Clara Peller
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Clara Peller (August 4, 1902 – August 11, 1987), was an American character actress who, at the age of 81, starred in the 1984 "Where's the beef?" advertising campaign for the Wendy's fast-food restaurant chain. Peller's "Where's the beef" line became an instant catchphrase, with even presidential candidate Walter Mondale using it. Despite the immense popularity of the advertising campaign, Peller was fired by Wendy's in 1985 after declaring that she had "found the beef" in an advertisement for Prego Plus Spaghetti Sauce.[1]
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[edit] Other appearances
On April 14, 1984, Peller made an uncredited cameo appearance on Saturday Night Live which was guest hosted that night by 1972 Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern. She also made an appearance in the low-rated, low-budget 1985 Neal Israel comedy, Moving Violations, alongside John Murray, Sally Kellerman, Fred Willard and Jennifer Tilly, where she played the straightman friend to Nedra Volz's character who was a haphazard driver needing to renew her license at traffic school. In that film, Peller uttered "Where's the bags?"- a reference to her Wendy's commercials fame. In Larry Cohen's The Stuff, she appeared with Abe Vigoda in a commercial shouting "Where's the Stuff?". On April 7, 1986, she even made an appearance at WWF's WrestleMania 2 pay per view event, which featured guest appearances by numerous celebrities.
[edit] Death
Peller died at the age of 85 on August 11, 1987 in her native city of Chicago, Illinois and is buried in Jewish Waldheim Cemetery.
