Jump to content

Wally Amos

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Wallace Jr. Amos)

Wally Amos
Wally Amos, Famous Amos
Amos in 2007
Born
Wallace Amos Jr.

(1936-07-01)July 1, 1936
Tallahassee, Florida, U.S.
DiedAugust 13, 2024(2024-08-13) (aged 88)
Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
Resting placeNational Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.[citation needed]
Other namesFamous Amos
Known forFamous Amos, Learn to Read
Signature
Wally Amos reading to children during Springfest at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, 2007

Wallace Amos Jr. (July 1, 1936 – August 13, 2024) was an American television personality, businessman, and author. He was the founder of the Famous Amos chocolate chip cookie, the Cookie Kahuna, and Aunt Della's Cookies gourmet cookie brands, and was the host of the adult reading program Learn to Read.

Early life and education

[edit]

Amos was born July 1, 1936, to Wallace and Ruby Amos.[1] He was born and raised in Tallahassee, Florida, until he was 12 years old.[2] When his parents divorced, he moved to New York City with his aunt, where he enrolled at the Food Trades Vocational High School. He showed his interest in cooking at a young age. It was from his aunt Della Bryant, who would bake cookies for him, that Amos later developed his chocolate chip cookie recipe.[2] Amos dropped out of high school to join the United States Air Force.[1]

He served at Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu, Hawaii, from 1954 until 1957.[3] He earned his high school equivalency diploma[4] before being honorably discharged from the military.[5]

Career

[edit]

Returning to New York City, Amos took classes to become a secretary and took a mailroom clerk job with the William Morris Agency.[1] Eventually, he became the agency's first African American talent agent. He signed Simon & Garfunkel[6] and headed the agency's rock 'n' roll department. Amos attracted clients by sending them chocolate chip cookies along with an invitation to visit him. The musicians he represented included The Temptations and Marvin Gaye.[1]

Amos attending Mark Victor Hansen's MEGA Marketing Seminar in 2006

In 1975, a friend suggested to Amos that he set up a store to sell his cookies. In March of that year, the first Famous Amos cookie store opened in Los Angeles, California.[7] He started the business with the help of a $25,000 loan from Marvin Gaye and Helen Reddy.[4] The company began to expand, and eventually, Famous Amos chocolate chip cookies could be found on supermarket shelves across the United States. He became such a known figure culturally that he appeared as himself in the Taxi episode "Latka's Cookies", in 1981. Thanks in part to the success of his cookie company, he was hired to deliver speeches. He wrote several books, many of which have a self-help theme, including The Cookie Never Crumbles[8] and The Power in You.[9]

In 1979, Amos's long-time friend and publicist John Rosica introduced him to Literacy Volunteers of America. Amos advocated literacy and helped thousands of adults learn to read. 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.[10]

In 1986, Amos was awarded the Entrepreneurial Excellence Award by President Ronald Reagan at the White House Conference on Small Business.[4][11]

Due to financial troubles, Amos was forced to sell the Famous Amos Company in 1988.[12] Because the name "Famous Amos" was trademarked by his former company, he had to use Uncle Noname's Cookie Company as his new company's name.[13] A Famous Amos distributor at the time, Lou Avignone, heard Amos on a local radio talk show and contacted Amos with the idea for starting a new business. In 1994, the two became partners and subsequently launched Uncle Noname Gourmet Muffins. The company focused on fat-free, nutritious muffins.[14] Uncle Noname became Uncle Wally's Muffin Company in 1999. The muffins were sold in more than 3,500 stores nationwide.[4]

In 2014, an article in Fortune magazine lauded "The cookie comeback of 'Famous' Wally Amos" as Amos brought back his handmade cookies under a new name, The Cookie Kahuna. These cookies were marketed in a store in Hawaii, where Amos was based. They come in the flavors original chocolate chip, chocolate chip with pecans, and butterscotch with macadamia nuts.[15] Amos appeared on the reality television show Shark Tank in October 2016, pitching Cookie Kahuna, but failed to get a deal.[16] The business folded in 2018.[17][18]

In 2019, Amos was called "the king of cookies" by NBC affiliate KSNV in Las Vegas.[19]

In 2020, Content Media Group released a documentary on the life of Wally Amos, The Great Cookie Comeback: reBaking Wally Amos. The film was directed by Jeff MacIntyre.[20]

Personal life

[edit]
Shawn Ellis Amos

Amos was married four times, most recently to Carol Williams.[1] He had four children: Michael Amos, Gregory Amos, Sarah Amos,[21] and musician Shawn Amos.[22] Amos lived in Hawaii from 1977 until 2018,[23][24][25][18] and was again living in the state at the time of his death.[26] He also lived in Columbia, South Carolina, where he was working on Aunt Della's Cookies until 2018.[25]

Amos died due to complications from dementia at his home in Honolulu on August 13, 2024, at the age of 88.[1]

Publications

[edit]

Author

[edit]
  • Amos, Wally; Robinson, Leroy (1983). The Famous Amos Story: The Face That Launched a Thousand Chips. Doubleday. ISBN 978-0385193788.
  • Amos, Wally; Amos, Gregory (1988). The Power In You. Penguin Books. ISBN 978-1556110931.
  • Amos, Wally; Kehret, Peg (1991). Wally Amos Presents Chip and Cookie: The First Adventure. Leslie Beaber (illustrator). Acropolis Books Inc. ISBN 978-0874919882.
  • Amos, Wally; Denton, Camilla (1994). Man with No Name: Turn Lemons Into Lemonade. Aslan Pub. ISBN 978-0944031575.
  • Amos, Wally; Murray, Eden-Lee (2002). The Cookie Never Crumbles: Practical Recipes for Everyday Living. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 978-0312304980.
  • Amos, Wally (2006). Be Positive! Insights On How To Live An Inspiring And Joy Filled Life. Blue Mountain Press. ISBN 978-1598420685.
  • Amos, Wally; Glauberman, Stu (2006). Live an Inspiring Life: 10 Secret Ingredients for Inner Strength. Blue Mountain Arts, Inc. ISBN 978-1598421675.
  • Amos, Wally; Glauberman, Stu (2006). The Power of Self-Esteem. Blue Mountain Arts Inc. ISBN 978-1598421705.
  • Amos, Wally; Glauberman, Stu (2008). Watermelon Magic: Seeds Of Wisdom, Slices Of Life. Jack Canfield (foreword). Atria Books/Beyond Words. ISBN 978-1416598534.
  • Amos, Wally; Glauberman, Stu (2008). The Path to Success Is Paved with Positive Thinking: How to Live a Joy-Filled Life and Make Your Dreams Come True. Blue Mountain Arts Inc. ISBN 978-1598422573.
  • Amos, Wally (2010). Watermelon Credo: The Book. Suzanne Hallerman (illustration). Credo Press. ISBN 978-0615349473.

Contributor

[edit]
[edit]

Audiobooks

[edit]
  • Amos, Wally (1998). Let Go, Let God (Audio book). Unity School of Christianity. ISBN 978-0871598424.
  • Amos, Wally (2001). Faith: Inspirational Messages (Audio book). ISBN 978-0871598677.

Filmography

[edit]
Year Name Type Role Notes
1980 The Jeffersons Television sitcom Man #1 Season 7, episode 3[27]
1981 Taxi Television sitcom Himself Episode: "Latka's Cookies"[1]
1987 Learn to Read Educational TV series Host [28]
2001 Biography Television documentary Himself Episode: "Famous Wally Amos: The Cookie King".[29]
2012 The Office[1] Television sitcom Himself Episode: "Tallahassee"
2016 Shark Tank Television reality show Himself Amos appeared in the October 6, 2016 episode, seeking $50,000 funding for 20% equity of his company "Cookie Kahuna". The Sharks all passed on the opportunity.[30][31]
2018 The Great Cookie Comeback: Re-Baking Wally Amos Documentary film Himself Released in February 2020, a documentary film on the life of Wally Amos, released by Content Media Group.[32][33][34]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Risen, Clay. "Wally Amos, Creator of Famous Amos Cookies, Dies at 88". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 18, 2024. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Pemoni, Lucy (July 13, 2007). "No longer Famous, Wally Amos still baking". msnbc.com. Archived from the original on October 3, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2018. Born in Tallahassee, Fla., Amos moved to New York City at age 12 because of his parents' divorce. He lived with an aunt, Della Bryant, who taught him how to make chocolate chip cookies.
  3. ^ Thompson, David (August 5, 2014). "The Cookie Comeback King: Wally "Famous" Amos". Honolulu Magazine. Archived from the original on December 22, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d Canedy, Dana (July 3, 1999). "A Famous Cookie And a Face to Match; How Wally Amos Got His Hand And His Name Back in the Game". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on April 13, 2019. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  5. ^ Molloy, Erin (2011). "Guide to the Famous Amos Collection" (PDF). Smithsonian Natural Museum of American History Kenneth E. Behring Center.
  6. ^ Lindsey, Robert S. (August 16, 1975). "A Cooky Transforms an Agent into a Star". The New York Times.
  7. ^ "Wally Amos Bio". Premiere Motivational Speakers Bureau. Archived from the original on April 16, 2023.
  8. ^ Amos, Wally; Murray, Eden-Lee (2002). The Cookie Never Crumbles: Practical Recipes for Everyday Living. Macmillan Publishers. ISBN 978-0312304980.
  9. ^ Amos, Wally; Amos, Gregory (1988). The Power in You. D.I. Fine. ISBN 978-1556110931.
  10. ^ "Learn to Read". TV.com. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on July 8, 2010.
  11. ^ Reagan Library (October 16, 2018). President Reagan's Remarks to the White House Conference on Small Business on August 15, 1986. Archived from the original on January 31, 2024. Retrieved August 9, 2024 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ Zee, Michaela (August 14, 2024). "Wally Amos, Famous Amos Cookies Founder, Dies at 88". Variety.com. Archived from the original on August 15, 2024. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  13. ^ Rotondi, Jessica Pearce (March 29, 2022). "Famous Amos: The Rise and Fall of a Cookie Empire". History.com. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  14. ^ "No longer Famous, Wally Amos still baking". msnbc.com. July 13, 2007. Archived from the original on October 3, 2018. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  15. ^ Kell, John. "A cookie connoisseur's comeback". Fortune. Archived from the original on August 25, 2017. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
  16. ^ Vo, Alex. "Shark Tank: Season 8, Episode 3". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on December 8, 2017. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
  17. ^ Dand, Khyati (November 2, 2023). "The Cookie Kahuna: Here's What Happened After Shark Tank". Food Republic. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  18. ^ a b Rhymes, Shameika (November 26, 2018). "Famous Amos Creator Lives Near Charlotte as He Plans Next Venture". Charlotte Magazine. Archived from the original on August 9, 2024. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  19. ^ 'Famous Amos' himself, Wally Amos, talks about his new cookie (News). KSNV. March 12, 2019. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  20. ^ Famous Wally Amos Film-The Great Cookie Comeback (News). Jeff MacIntyre. January 31, 2020. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  21. ^ "Wally Amos Biography". Biography. May 24, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  22. ^ Wade, Don (August 18, 2016). "Son of 'Famous Amos' Cookie Maker Mixing His Own Batch of Blues and Soul". Memphis Daily News. Archived from the original on December 22, 2018. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  23. ^ "Famous Amos gives cookie business another try". Daily Herald. June 17, 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  24. ^ Song, Jaymes (July 12, 2007). "No longer famous, Wally Amos still bakes sweet treats". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on August 15, 2024. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  25. ^ a b McAlley, John (September 2013). "Are you Famous Amos?" (PDF). Spirit. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  26. ^ Wise, Alana (August 14, 2024). "Wally Amos, creator of Famous Amos cookies, has died". NPR. Archived from the original on August 15, 2024. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  27. ^ The Jeffersons: Season 7 – Rotten Tomatoes, archived from the original on December 2, 2021, retrieved December 22, 2018
  28. ^ Tapp, Tom (August 15, 2024). "Wally "Famous" Amos Dies: Talent Agent-Turned-Cookie-Mogul Was 88". Deadline. Retrieved August 18, 2024. He eventually hosted an educational public-access program called Learn to Read that promoted literacy.
  29. ^ "Famous Wally Amos: The Cookie King". TVGuide.com. Archived from the original on December 22, 2018. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  30. ^ Draper, Alan. "Shark Tank: The Cookie Kahuna, from Famous Amos Creator, Crumbles in the Tank, Fails to Get A Deal". Business 2 Community. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  31. ^ Miller, Bob (October 5, 2016). "Shark Tank – Cookie Legend Wally Amos Pitches New Cookie Kahuna Brand Boom". Chew Boom. Archived from the original on January 9, 2018. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  32. ^ MacIntyre, Jeff. The Great Cookie Comeback: Rebaking Wally Amos (Video). Content Media Group – via Tubi.
  33. ^ Kell, John (June 26, 2014). "A cookie connoisseur's comeback". Fortune. Archived from the original on August 15, 2024. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
  34. ^ The Great Cookie Comeback: Re-Baking Wally Amos. Content Media Group. February 2020. Archived from the original on January 15, 2018. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wally_Amos&oldid=1244868842"