Jim Albright, a long-time advertising copywriter and one of the original “Mad Men” from the 1960s, died Saturday, June 30, in Denton, Texas. He was 77.
As a creative for Tracy Locke, Albright is best remembered for launching–along with art director Ron McQuien–the landmark Doritos campaign that ran for 12 years starting in the 1970s. It starred Avery Schreiber and helped to make Frito-Lay’s brand Doritos the number-one product in its category.
There’s not a snack lover alive who hasn’t been touched by one of Albright’s many contributions to the American pop culture landscape he loved so much. His most lasting contribution, perhaps, may be Funyuns, which he named himself. (He claimed the original name he came up with, “OnYums”, was already taken).
Before getting into advertising, Albright practiced law for two years. He was a copywriter, broadcast producer, creative chief and group head at several agencies, including Tracy Locke, Bloom in Dallas and McCann Erickson.
Dr. Albright, or “Jim” as he preferred to be called, was widely published in many publications, including articles in the Denton Record Chronicle, AdWeek, and many other industry publications. In 1993, he also wrote a textbook, Creating the Advertising Message, which he taught in his classrooms for many years.
In the early ’80s, Albright fulfilled his lifelong dream of becoming a college professor. He became an associate professor in the media department at Southern Methodist University before teaching advertising and journalism at the University of Missouri. For the past couple of decades, he had been teaching as a tenured professor at the University of North Texas.
He was highly popular among his students, many of whom considered him a beacon of idealism in a world where competition and ambition seemed to trump all else. He had a reputation for reminding everyone–students, colleagues, friends and his own children–to slow down, take it easy and, most importantly, “love what you must do.” He followed that advice for years in all his endeavors, except when it came to faculty meetings, which he absolutely hated.
Albright loved teaching, his friends, the Texas Rangers, and his family very much, but his version of heaven was sitting alone in his favorite chair at home in front of his giant television, reading a Western, petting his beloved cat Jane, while every single television and radio in the house blared at full volume.
Albright was always amused when people would tease him about his many (failed) marriages, because, after all, they produced seven children who love him very, very much and will miss him terribly.
A gathering to celebrate Jim Albright’s life will be held at DeBerry Funeral Home, 2025 W. University, Denton, TX 76201 on Friday, July 7, at 11 a.m. Pallbearers include Jim Albright Jr., Adam Albright-Hanna, Lucky Albright, Ron McQuien, Roy Busby, and Koji Off. He is survived by his sister, Cheryl Teeter, Ducky Albright, his children Jim Jr., Becca, Rachel, Naida, Kate, Adam, Lucky, and his grandchildren, Dominik, Jonas, Rachel, Walker, Sarah, Coleman, Declan, Sully and Gabriel.
Gene Hackman Died Of Heart Disease; Hantavirus Claimed His Wife’s Life About One Week Prior
Actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease a full week after his wife died from hantavirus in their New Mexico hillside home, likely unaware that she was dead because he was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease, authorities revealed Friday. Both deaths were ruled to be from natural causes, chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell said alongside state fire and health officials at a news conference. "Mr. Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer's disease," Jarrell said. "He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that's what resulted in his death." Authorities didn't suspect foul play after the bodies of Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa, 65, were discovered Feb 26. Immediate tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative. Investigators found that the last known communication and activity from Arakawa was Feb. 11 when she visited a pharmacy, pet store and grocery before returning to their gated neighborhood that afternoon, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Friday. Hackman's pacemaker last showed signs of activity a week later and that he had an abnormal heart rhythm Feb. 18, the day he likely died, Jarrell said. Although there was no reliable way to determine the date and time when both died, all signs point to their deaths coming a week apart, Jarrell said. "It's quite possible he was not aware she was deceased," Jarrell said. Dr. Michael Baden, a former New York City medical examiner, said he believes Hackman was severely impaired due to Alzheimer's disease and unable to deal with his wife's death in the last week of his life. "You are talking about very severe Alzheimer's disease that normal people would be in a nursing home or have a nurse, but she was taking care... Read More