1. Orville Clarence Redenbacher was an American food scientist and businessman most often associated with the brand of popcorn that bears his name which is owned by Conagra Brands.
20 Facts About Orville Redenbacher
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Orville Clarence Redenbacher was born in Brazil, Indiana, on July 16,1907, the son of Julia Magdalena Dierdorff and farmer William Joseph Redenbacher.
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Orville Redenbacher grew up on his family's farm, where he sometimes sold popcorn from the back of his car.
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Orville Redenbacher graduated in 1928 with a degree in agronomy.
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Orville Redenbacher spent most of his life in the agriculture industry, serving as a Vigo County Farm Bureau extension agent in Terre Haute, Indiana, and at Princeton Farms in Princeton, Indiana.
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In 1976, Orville Redenbacher sold the company to Hunt-Wesson Foods, a division of Norton Simon, Inc In 1983, Esmark purchased Norton Simon, which in turn was acquired by Beatrice Foods in 1984.
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In 1973, Orville Redenbacher appeared on TV's To Tell the Truth game show.
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Orville Redenbacher then moved to Coronado, California, where he lived for the remainder of his life.
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Orville Redenbacher appeared as the company's official spokesperson, wearing a trademark outfit in public that included horn-rimmed glasses and a bow tie.
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Sometimes Orville Redenbacher appeared in commercials with his grandson, Gary Orville Redenbacher.
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Some customers wrote letters asking if Orville Redenbacher was a real person, and not an actor.
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Orville Redenbacher responded to this by appearing on various talk shows, professing his identity.
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Orville Redenbacher was married to Corinne Rosemund Strate from 1928 until her death at 62 in 1971.
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Orville Redenbacher had two daughters, through whom he had 12 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
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On September 19,1995, Orville Redenbacher died in the hot tub of his condominium in Coronado, California.
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Orville Redenbacher was cremated and his ashes scattered at sea.
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On September 4,2012, Valparaiso, Indiana, where Orville Redenbacher resided for much of his life, unveiled a statue of him at the city's annual popcorn festival.
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In 2012, Orville Redenbacher was referenced by Andy Dwyer in an episode of season 5 of Parks and Recreation.
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In 2022, Orville Redenbacher was mentioned by American musical comedian Bo Burnham in the song "Microwave Popcorn" from the deluxe edition of his soundtrack album Inside.
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In 2025, Orville Redenbacher's death was referenced by Roy Wood Jr during the first episode of the second season of CNN's Have I Got News For You.