Posted on 12/28/2005 7:50:28 AM PST by presidio9
Michael Vale, the actor best known for his portrayal of a sleepy-eyed Dunkin' Donuts baker who said "Time to make the doughnuts," has died. He was 83.
Vale died Saturday in New York City of complications from diabetes, according to son-in law Rick Reil.
Vale's long-running character, "Fred the Baker," for the doughnut maker's ad campaign lasted 15 years until he retired in 1997.
Canton, Mass.-based Dunkin' Donuts said in a statement that Vale's character "became a beloved American icon that permeated our culture and touched millions with his sense of humor and humble nature."
Vale was born in Brooklyn and studied acting at the Dramatic Workshop in New York City with classmates Tony Curtis, Ben Gazzara and Rod Steiger.
A veteran of the Broadway stage, film and television, Vale appeared in more than 1,300
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
"Last one. It's a jelly."
The sad part is that many Americans don't know who Vale's role for the Dunkin' Donuts commercial are because Dunkin' Donuts never became really well-known west of the Mississippi except for a few short years in the 1990's.
I know that Dunkin' Donuts was recently sold. Thought I saw that one of the priorities of the new owners was to move into currently non-Dunkin' areas!
Personally, I'd be real happy to see someone come out here to the west coast. Whenever I visit my dad in the Boston area, I make sure to get my French Vanilla coffee fix at the numerous DD's out there (I think we counted 7 within 2 miles of his house last summer!)
You sure dad doesn't live in Canada?
Before he was the donut guy, Vale was Sam Breakstone(Breakstone Cottage Cheese/ Sour Cream).
That's it!!!! I knew he was in some other ads, I loved those Breakstones commercials, where the little dog would always attack him after one of his tirades.
Nope, about 20 miles south of Boston. BTW, there is ONE Starbucks within about 5 miles of his place.
We had one in my smallish town of Spanaway. In fact, they had some really hot chicks from my H.S. working there. MMMMMmmm, A donut from Benita, Yes, what a great way to start the day.
Missed this earlier.
LOL, you sound like me when I visited my brother in Easton, PA this summer. I jmay overdid the DD a few times
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