Rodney Allen Rippy - Episode 437

Steve Cooper talks with former child actor Rodney Allen Rippy. Rodney appeared in TV commercials for the fast-food chain Jack in the Box in the early 1970s, as well as in numerous roles in television and movies. In the advertisements, Rippy was seen trying to wrap his mouth around the super-sized Jumbo Jack hamburger. The tag line "It's too big to eat!" (pronounced "It's too big-a-eat!") became a catch-phrase. Another spot showed Rippy giggling while singing the song Take Life a Little Easier, which was released as a single by Bell Records in the fall of 1973 in the wake of the commercial's popularity. He subsequently had guest-roles in many popular television shows, including The Six Million Dollar Man, Marcus Welby, MD, Police Story, and The Odd Couple (where Rodney played the owner of the building where Oscar and Felix lived). He also appeared frequently on talk shows such as The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and Dinah's Place with Dinah Shore and had a co-starring role on the CBS Saturday morning children's show The Harlem Globetrotters Popcorn Machine. He now is a partner in the film production company, Bow Tie Productions, and spokesman for Hurricane Housing Relief. He worked at KABC-TV in Los Angeles, California. A resident of Carson, California, he has served as Master of Ceremonies for the Carson Relay For Life. He is also a national director of marketing with Metro Networks.