At lunch he wouldn’t remove his blue shirt, nametag, or his signature black glasses (which didn’t even have lenses in them due to the glare on camera). It was as much fun as I’ve ever had at a job.Īfter a morning of shooting we’d break production and he’d invite us all out for lunch together, often at a pizza buffet. And he loved every minute of it – waving hello, shaking hands, and giving the people what they wanted with a boisterous “Save Big Money!” on command.
Menards ad ray smada tv#
Imagine for years hearing Ray’s voice on TV selling you carpet and yard supplies and then suddenly you’re actually in Menards and you hear him in real life in the aisle behind you.
Menards ad ray smada full#
We’d be tucked away in the paint aisle with lights, cameras, and microphones and as soon as he started in on the script at full volume, the rubbernecking from customers would be hilarious. And of course it was in the store where he’d turn heads.Įven in his later years (he was in his mid-70s by the time I worked with him) he had a booming voice that would echo throughout the aisles of the westside Eau Claire Menards, commanding attention from unsuspecting shoppers. We’d sometimes be in the studio or on location, but oftentimes we’d be right out in the open in the store during regular business hours. That’s a lot to shoot, and we needed to hustle to get it all done. But by the time I was about 20 and starting a stint at the Menards general office making TV commercials, Ray was still there plugging away at those cue cards, letting a huge chunk of America know exactly what was on sale that week with a pocketful of puns at the ready.Įven in his later years (he was in his mid-70s by the time I worked with him) he had a booming voice that would echo throughout the aisles of the Westside Menards, commanding attention from unsuspecting shoppers.įor about a year, every Friday I got to work alongside Ray as we shot the opener, closer, and narration of anywhere from eight to 10 commercials. Ray started the gig way back in 1976, three years before I was even born. For nearly 25 years a growing radius of TV viewers were introduced to his signature black glasses/blue sweater combo, his giant grin, and his seemingly relentless enthusiasm for home improvement. Today the news is spreading that Ray Szmanda, the Midwest-famous “Menards Guy,” a multi-decade TV commercial pitchman for everything from paint to faucets to lumber, passed away May 6 at the age of 91.
A Special Note from Volume One Owner & Publisher Nick Meyer
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