View Full Version : John Amos was in a McDonald's singing ad


EmpressDR
01-01-2007, 07:48 PM
So I am posting the lyrics. I finally got to see it again, when someone posted the video on You Tube. I copied the lyrics, though I am shaky on one line.
The famous ad has McDonald's crew dancing while cleaning:

:triplets :mango :triplets

The ad has a great tenor manager and six multicultural McDonald's crew members, including two black guys, one Asian, maybe Hispanic. Very nicely done, showing that not only is McDonald's a clean, safe restaurant to eat in, it does not discriminate.

Two Mop Guys Crew: "Grab a bucket and mop..."
Two Rag Guys Crew: "Scrub the bottom and top."

Burger Machine Guy: "There is nothing so clean as my burger machine!"

Broom guy Crew [ one is John Amos ]: "With a broom and a brush"
Other Broom/Brush Guy Crew: "Clean it up for the rush"

Fine Tenor Manager: "Before you open the door..."
Al Joson sound-alike guy gets on one knee: "Put a shine on the floor!"

group, dancing: "When we've finished, what then?"

Burger Machine Guy: "Start all over again!"
Fine Tenor Manager: "Tell me what does it mean?"
Crew: "At McDonald's it's clean!"

[ Fine Tenor Manager nods, satisfied ]

[ Crew goes out to the parking lot to kick up their heels and dance ]

All: "You deserve a break today! So get up and get away! To McDonald's! McDonald's! McDonald's!"

[ they get on their knees, gesturing to McDonald's doors at the end --Welcome in! ]

the tall black guy IS John Amos from Good Times and Roots. I checked his imdb listing , in "other works"--1971 McDonald's commercial. The Fine Tenor Manager looks familiar --I thought he was the guy in Blazing Saddles who says that the black people can join the town, "But we don't want the Irish!" before relenting. He was a good character actor, with a voice built for singing: David Huddleston who played "Olson Johnson." But in seeing the pics of him on one webpage, he looked different from the guy in the ad.


The main Rag Guy looks like one of my TV teachers, but I know it isn't him.

http://www.had.dk/

caladon
01-01-2007, 09:41 PM
Here's the link to two postings on youtube.com:

http://youtube.com/results?search_query=mcdonalds+you+deserve

The manager appears to be played by character actor John Wheeler, the one scrubbing the burger machine is character actor Robert Ridgley and the one who sings "Put a shine on the floor," is character actor Johnny Haymer best know as Sgt. Zale on M*A*S*H

EmpressDR
01-03-2007, 04:44 PM
Oh, thank you. Problem is, it's a little hard to get extra information on these actors. I checked the imdb, and they don't have that commercial's listing, but imdb seems to be sparse on a regular basis.

How did you find out this info? Was there a trivia site or book, or had you recognized them?

caladon
01-04-2007, 08:56 AM
Just recognized them. When I was a kid, I was curious as to who played whom, so I got into the habit of reading the credits for TV shows and movies. Unfortunately commercials don't have credits, so it becomes sort of a game trying to match names with faces. Glad I was able to help.

TripperFan
01-04-2007, 09:24 AM
Boy does that ever bring back memories. I remember that commercial vividly!!:)

:wave: Thx for the memory!!