn business," he says, "but then ego gets in the way.". Confidential column in 1975. The film was directed by Jeff MacIntyre. "I never had a superstar but I made a day-to-day living, that was about it," he told the New York Times in 1975. Thanks in part to the success of his cookie company, he was hired to deliver speeches. "The Cookie" got the full star treatment. . Amos even appeared in Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade from 1977 to 1981. I didn't even want to talk about chocolate-chip cookies, really. Reflecting on his changing fortunes in Parade, Amos concluded: When you say I will with conviction, magic begins to happen. But ''it was a shocker at first.'' That same year, his fascination with cooking led him to enroll in the Food Trades Vocational High School. Muhammad Ali came by one year, and, you know, it was a whole thing.". His company had lost millions of dollars for several consecutive years. Muffins were really our savior, said Avignone, company president and chief executive. Thank you for investing in your neighborhood. To create buzz for his concept, he developed a backstory for "The Cookie," putting his years in show business to expert use.
