Dee Snider

Dee Snide,

Daniel "Dee" Snider (born March 15, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter, screenwriter, radio personality, and actor. Snider is most famous for his role as the frontman of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister. He was ranked 83 in the Hit Parader's Top 100 Metal Vocalist of All Time.

Early life

Born in Astoria, New York, Snider grew up in nearby Baldwin and graduated from Baldwin High School in 1973. As a child he sang in a church choir, several school choruses, and Baldwin HS Concert Choir. He also was selected for the All State Chorus by singing. While in eighth grade, Snider was in a Black Sabbath cover band.

Career

1970s–1980s

In early 1976, Snider joined the recently formed Twisted Sister and became the sole songwriter of the band thereafter. The group released their first studio album, Under the Blade, in September 1982 and developed a following in the UK. Less than a year later, Twisted Sister released their sophomore effort, You Can't Stop Rock 'n' Roll. Their third album, Stay Hungry, hit shelves on May 10, 1984. This would become the band's most successful record with the hits "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock." To emphasize the "twisted sister" image, Snider adopted a trademark persona of metal-inspired drag with a long blond wig, an excessive amount of eye shadow and rouge, and bright red lipstick.

During the mid 1980s, before the premiere of Headbangers Ball, the first MTV program to consist entirely of heavy metal videos was Heavy Metal Mania. The first episode aired in June 1985 and was hosted by Dee Snider. It featured metal news, interviews with metal artists, and in-studio co-hosts. That same year in November, Twisted Sister released Come Out and Play which sold over 500,000 copies but was marred by a poor concert tour.

In 1985, a Senate hearing was instigated by the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC), who wanted to introduce a parental warning system that would label all albums containing offensive material. The system was to include letters identifying the type of objectionable content to be found in each album (e.g. O for occult themes, S for sex, D for drugs, V for violence, etc). Dee Snider, John Denver, and Frank Zappa all testified against censorship and the proposed warning system. Such a system was never implemented, but the result of the trial brought about what is now the generic "Parental Advisory: Explicit Content" label.

The PMRC was initially formed by the wives of Washington DC power brokers Al Gore (D-TN, Senate) and Secretary of State James Baker. Tipper Gore in particular became the face of the PMRC and a public foil for Snider in the hearings. Ironically, in the 2000 US Presidential Election cycle, Snider endorsed Vice President Gore for office. Public statements at the time (as noted in a July 2000 Reason article) have Snider justifying the decision based on Gore's environmental stance; however, other comments attributed to Snider quote him as saying he was backing the obvious winner[citation needed].

A fifth Twisted Sister album would be made in 1987's Love Is for Suckers. The record was originally planned to be a Dee Snider solo effort, but Atlantic Records encouraged a release under the Twisted Sister name. Touring lasted only into October that year and on the 12th of that month, Snider announced his departure from the band. It was during this time that Snider formed Desperado, a band featuring ex-Iron Maiden drummer Clive Burr, ex-Gillan guitarist Bernie Torme, and bassist Marc Russel. The group's only album, Ace, has never been officially released but was heavily bootlegged on CD under the title Bloodied But Unbowed.

1990s

Snider performing in Manchester, England

In the 1990s, Snider formed Widowmaker with Joe Franco, a good friend to Twisted Sister and drummer on the Love Is For Suckers, as well as Al Pitrelli and Marc Russel. The quartet recorded two albums with limited underground success, titled Blood and Bullets and Stand By For Pain. In the late 1990s, Snider toured with a "self-tribute" band called Dee Snider's SMFs (Sick Mother Fuckers), sometimes featuring ex-Twisted Sister drummer A.J. Pero. The usual line up included Dee Snider, Derek Tailer, Charlie Mills, Keith Alexander, and Spike.

In 1997, Dee Snider began hosting the House of Hair, a syndicated 1980s hard rock/heavy metal radio show that airs on over 200 radio stations across North America. It is syndicated by the United Stations Radio Networks. The show's format runs two hours and features Snider's closing catchphrase, "If it ain't metal, it's crap!"

In 1998, Snider had penned a song entitled "The Magic of Christmas Day (God Bless Us Everyone)" which would be recorded in 1998 by Celine Dion for her album These Are Special Times. According to Snider, Dion at the time was not aware of who wrote the song. Later that year, he also wrote and starred in the horror film Strangeland. Snider has also penned the script to a sequel which has the working title of Strangeland: Disciple. As of January 2008, however, Snider was less than optimistic that it would ever see the light of day, saying in an interview with Bullz-Eye.com that he had reached a point where he should "put a sign on my website that says, 'Y’got ten million dollars? Give me a call. I’ve got the script ready to go, Robert Englund’s attached, I’m attached. If somebody’s serious and wants to make it, call me. But don’t call me ‘til you’re ready to hand the check over.'” In May 2009, Dee Snider revealed on his radio show,"The House Of Hair," that Strangeland: Disciple will go ahead and is set to begin shooting in the fall of 2009 and is slated for a 2010 release.

2000s–present

From June 1999 to August 2003, Snider hosted a morning radio show on a Hartford, Connecticut Clear Channel station, Radio 104 (104.1 FM WMRQ), called Dee Snider Radio. His show returned to the air at night in August 2004 on 93.3 WMMR in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania until June 2005. He fondly referred to his listeners as his "Peeps," and "DEE" euro stickers, printed by the station, could be seen on the bumpers of his fans' cars throughout Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. Other members of the morning show included Nick Lentino, Beth Lockwood, "Psycho Dan" Williams, Sean Robbins, and "Darkside Dave" Wallace. He frequently featured high-profile guests, including Ozzy Osbourne, pro wrestler Mick Foley, and KISS singer/bassist Gene Simmons.

In 2001, Snider was the voice of Gol Acheron, the main villain for the PlayStation 2 video game Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy. The following year, he rejoined with the reunited Twisted Sister. Snider also played himself in the 2002 TV-movie Warning: Parental Advisory. In 2003, he appeared with actor Arnold Schwarzenegger during his drive to recall incumbent California Governor Gray Davis. Snider sang the Twisted Sister hit, "We're Not Gonna Take It," which was adopted by the Schwarzenegger campaign.

Snider narrates and hosts many shows and specials on VH1, movie trailers, behind the scenes segments, and DVD special features. He was featured as the 'voice' in the bumpers for MSNBC's 2001/2002 "Fiercely Independent" branding campaign. Every year since 2004, Snider has narrated a live show known as Van Helsing's Curse which tours the US around Halloween giving a mix of famous music with dark overtones and an occasional part of a storytelling to accompany the music. The concert has also been released on CD. Snider hosted VH1's 2008 "Aftermath" concert in remembrance of the victims and survivors of the 2003 Station nightclub fire.

Snider returned to radio in June 2006 with Fangoria Radio on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 102 from 9-12 Eastern.

During winter of 2008, Snider was featured as a contestant on CMT's Gone Country. The show recruited famous musical celebrities who competed against each other to win a chance to release a country song. Also in 2008, Snider appeared on the first episode of season two's Kitchen Nightmares who Gordon Ramsay had recruited as part of the marketing for the re-launch of the Handlebar restaurant. On the show, Snider donated a motorcycle for auction in which customers of the Handlebar were able to bid on through the Handlebar restaurants website.

Dee hosts DEAD ART on Gallery HD, a show about the beauty and art of cemeteries. He also hosts House of Hair a radio show that plays heavy metal music.

Snider has made appearances on the IFC Channel's original series Z Rock as himself playing the character of a "rock guru."

On July 27, 2010., Dee Snider and his family began appearing in the reality television show "Growing Up Twisted," airing on the Arts and Entertainment Network.

Personal life

Snider has been married to his wife Suzette, a costume designer, since October 21,1981. They have four children, Jesse Blaze (September 19, 1982), Shane Royal (February 29,1988), Cody Blue (December 7,1989), and Cheyenne Jean (October 31, 1996). His eldest son Jesse hosted MTV2 Rock, a music video countdown program in 2003, and was the runner-up in MTV's 2008 show Rock the Cradle. Dee appeared on the show as Jesse's mentor. Jesse is also the lead singer of the punk metal band Baptized By Fire.

In 2003, Snider's brother-in-law, Vincent Gargiulo, was murdered.

Snider currently lives part-time in East Setauket, New York. He appeared on MTV Cribs in 2005 to show his Long Island home, along with two of his four children, Shane and Cheyenne.

Snider is a personal friend of professional wrestler Mick Foley.

Snider is a registered Republican, but does not always vote for his party. In 2008, he stated in a TMZ interview that he would be voting for Barack Obama because John McCain (whom he liked and supported for many years) would not acknowledge George W. Bush's mistakes that he made while in office.

At the PMRC hearings, Dee Snider stated: "I was born and raised a Christian and I still adhere to those principles."

Projects

Bands

Twisted Sister

Desperado

Widowmaker

S.M.F.'s (Sick Mutha Fuckers)

Bent Brother (heavy metal group)

Books

Dee Snider's Teenage Survival Guide, Doubleday, 1987 - available in hardcover & softcover

Rock & Roll War Stories, Pitbull Publishing LLC, a chapter is dedicated to a hilarious anecdote Dee Snider told musician/author Gordon G.G. Gebert on Dee's House of Hair Radio show. The story inspired Gebert to write his third book.

Solo albums

Never Let the Bastards Wear You Down, 2000

Guest appearances

"Crazy Train" on Bat Head Soup: A Tribute to Ozzy, 2000

"Go to Hell" on Humanary Stew: A Tribute To Alice Cooper, 1999

"Go to Hell" on Welcome to My Nightmare: An All Star Salute To Alice Cooper, 1999

"Eleanor Rigby" on Eddie Ojeda's Axes 2 Axes, 2005

"Wasted Years" on Numbers From The Beast: An All Star Tribute to Iron Maiden, 2005

"SCG3 Special Report" on Lordi: The Arockalypse, 2006

"Detroit Rock City" on Spin The Bottle: An All-Star Tribute To KISS, 2004

"Howard Stern" on Sirius, Feb 8, 2006; 2007

"Saigon Suicide Show"; an episode of the television show "The Upright Citizens Brigade", 1998

"Handlebar"; an episode of the television show "Kitchen Nightmares", 2008

"Episode#1.7"; an episode of the television show "Z Rock (ZO2)", 2008

Monster Circus live at the Las Vegas Hilton March 19-21 & 26-28, 2009

"Paint it Black" on "Harder & Heavier-60's British Invasion Goes Metal," 2010

"I Wanna Rock" on America's Got Talent, 2010

Filmography

Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) - cameo appearance on top of a car hood singing "Burn in Hell"

Private Parts (1997) - cameo appearance in the opening scene

Strangeland (1998)

Van Helsing's Curse (2004)

Kiss Loves You (2004)

Metal: A Headbangers Journey (2005)

[edit]Other appearances in media

Spongebob Squarepants (2009) - played the character Angry Jack on the episode "Shell Shocked"

Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (2001) - did the voice of Gol the Sage

Bluetooth= D-bag (2009)- Partook in the JOHNisFUNNY.com  YouTube sketch about Bluetooth headsets, created by Long Island filmmaker John Mingione

"Penn Jillette Radio" (October 19, 2006) - Interviewed by Penn Jillette 

(source:wikipdia)

Dr. Frank Ryan

Dr. Frank Ryan,

Dr. Francis Harry “Frank” Ryan (born May 21, 1960- August 16, 2010) was an American plastic surgeon. He is well known for his nonprofit foundation, The Bony Pony Ranch, as well as his multiple celebrity patients.

In 1994, Ryan entered private practice in Beverly Hills. The following year, he performed one of the first plastic surgery “makeovers” on television, on TLC's The Operation. In 1999, Ryan became the plastic surgeon for boxer Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions. Dr. Ryan was killed in a car accident on August 16th, 2010. He was 50 years old at the time of his death.

Background

Dr. Frank Ryan was Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1982 and from the Ohio State University's College of Medicine in 1986.

He then completed eight years of post-graduate surgical training at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the University of Missouri and UCLA Medical Center. Dr. Ryan has also participated in numerous fellowships, the first of which was a burn reconstruction fellowship at Shriners Hospital for Children. In 1990, he completed a UCLA Division of Plastic Surgery Research Fellowship that focused exclusively on breast augmentation.

While at the UCLA Medical Center, Dr. Ryan was chosen for and completed the UCLA Division of Plastic Surgery’s Aesthetic Fellowship.

Death

On August 16th, 2010, according to law enforcement, Dr. Ryan's Jeep went over the side of Pacific Coast Highway at around 4:30 PM. The Jeep landed on rocks and lifeguards initially tried to help Ryan, to no avail. Dr. Ryan, was trapped in the vehicle and had major head injuries. The Ventura County Fire Department tried hoisting Ryan using a helicopter, but the attempt was called off. Ryan was pronounced dead at the scene, at the age of 50. An Autopsy was performed on Dr. Ryan on August 17th, 2010.

(source:wikipedia)

Maytag

Maytag Corporation was a $4.7 billion home and commercial appliance company, headquartered in Newton, Iowa from 1893 to 2006, and now part of the Whirlpool Corporation.

Company history

The Maytag Washing Machine Company was founded in 1893 by businessman Frederick Maytag. In 1925, the Maytag Washing Machine Company became Maytag, Inc. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the company was one of the few to actually make a profit in successive years. At his father's death in 1940, Fred Maytag II, grandson of the founder, took over the presidency. During World War II, the company participated in war production by making special components for military equipment. In 1946, production of washing machines was resumed; in 1949, the first automatic washers were produced in a new purpose-built plant. In 1946, Maytag began marketing a separate line of ranges and refrigerators made by other companies under the Maytag name. During the Korean War, the company again produced parts for military equipment, although washing-machine production continued.
During the 1950s, the 'white goods,' or laundry appliance industry grew rapidly. Maytag first entered the commercial laundry field at this time, manufacturing washers and dryers for commercial self-service laundries and commercial operators. In response, other full-line appliance producers began to compete with Maytag in the white-goods consumer market. These included 'full-line' manufacturers such as General Electric, Whirlpool, and Frigidaire, who built not only washing machines and dryers, but also refrigerators, stoves, and other appliances. Since Maytag was much smaller than the full-line producers, the company decided to limit itself to the manufacture of washers and dryers, alongside ovens and refrigerators built by other companies, as a niche-market, premium-brand manufacturer. The company capitalized on its reputation by renaming its corporate address in Newton, Iowa, "One Dependability Square."
By 1960, Maytag had ceased marketing ovens and refrigerators, but later began once again to expand into kitchen appliances with its own design of portable kitchen dishwasher and a line of food-waste disposers. Upon the death of Fred Maytag II, the last family member involved in the company's management, E. G. Higdon was named president of the company, with George M. Umbreit becoming chairman and CEO. By the late 1970s, over 70 percent of U.S. households were equipped with washers and dryers, and with approximately 18,000 employees worldwide, the company was established as a dominant manufacturer of large laundry appliances. After the company's acquisition of Magic Chef, Inc., in 1986, a move which nearly doubled its size, the company acquired a new corporate name, the Maytag Corporation.
In 1997, a Maytag engineering team, at Maytag Laundry Appliances Research and Development, developed the Maytag Neptune line of front-load washers. A matching dryer was introduced to accompany the new washer. The company claimed that the new Neptune model saved energy costs over traditional washer/dryer sets. Production of the Neptune line was later switched to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd via rebranded Samsung machines. In 2001, the company acquired the Amana Corporation and its appliance assembly facilities. That same year, Ralph F. Hake became the last chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Maytag Corporation, serving in that post until March 2006. Once renowned as the standard for laundry appliances, by 2003 the company faced increasing competition from new appliance brands in the US market, as well as from existing appliance manufacturers who had outsourced production a decade earlier in order to reduce costs. While Maytag had begun the process of shifting appliance production to lower-cost assembly plants outside the United States, by 2004 the company still produced 88 percent of its products in older U.S.-based factories. In an apparent move away from traditional company marketing strategy, company management decided on a plan to stimulate consumer purchases of new Maytag appliances before their old ones had worn out.
Costs incurred in Maytag's acquisition and integration of Amana and an increased corporate debt load led to aggressive internal cost-cutting efforts in direct materials, manufacturing, and distribution costs. Maytag introduced a 'value' priced appliance line under a separate label, Performa by Maytag. To increase sales, the company also marketed Maytag-branded 'Legacy Series' washing machines that were otherwise identical to low-end Amana models, and built in the former Herrin, Illinois Amana assembly plant. The rebranded Maytag models, later termed Amanatags by dissatisfied owners, received poor customer reviews after reports surfaced of major mechanical and/or durability problems. The company also consolidated warehouse operations and cut the number of Maytag vendors. Between 2002 and 2004, Maytag corporate management cut new-product investment in half.
An increasing chorus of consumer complaints concerning product reliability and customer service, assisted by the rapid growth of internet consumer forums, began to affect the company's reputation with customers. The company was also slow to react to customer complaints regarding its flagship Neptune washer and dryer line (labeled the Stinkomatic by dissatisfied customers), resulting in further damage to the company's reputation and a $33.5 million set-aside to settle several class-action lawsuits arising from the Neptune problems. By 2005, Maytag's market share had declined to all-time lows, sales were flat, and customer satisfaction surveys ranked Maytag near the bottom of the appliance field[4]. The problems with the Neptune line continued; in 2007, 250,000 Neptune washing machines became part of a nationwide safety recall by the Consumer Product Safety Commission due to fire danger.
On April 1, 2006, the Whirlpool Corp. completed its acquisition of Maytag Corporation. In May 2006, Whirlpool announced plans to close the former Maytag headquarters office in Newton, as well as laundry manufacturing plants in Newton, Iowa; Herrin, Illinois; and Searcy, Arkansas by 2007. Following the Maytag closure, all administration will be in Whirlpool's headquarters in Benton Harbor, Michigan. The Maytag name will still be used on rebranded Whirlpool appliances. Most Maytag employees were terminated, and some were offered jobs in Benton Harbor. The board of directors of Maytag all received five years' severance pay. Former chairman and CEO, Ralph F. Hake, received two years' base salary and two years' target bonus under his severance agreement.
On January 1, 2009, Maytag (under the ownership of the Whirlpool Corp.) changed the vested lifetime benefits of the Maytag retirees. There is a lawsuit pending in the Southern District Court of Iowa where Whirlpool has asked for permission to change the UAW bargained benefits. At this point in time, the benefits in question have already been changed without the judges consent.

Chronology
Year Event
1893 Frederick Louis Maytag arrived in Iowa by covered wagon. F.L., his two brothers-in-law, and George W. Parsons each contributed $600 for a total of $2,400 to start a new farm implement company named Parsons Band-Cutter & Self Feeder Company. They produced threshing machines, band-cutters, and self-feeder attachments invented by Parsons.
1893 Threshing machine-related injuries were all too common, and a strong need for a safer threshing machine was present. The company successfully met this need by developing a threshing machine feeder, a device which fed straw more safely into the threshing cylinder.
1902 The company was the largest feeder manufacturer in the world, and, by 1904, the Ruth was the most popular model.
1905 Maytag introduced the Success Corn Husker and Shredder.
1907 Maytag's first washing machine, the "Pastime", was produced. F.L. Maytag decided to produce these machines during the periods of seasonally related downturns in farm-implement sales. The "Pastime" washers used a wooden tub. A dolly was turned by a hand crank via wooden pegs. This turning action would pull clothes through the water and force the clothes along the corrugated tub sides producing cleaning action. A pulley allowed the machine to be operated from an outside power source such as a tractor or a windmill.
1911 A model of the Pastime with an electric motor was unveiled.
1915 Maytag developed its Multi-Motor gasoline-engine washer. This allowed customers in rural areas without electricity to utilize the automatic washers.
1919 The first aluminum washer tub was produced by Maytag. Prior to this, it had been believed in the industry that aluminum tub washers could not be built. This aluminum tub proved to have numerous advantages over the wooden tub, which had issues with leaking and rotting.
1920 L. B. Maytag, son of the company's founder, began serving as company president.
1922 Howard Snyder invented the vaned agitator. The agitator is placed inside the tub and mounted in the bottom of the tub. The concept was that, instead of washboarding or dragging the clothes, they would be gently agitated. Maytag first introduced this new washer, the Gyrafoam, and became exclusively an appliance company.
1924 By 1924, one of every five washing machines were made by Maytag in Newton, IA.
1924 Maytag introduced its first iron.
1925 Maytag was listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
1926 The company was now headed by Elmer Henry Maytag, another son of F.L. Maytag.
1926 On October 12, five trainloads packed full with Maytag Washers were shipped out to the country. At this time, it was the world's largest single shipment of merchandise. Maytag broke its own record in May 1927, and shipped out eight trainloads.
1927 Maytag had produced over a million washers.
1929 Maytag realized earnings of $6,838,883, a pre-war high. Maytag also survived the Great Depression without having a loss for any year.
1934 Maytag begins production of Maytag Toy Racer automobiles on October 11.
1940 E. H. Maytag died and his son, Frederick Louis Maytag II (grandson of F.L. Maytag), became Maytag's head at the age of 29.
1941 Maytag Toy Racer production ends on December 1. During World War II Maytag no longer produced washing machines and instead concentrated on the war effort. From 1941 to 1945, Maytag made design improvements on, and manufactured special components for, military airplanes. These parts were used in sixteen different types of combat aircraft, including the B-29 Super Fortress, the B-17 Flying Fortress, B-26 Marauder, and the P-51 Mustang.
1946 The war ended and washing machine manufacturing was geared back up in Newton, IA. Maytag began selling ranges and refrigerators.
1948 Maytag's plant number two was opened in Newton, Iowa. This facility manufactured Maytag's first automatic washers, the "AMP", introduced that year. This was the start of a new age in washing machines for Maytag.
1951 The Korean War was underway, and Maytag built parts for tanks and other military equipment alongside the washing machines.
1953 Maytag introduced its first automatic dryer.
1954 Maytag's first television advertisement was aired.
1958 Maytag introduced the commercial coin-slide washers used in laundromats.
1961 Maytag's corporate headquarters building was dedicated.
1962 Upon the death of F. L. Maytag II, George M. Unibreit became chairman of the board and chief executive officer, and E.G. Higdon was named president. The company would never again be led by a Maytag family member.
1966 Maytag produced its first line of portable dishwashers. Additionally licensed its first Maytag home appliance center.
1967 Character actor Jesse White appears in the first "Maytag Repairman" TV commercial.
1972 Daniel L. Krumm succeeded E.G. Higdon as Maytag president and treasurer, and two years later he was named chief executive officer.
1975 Maytag introduced Maytag-equipped home style laundries.
1981 Maytag acquired Hardwick Stove Company.
1983 Maytag discontinued production of wringer washers, after 76 years.
1985 Maytag introduced the first-ever stacked washer/dryer.
1986 The Maytag Company became the Maytag Corporation. It acquired Magic Chef, and started selling a full line of appliances.
1987 Maytag Corporation added a line of front-loading commercial washers.
1989 Maytag acquired the Hoover Company.
1989 Gordon Jump of WKRP fame first appears as The Maytag Repairman.
1991 Maytag contracted with Montgomery Ward & Co. for the exclusive use of the Admiral brand (acquired in the Magic Chef acquisition) on its consumer electronic goods. (Admiral would later become exclusive to Home Depot after the Whirlpool Corporation purchased Maytag).
1992 Maytag began manufacturing of dishwashers in Jackson, Tennessee.
1994 Hoover introduced the first SteamVac extractors.
1997 Maytag introduced a high-efficiency washer, the Maytag Neptune.
2001 Maytag acquired Amana. Maytag relabels some Amana-built models with the 'Maytag' brand, selling them as Maytag products.
2002 A class-action lawsuit is filed against the company on behalf of Neptune washing machine consumers.
2004 Maytag Corporation announces a loss of $9 million dollars.
2005 Maytag became the subject of a takeover battle between a private investment group in the United States. (Ripplewood), a three party group composed of Blackstone, Baird and Haier Corporation, a Chinese appliance manufacturer, and the Whirlpool Corporation. On December 22, Maytag stockholders agreed to sell Maytag to Whirlpool, ending Maytag's 112-year history as an independent company.
2006 On March 31, Whirlpool Corp. completed its acquisition of Maytag and began integrating the two appliance companies.
2007 Clay Earl Jackson becomes the new Maytag repairman featured in advertising campaigns. During this year, Maytag also celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Pastime washing machine by releasing the Centennial Washer and Dryer pair.

Owned brands

Admiral
Amana
Caloric
Crosley
Dynasty
Gaffers & Sattler
Glenwood
Hardwick
Holiday
Hoover vacuums
Jade
JENN-Air
Litton
Magic Chef
Menu Master
Modern Maid
Norge
Sunray

Products

In major appliances, Maytag was among the top three companies in the North American market, offering a full line of washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, cooktops, refrigerators, and ranges under the Maytag, Hoover, Jenn-Air, Amana, Magic Chef, Dixie-Narco, and Jade brands.
Maytag sold multiple small appliances including a cordless iron under the Maytag brand, a mixer and blender under JENN-Air; the company also sold the popular Skybox and Rookie home-vending products.
In floor care, Maytag owned the Hoover brand, the market leader in North America and the floor-care brand with the highest consumer recognition and buying preference.
In commercial products, Maytag owned Dixie-Narco, a leader in refrigerated soft drink and specialty vending machines as well as Jade cooking products and Amana commercial cooking products.
Maytag had presence in markets around the world, including sales operations in Australia, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom. The corporation's export sales and marketing, licensing of brands, and international joint ventures was coordinated by Maytag International in Schaumburg, Illinois.

Maytag International

In 1988, DOMICOR was established as Maytag Corporation's international division and in 1992 became Maytag International, Inc. which eventually encompassed all of Maytag's worldwide ventures including Maytag Australia, Maytag Canada, Maytag Commercial (Mexico), and Maytag UK.
Maytag International, was based in Schaumburg, Illinois, handled the sales, licensing and business ventures of corporate appliances and floorcare brands in overseas markets as well as the administrative support for the international sales organization. This network extended to more than 70 countries worldwide.
Maytag International was responsible for export sales and licensing of the corporation's appliances and floor care brands and joint ventures in overseas markets. This network extends to more than 90 countries worldwide. The main office is located in Chicago with major subsidiary offices in Burlington, Ontario (Canada), Monterrey (Mexico), Sydney (Australia), and London (England) and region sales offices in Beirut (Lebanon) and Guaynabo (Puerto Rico).

Manufacturing plants

At the time of acquisition, Maytag had 14 manufacturing plants throughout the United States and Mexico. These include:
laundry manufacturing plants in Newton, Iowa; Herrin, Illinois; and Searcy, Arkansas, in the U.S., and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, in Mexico
refrigeration manufacturing plants in Amana, Iowa and Reynosa, Tamaulipas
cooking manufacturing plant in Cleveland, Tennessee
dishwashing manufacturing plant in Jackson, Tennessee
vending manufacturing plant in Williston, South Carolina
floor-care manufacturing plants in North Canton, Ohio, El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua.
subassembly manufacturing plant in Reynosa, Tamaulipas
There are also manufacturing plants in China

Ol' Lonely

Gordon Jump as the Maytag repairman
Ol' Lonely, or "the lonely repairman", is a character in Maytag advertisements, created for Maytag by copywriter Vincent R. Vassolo of the Leo Burnett advertising agency. His character was initially played by Jesse White, who retained the role until 1988. In a time in which the laundry appliances of major manufacturers had reached maturity, differing mostly in minor details, the campaign was designed to remind consumers of the perceived added value in Maytag products derived from the brand's reputation for dependability. Maytag advertisements stated “Ol' Lonely’s predicament is testimony to the durability and reliability of Maytag appliances. Now if only he had something to do with his days.” The campaign proved a huge success, allowing Maytag to set a substantial price premium, as well as strongly influencing consumer preference at the higher end of the laundry appliance market.
In 1986, the repairman was joined by Newton, a basset hound named for Maytag’s headquarters in Newton, Iowa. In 1989, character actor Gordon Jump first appeared as Ol' Lonely in the advertisement “Biker.” In total, Jump appeared in more than 77 Maytag commercials and print advertisements. He made appearances at events for employees and customers and also was actively involved in several philanthropic and charitable causes. Ironically, a former Maytag repairman was convicted of fabricating repair and expense claims.
Actor Hardy Rawls was hired to play Ol' Lonely after Jump's retirement in 2003, although he appeared only in print advertising and personal appearances. Gordon Jump died two months later on September 22, 2003. In French-speaking Quebec, Ol' Lonely was played by Paul Berval. For a period of time Maytag gave Ol' Lonely a younger sidekick character known as the 'Maytag Apprentice', played by actor Mark Devine. However, in 2005 Maytag cancelled his contract. Maytag also elected not to renew Rawls' contract, instead holding open auditions. Indianapolis Colts backup quarterback Jim Sorgi was among those who auditioned.On April 2, 2007, Maytag announced that Clay Earl Jackson of Richmond, Virginia had been selected to fill the role of Ol' Lonely.
By the end of the twentieth century, the "Maytag repairman" character had become an iconic metaphor for a professional whose services are rarely needed, such as "Most people in town now have their own cars, making the local bus driver like the Maytag repairman." Times were changing however, and events at Maytag and within the industry began to diminish the effectiveness of the long-lived Maytag- repairman campaign. Consumer demand for innovative, expensive, and increasingly complex electronically-controlled and computerized appliances, coupled with higher labor costs and complaints over Maytag product quality and service, influenced a decline in Maytag sales and profit margins. By 2004, the Maytag repairman character had become to some consumers a symbol of misplaced trust in aging marketing campaigns.[27][28] As one commentator noted, "Unfortunately things change, and, after some major quality hiccups, now it's the Maytag salesman who is bemoaning his loneliness. Maytag's reputation has plunged to the bottom with costly consumer class action lawsuits and numerous quality complaints."[29] As a partial result of Maytag's quality problems, the company reported a loss of $9 million in 2004, according to Industry Week.
Source:wikipedia
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Danniella Westbrook

Danniella Westbrook (born 5 November 1973) is an English actress and television presenter. She is known for being the original actress to play Samantha Mitchell in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders from 1990–93, 1995–96, 1999–2000 and 2009–10. Away from EastEnders she has presented various shows, and was also a contestant on ITV's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in 2003.Westbrook returned to filming for EastEnders as Sam Mitchell in June 2009 and left when the character was sent to prison in January 2010. She competed in the 2010 series of Dancing on Ice with US Pairs Skater Matthew Gonzalez and finished fourth in the competition.
Westbrook struggled with a much publicised cocaine addiction throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, which caused the complete erosion of her nasal septum/colonna. She sought treatment and no longer uses drugs. She is married with two children, and released her autobiography, The Other Side of Nowhere, in 2006.

Early life

Westbrook was born in Walthamstow, East London, but grew up in Loughton, Essex. Her father Andy was a cab driver, later a carpet contractor, while her mother, Sue, was a shop assistant. Her parents were also successful property developers. Westbrook has two brothers, the eldest, Justin — her father's son from a prior marriage — and a younger brother, Jay, who is 8 years her junior. She has commented "I came from a very loving family - you know, 2.4 children with a Volvo".
As a child, she had a keen interest in horse riding, but she has said that she has always had aspirations to be famous. She started off modeling at the age of seven and then progressed to acting. She joined the Sylvia Young Theatre School when she was eight, attending Saturday classes. Throughout the early stages of her career, Westbrook attended a local state primary school, but she was bullied because of her television appearances, and after one bully cut off her hair, Westbrook's parents removed her from the school. She was sent to a local private school, until, at the age of 12, her parents allowed her to attend Sylvia Young Theatre School as a full-time student, where Denise Van Outen, Dani Behr and her future EastEnders co-star, Nicola Stapleton, were among her contemporaries.




Career

Early career
Westbrook started off modeling at the age of seven for the supermarket Asda. She went on to launch Next's children's fashionware, became the face of highstreet store "Tammy Girl", took part in a Weetabix campaign and featured in commercials for Opel cars and Coca Cola. Later she did modeling alongside her younger brother Jay. She progressed into acting, appearing as a child thief in Melvyn Bragg's London Programme and the West End production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.She appeared in a video for the band Queen and had a minor role in Grange Hill. At the age of eleven she appeared as an extra in BBC's EastEnders, roller skating across the soap's setting of Albert Square. At the time her local paper published her picture with the punchline "who knows, one day she may be the show's star!".



EastEnders
At the age of 16, Westbrook was put forward for a much bigger role in EastEnders, Sam Mitchell (the younger sister of Phil and Grant). Her audition was successful and she made her first appearance on the soap opera in 1990.Despite featuring in some prominent storylines, Westbrook decided to leave the soap in 1993 to take another role. In 1995, the producers at EastEnders asked her back to the soap a second time. However, Westbrook was regularly using cocaine and it began to affect her work. Due to her off-screen antics and her poor and tardy attendance on set, the producers of EastEnders terminated her contract and she was written out of the soap again in 1996.
In 1999, EastEnders' producers decided to reintroduce the character of Sam Mitchell. Although they initially considered recasting the role to another actress, and despite all her past problems, they decided to give Danniella another chance and she was asked back for a third time. During her time away, Daniella's excessive use of cocaine had completely eroded away her nasal septum. In order to hide this from the audience, Danniella was only filmed in ways that would keep her septum hidden from view.However, Daniella's drug taking continued and in 2000, she was asked to leave EastEnders for a third time. After her departure, the character of Sam Mitchell was recast and played by Kim Medcalf from 2002–2005. After Kim Medcalf quit in 2005, a tabloid rumour suggested that Danniella would be reprising the role in her place, the rumour was, however, denied by the BBC. In March 2009, it was reported by The Sun that EastEnders bosses were considering in writing the character of Sam Mitchell back into EastEnders, and that Daniella Westbrook would be playing her, despite Kim Medcalf being the latest actress to play her. A source said "[Danniella] was the original Sam and the chemistry with Sid Owen as Ricky was exciting stuff. If she returns it will be the talk of soapland for months."
On 7 April, 2009, it was announced Sam Mitchell was returning to EastEnders and that Daniella would be playing her again, taking over from Kim Medcalf, and playing the role she played throughout the 1990s. She will return later in 2009. The news that Westbrook was returning to the role was then confirmed by both the BBC and EastEnders Executive Producer Diederick Santer later that same day, on the official website. In May, Danniella admitted that her addicitions stopped her from returning to EastEnders sooner, as she did not want to risk her recovery. She returned to filming in June. She returned to screens on 4 September 2009 and departed once again in January 2010. Diederick Santer said he hoped Danniella would return to the show in the future.
[edit]Other work
A week after her initial exit from EastEnders, in 1993, Westbrook landed the part of Dawn in ITV's Frank Stubbs Promotes, which had a second series in 1994. She also played a part in Dave Stewart's directional film debut, Entertaining Mr. Simpson. The film was shown at various film festivals around the world, including Cannes.
In 2003, Westbrook was a contestant in the British ITV reality series I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!. Despite being a popular candidate for winning, she found the environment traumatic, saying that she missed her children and wasn't psychologically prepared for the hardship of jungle life. She quit the show before being voted off.
Westbrook was offered the role of Natalie Buxton in the ITV prison series Bad Girls, but she declined because of her nose rebuilding operation . Dannielle Brent went on to play Natalie Buxton. Westbrook also turned down a small role in Footballers Wives and the role of money grabber Suzie Samson in Crossroads. Emma Noble went on to portray Suzie Samson
Westbrook — who has openly had several breast enhancements— co-presented Cosmetic Surgery Live alongside Vanessa Feltz. Danniella has also presented a series of fitness DVDs. She has appeared in the reality series I'm Famous and Frightened! and Most Haunted, as well as the television comedy sketch show Bo' Selecta. In addition, she presented Derek Acorah's Ghost Towns with Derek Acorah on LIVINGtv.
Westbrook has featured in several documentaries, including an interview with British journalist Martin Bashir for the Tonight with Trevor McDonald show and Danniella Westbrook: My Nose and Me for Channel 4. In April 2006, Danniella released an autobiography entitled The Other Side of Nowhere, which gives a depiction of her struggles with cocaine.
Danniella competed in the fifth series of Dancing on Ice and was partnered by newcomer professional Matthew Gonzalez in 2010. She was the only competitor to top the leaderboard above Hayley Tamaddon in Week 10 and scored the second highest score for a prop week performance in Dancing on Ice history with 27.5 that same week, with a chair as her prop. She was eliminated from the show in the semi-finals and came fourth overall.


Personal life

Addiction

Danniella famously appeared on chatshow 'The Priory' in February 2001, where she appeared to be heavily under the influence of drugs.
Westbrook's struggle with cocaine addiction has been widely documented in the British press. She has confessed that she first tried the drug at the age of 14, in a nightclub. After winning her role in EastEnders at the age of 16, Westbrook was a regular on the London club scene, and her cocaine usage escalated. By the age of 21, she was spending £400 a day on cocaine. She has commented "I was always in clubs and everyone was doing coke and it was glamorous - except obviously, it wasn't at all. I was just very young, very stupid and very easily led...I think there should be someone at EastEnders to say to young people when they come in, 'Look, your life is about to change, you're going to be invited to things, and you'll be offered drugs.' Someone who can tell them what sort of people are about, and what sort of papers, and how quickly what you've worked for all those years can be gone." It is estimated that she has spent over £250,000 on drugs, used 5g of cocaine every single day throughout her first pregnancy,and has admitted that during her lowest ebb she attempted suicide several times.
In May 2000, Westbrook was photographed at the British Soap Awards, where an image of her missing septum was given to a series of tabloid newspapers, unveiling her secret and highlighting her excessive drug abuse. Danniella was checked into rehab and six months later, she appeared on the Channel 4 show 'The Priory' with the claim that she was clean and had been free from drugs for months. However, hosts Jamie Theakston and Zoe Ball struggled to get coherent answers from Danniella, who was under the influence of drugs despite her claims of abstinence. Reflecting back on the event in 2002, Westbrook commented, "I said I was clean, but it was obvious I wasn't. I looked about 50, and my voice was shaky. I should never have been allowed on. They wanted to laugh at me, rip me apart. I despise that sort of thing, but it did me the world of good because watching it I realised, 'I'm so ill.' When it came to the crunch I thought, 'Hang on. I don't want to die.'"  Danniella re-entered rehab in order to kick her drug habit, which she has now successfully done. Westbrook has since undergone reconstructive surgery on her nose to replace her eroded septum.


Relationships and family
During the early 1990s, Westbrook notably dated the pop singer, Brian Harvey. Westbrook and Harvey's relationship ended in 1995, and Westbrook began dating Robert Fernandez, the father of her son Kai, who was born in 1996.
In 1998, Westbrook was involved in a car accident, which left her with severe facial injuries, including a dislocated eye. She was flung through the car windscreen, but survived, and after corrective surgery, sustained no long-term or major disfigurement. Fernandez was driving the car, and it has been reported that he was travelling at 85 mph.
After splitting with Fernandez, Westbrook married van driver Ben Morgan in 1998, after knowing him for just eight weeks. The couple went to live in Australia but the marriage did not last, ending in divorce nine months later.
She married again, this time millionaire businessman Kevin Jenkins on 27 December 2001 and their daughter Jody B was born the following year. After appearing on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in 2003, Westbrook admitted that she no longer wanted to be a 'celebrity', commenting "I made a pact with Kevin I would do no more TV work that would take me away from home. These days, I live an ordinary life. I work occasionally, but I also do the school run and laundry and prepare my family's dinner".
Source:wikipedia