Orville Redenbacher

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For the brand of popcorn, see Orville Redenbacher's.

An image of Orville Redenbacher on a popcorn container

Orville Redenbacher (July 16, 1907 – September 19, 1995) is most often associated with the brand of popcorn that bears his name. Born in Brazil, Indiana, he graduated from Purdue University where he earned a degree in agronomy and was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity.

He spent most of his life as a farmer and worker in the agriculture industry, serving as Vigo County Farm Bureau Extension Agent in Terre Haute, Indiana and at Princeton Farms in Princeton, Indiana. He established his popcorn plant in Valparaiso, Indiana, and earned a small fortune in fertilizers.

In his spare time, he bred corn and developed several hybrid strands of corn designed to be eaten as popcorn. He later sold the company, which was, in turn, sold to the agribusiness giant ConAgra. However, he appeared in numerous television commercials, sometimes with his grandson, always wearing his trademark bowtie. In 1995, while in the bathtub, Redenbacher suffered a heart attack and drowned. His brand of popcorn continues to be among the most popular in the United States.

2005 marked the 40th Anniversary of Orville Redenbacher's popcorn, still the #1 selling brand in America. To celebrate the man behind the popcorn, ConAgra developed a special website that highlights some of the classic Orville Redenbacher television commercials. One of his most famous and recognizable commercials states, "My gourmet popping corn pops up lighter and fluffier than ordinary popping corn. Eats better, too."

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