Posted on 01/11/2008 9:54:27 PM PST by americanophile
Carl Karcher, who parlayed a single hot dog pushcart into a chain of more than 1,000 fast-food restaurants bearing his name, died Friday. He was 90.
The affable, burly entrepreneur, known to millions as the jovial television pitchman for the Carl's Jr. chain, died of complications from Parkinson's-related pneumonia at St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton, according to Beth Mansfield, a spokeswoman for parent company CKE Restaurants. A stalwart Orange County Republican, Karcher worked tirelessly for the party and its candidates, still finding time for active and enthusiastic involvement in local causes, including United Way of Orange County, Orangewood Children's Home, the Roman Catholic Knights of Malta, Right to Life League and South Coast Repertory Theater.
The paneled library of his 6,500-square-foot home in Anaheim was adorned with photos of Karcher with the famous, powerful and influential, including Presidents Reagan and Nixon, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, entertainer Bob Hope and Pope John Paul II.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
RIP Carl. Your Hawaiian and Philly Cheesesteak burgers last summer were the bomb.
RIP.
My favorite fast food place...best food around.
Only 90 years old. More evidence that cholesterol kills.
RIP Carl.........
I’m with you! Those Philly Cheesesteak Burgers were awesome!
I got addicted for a while to the Philly Cheesesteak Burger during the summer promo...now its gone.
And I live in L.A, the land of In N Out Burger. I still preferred the Philly Cheesesteak Burger though....droool.
Do they even make the Old Time Star anymore?
...they make the famous star
...they make the famous star
Carl is already rolling over in his grave at the lowest-common-denominator sexual-innuendo advertising that the new management has used since Carl lost control a few years ago.
The shareholder aren’t!
Maybe we’ll get lucky and they’ll bring them back in summer 2008. Never tried their Teriyaki Burger. It followed the Phily CheeseSteak, but I was so bummed, I never bothered to order one. I wonder if it was any good.
I think they’ll bring back the Philly Cheesesteak burger this summer 2008. The teriyaki burger was almost the same par and the ingredients was teriyaki and pineapple with the burger.
Thanks a lot for making me hungry at midnight. LOL! Now im craving for one.
RIP.
The company he founded fired him for being committed to pro-life causes. His biggest mistake in life was letting Carl Karcher Enterprises go public. He should have kept the company in the family and close to the vest (like In n Out Burgers). Carl's commercials are disgusting and aimed at the lowest denominators in our society. I haven't eaten there in years.
May Carl Karcher rest in peace. He was a good guy. Loyal to his family, his church and his home town. They don't make 'em like that anymore.
Carl’s was the bomb back in the 70’s and early 80’s. Loved those fries. Getting of them was a bad move I don’t think they ever recovered from but at least I have the memories.
SoCal ping
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