William Darrell Mays Jr. (July 20, 1958 – June 28, 2009) was an American television direct-response advertisement salesperson. Throughout his career, he promoted a wide variety of … See more

Mays was born on July 20, 1958, in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania to Joyce Palm and Billy Mays Sr, where he was raised in nearby Pittsburgh. He was a student at Sto-Rox … See more

Early work
After dropping out of college, Mays worked for his father's hazardous waste company before moving to Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 1983. On the Atlantic City boardwalk, Mays sold the Washmatik portable washing device to … See more

Mays' first marriage was to Dolores "Dee Dee" Mays, which ended in divorce. He had a son with Dolores named Billy Mays III (born August 12, 1986) who worked as a production assistant alongside his father on the PitchMen television show. Mays had a daughter, … See more

On the morning of June 28, 2009, Mays' wife found him unresponsive in his home in Tampa, Florida. He was pronounced dead at 7:45 a.m., aged 50, appearing to have died sometime overnight. The Associated Press reported there were no indications that the … See more

His catchphrase and infomercials made Billy Mays a notable icon in popular culture, with many shows, YouTube videos, and films lampooning him. In the South Park episode "Dead Celebrities", Mays' ghost appears repeatedly to Ike Broflovski, trying to … See more

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