But only barely, it turns out, at least in regard to the company he founded.
Ronco Corp., based in Simi Valley has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, declaring it has $32.7 million in debts and $13.9 million in assets.
Popeil, 72, an irrepressible pitchman who used infomercials to sell products such as the Pocket Fisherman, Showtime Rotisserie and GLH spray-on hair, is the largest creditor.
Two years ago, he sold Ronco, the company he founded in 1958. The price was about $55 million — in what was supposed to be two easy payments.
Popeil is owed $11.8 million, according to Thursday's filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Los Angeles. Other creditors include the Food Network, Court TV and the QVC home shopping network.
A spokeswoman for Popeil, who lives in Beverly Hills, said he had no comment on the bankruptcy filing.
Part of the deal when Popeil sold the company was that it could continue to use his image, which is still on the company Web site. Anyone calling Ronco's headquarters will hear Popeil's voice — familiar to those who've heard some of his late-night pitches — saying, "If you know the extension of the person you're calling. ... "
Ronco Chief Executive John Reiland said the company would continue its operations uninterrupted and that none of its 95 employees would be laid off. Chapter 11 allows a business to keep running while it works out a plan to pay its debts.
Ronco has sold $1.4 billion of and-if-you-act-now gadgets, court documents show. It had a previous tour through bankruptcy in the 1980s.
Reiland wouldn't discuss how the company got into its current financial state. But court documents said an initial $40 million payment to Popeil sliced and diced the company's finances, leaving it severely short of cash.
The company has reached a nonbinding agreement with a new buyer, but Reiland wouldn't say who that is.
It's not Popeil, the spokeswoman said. The man considered to be the father of the infomercial is too busy working on his latest invention -- a home turkey fryer.
Another casualty in the death of America.
